Page 127 of Their Fairy Princess (Office Intrigue Duet 7)
I wouldn’t pretend to understand his need for solitude because I didn’t share it. However, I also wouldn’t pretend I didn’t love him because of the man he’d become, stronger than any and all I’d ever met.
Dante would never become a regular fixture in my bed or Isaac’s, although we would both welcome him at any time. Perhaps one day, the dynamic would shift, and he would get used to living with people, interacting day after day, accepting the love the three of us offered him.
Everly was the exact opposite of Dante. She wanted comfort, constant touching. The way she slept was proof, burrowed against my side as though this was the most comfortable place to be.
I glanced down at her, the moonlight slipping through the blinds, caressing her face from above. She was at peace, possibly more so than I’d seen her since she came here.
As carefully as I could, I shifted out from under her, then lifted her into my arms.
She stirred, her arms curling around my neck. “Where’re we going?”
Complete and utter trust. That was what she gave us, and it humbled me.
“To bed,” I told her.
She rubbed her cheek against my shoulder, smiled, her eyes never opening. “We were already in bed.”
“I know.”
Without explaining myself, I carried her down the hall to Isaac’s bedroom, turned the knob, and pushed it open, holding her securely in my arms.
Just as I thought, Isaac wasn’t asleep. He was propped up on a pillow, his television on but muted.
He sat up, worry dragging his brow down.
I shook my head, then walked over to the other side of the bed before easing Everly into it. He watched me closely. Without asking whether he was okay with it or not, I crawled in beside her, nudged her toward the center.
Isaac’s eyes met mine and he knew the same as I did that this was the only way this would work. There was no separating our love for her, sharing it by way of rotation. When she was with him, I would feel the loss tremendously and vice versa.
Everly rolled to her side, curled up along Isaac’s side, then reached back for me. She, too, knew this was the only way this played out.
She took my hand, tugged until I was pressed up against her back.
“I love you,” she whispered.
We didn’t need her to clarify who she was speaking to.
Both of us.
The way it had been since the beginning.
There was only one obstacle left for us to tackle where this situation was concerned.
Taking her at the same time, overcoming that driving need to possess. The beast was fierce, independent, and as far as I was concerned, would have to find a way to share.
This was exactly where we’d been meant to be all along.
THIRTY-ONE
Dante
When I woke up on Monday morning, showered, then sauntered into the kitchen, I was surprised to see Isaac working at the stove, Ian perched up on the counter, Everly straddling his lap.
She tipped back, smiled at me.
There was such pure elation there, I couldn’t help but smile back as I took it all in.
“Something happened last night,” I said aloud.
No one responded, but their silence was the only confirmation I needed. The dynamic had shifted there.
“I’m making omelets,” Isaac announced. “What do you want in yours?”
I glanced over at him, about to remind him that I didn’t eat eggs when he pointed toward a carton on the counter.
“Vegan eggs,” Ian supplied. “Who even knew that shit existed?”
I laughed. I did, actually.
“Isaac looked it up,” he told me. “Found all kinds of shit at Whole Foods.”
“They love you, PB,” Everly said in a singsong voice. “Ian even promised to make cookies.”
“I most certainly did not,” he said, leaning in and chuckling against her neck.
“Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she teased.
I watched the three of them. It would’ve been easy to explain away the light atmosphere as being related to whatever obstacle they’d overcome, but I got the feeling it was more than that. This wasn’t about Ian giving in to the love he felt for Everly. That was inevitable even if he’d never realized it. I’d known all along, though it wasn’t my place to point it out.
Isaac looked up, his eyes locked with mine.
“What’s going on?” I asked, ensuring he knew what I was referring to.
He motioned toward the barstool with his elbow. “Have a seat.”
“No.” I wasn’t intentionally disregarding a command, but I could see in his eyes he thought I was. “Tell me.”
Ian moved, getting to his feet and holding Everly in his arms. “We’ll give you two a minute.”
“No,” I said, more firmly this time. “I want to know what’s going on.”
Everly dropped her legs from around Ian’s waist, waited until she was on her feet before turning to study me and Isaac. It was obvious she didn’t know what was going on, but Isaac and Ian sure did.
