Chapter 46

Sawyer

The shower is going when I crack my eyes open the next morning. The low sun comes through the break in the curtain. Asher is up. Reece is still asleep, snuggled deep in my arms. I'm holding him to me in much the same way Asher holds me when we sleep.

I extract myself from him, careful not to wake him. Then, I join Asher in the shower.

He kisses me good morning.

"Last night was amazing," he murmurs.

I circle his neck. "Fucking amazing."

"I wish Reece would stay with us," I say as we move around the kitchen later. I want him with us like this. Doing mundane things like laundry and coffee and arguing over who forgot to take out the trash.

"Yeah. Me too."

Asher goes outside for a smoke while I prepare our coffee. Reece's cell is on the counter. It buzzes and then lights up.

I don't mean to see the text come through on the ribbon. My eyes just fall there, and I take in the words.

I don't catch the name before the message disappears, but my eyes catch the gist of the text: You're just like your mother. Such a fucking disappointment.

His father? Who else would speak to Reece like that? I set it aside. Reece will talk to us if he feels it's necessary. I join Asher outside. "Pippin told me something yesterday," I say.

"What? Carlson is locked up in a prison somewhere?" he asks dryly. "Because that would be the best news."

I shake my head. "She said Deliah asked Carlson if we're getting a divorce because one of us is cheating."

Asher frowns, the crease lines on his forehead becoming more pronounced by the second. "On the last day of school back in May, Principal Watson mentioned something too. Deliah said she saw you with someone – Reece, obviously – in the store."

My turn to frown. "You didn't say anything."

"Yeah. I put it out of my mind because, you know, it was something he heard from Deliah and who cares about what Deliah says. But . . ."

"You're worried?"

"Maybe a little. But that was nearly three months ago. I told Watson you were with a coworker, who also happens to be a friend."

"It's an easy story to go with. Not that we have to keep it a secret. We're not doing anything wrong."

"Yeah." Asher sighs. "I'd say fuck it but people are so fickle sometimes. We're consenting adults and it's not against the law, but I just don't want any drama while we're figuring things out, you know? I just want to keep it between us for as long as possible."

"You're right, babe."

Reece steps outside, all bed hair and puffy eyes and a freshly washed face. He's so gorgeous.

"Hey," he says groggily.

Asher pushes off the porch railing. "Morning, beautiful."

He grins. "Morning." I pull him into my arms, turning him so his back presses into my chest and his front is facing Asher.

Asher sets his coffee down, coming close to slip his arms around Reece's waist. "How's your ass?" he asks. His voice has dropped to a low drawl.

Reece rests his head against the side of my face. "So fuckin' sore in the best way."

I chuckle into his nape. "You have a sensational hole," I murmur, kissing his neck while Asher kisses his mouth. He writhes between us as if we hadn't drilled his ass to near extinction the night before.

His ass rotates against my groin, and he reaches up to slink his arm around my neck, turning enough so that I have more of his neck to nibble on. His kiss with Asher is soft and easy, his still-warm body pressing back into mine and then shifting to press into Asher. Then, he turns, pressing his ass against Asher and pulls me in for a kiss.

I love how he's become more and more confident over the last few months. He's no longer in a constant state of shock over what's happening between us.

He pulls away reluctantly, saying he needs a shower and if anyone has seen his phone. I tell him it's on the kitchen counter.

I watch him carefully when he goes back inside. He checks his phone and the dismay on his face is impossible to miss.

Something is going on. If he doesn't talk in the next few days, I'll ask him about it. Whatever it is, it doesn't look good.