by Maxene Novak
“Right,” Blake nodded, “and our place is clearly the best option.”
Now Heather was the one rolling her eyes. When she squeezed them shut and pinched the bridge of her nose looking like she was in pain, both Evan and Blake moved to brush a reassuring hand over her skin. “I’m okay.” She opened her eyes and smiled at Evan before focusing her scowl back on Blake. “Please explain to me just how it is you’ve drawn the conclusion that your place is what’s best for me.”
“It’s where you’ll receive the best care. Evan will be more comfortable there since it is his home, which will reflect positively in his care for you. Plus, I’ll be there when I’m not at work so you’ll have twice the help.”
“I’m not dying, Blake. I just need someone there to help me if I get dizzy and keep me from forgetting to take my meds, or make sure I don’t take too many. I don’t think I need two people for that.”
“Yes, but Evan might need a break. A day here and there to run errands or something, and if he does I’ll be there to step in.”
Blake gave her his best charming smile. It always worked on her when they were dating in high school, and he used it on Evan when he really wanted to get his way now. When she smiled back at him and shook her head with a laugh, Evan knew that it hadn’t lost its powers.
She nudged her head towards him and looked at Evan. “He use that on you a lot?”
Evan laughed. “Yep.”
“You fall for it like I used to?”
“Every time.”
Blake just smiled wider and winked at them. “Can’t help it that you both find me irresistible.”
“Oh my god. You haven’t changed one bit.”
“Why fix what isn’t broken?”
Evan and Heather looked at each other and burst out laughing. “Okay, Rico Suave.” Heather looked to the clock on the wall. “Now, I believe you are late for work, and you still have two story edits to get to me asap.”
“I got them done last night. Since Evan wasn’t home I had lots of time on my hands. I’ll email them to you as soon as I get to the office. Or, is there someone I should defer to while you’re out?”
“No,” Heather said. “You should still forward your work to me and Alex. If we need to send anything to another senior editor in my absence I’ll have Alex do so, but that shouldn’t be the case. I can still access everything on my laptop from home. I shouldn’t have any problems keeping my work done even if I can’t be at the office. Alex will attend all of my meetings and forward notes to me, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Well, if you need me to take on any extra work just let me know. I don’t mind,” he told her.
“Thanks, but you’re still in your probationary period until I have a chance to review your work. Don’t think the fact that your husband will be helping me out is going make me drop the ball on that.”
Blake held up his hands. “Of course not, but once you see my work you’ll be ready to throw some work my way.”
“So cocky.”
“Just confident, and if I remember that was one of the things you used to love about me.”
Heather nervously glanced at Evan, but he just smiled and winked at her. “Yeah, well, the jury is still out on that now.”
“Alright then. I’ll go to work, but you can reach me on my cell when you read through my work and see how good it is.” Blake leaned down and gave Evan a lingering kiss, then he stepped forward and kissed Heather quickly on the lips before she had the chance to realize what he was about to do and stop him. “I’ll stop by and visit again after work.” With that he waved bye to his smiling husband and a shocked Heather who was still staring at him with her hand lingering over her lips where he’d just kissed her.
Blake couldn’t stop smiling on his way to work, but once he got there and took a seat in the quiet of his office it hit him. Heather had been seriously hurt. A hemorrhage can kill people. Then what did he do but go and kiss her. On the lips. Right in front of his husband who’d so selfishly offered to take off work and care for her because he knew how much Blake still loved her. Suddenly Blake didn’t feel so good. Evan was smiling when he left but that could have been a front for Heather. Sure they’d talked about his feelings for Heather, but that didn’t mean Evan was ready to have them thrust in his face. “Shit.” Blake ran his hands over his face. He’d have to be careful while Heather stayed in their home. He still loved her; he always would, but he couldn’t risk losing Evan in an attempt to get her back. He grabbed his phone and pulled up Evan in his contact list and chose message.
Sorry about that kiss. I wasn’t thinking. I love you.
Evan’s response was quick.
Nothing to apologize for. I enjoyed that kiss. Love you too.
Blake rolled his eyes and text back.
I didn’t mean our kiss. I meant for kissing Heather. Don’t know what came over me.
You love her, that’s what. I didn’t mean our kiss either. I did like it as well. Now get to work. We’ll talk tonight. Love you.
Blake starred at his phone. He wasn’t sure how to take Evan’s text. Surely he wasn’t saying that he enjoyed watching Blake kiss someone else, right? A knock at his door pulled him from his thoughts and Alex walked in with a stack of papers in her hands before he even had the chance to wave her in.
“Heather’s out for a while so there might be some extra work coming your way,” Alex said. “She told me you already completed your first assignment so here is something new that needs to be reviewed and edited. You’ll be the first eyes on this one so take your time and make sure your work is solid.”
Blake took the papers from Alex, which were actually the rough draft of a book, and thanked her. “I’ll get started on this right away.”
“Good.” Alex nodded. “See you later.”
She left the room before he had the chance to say anything else, and Blake stared down at the book with a smile. Heather said she hadn’t reviewed his work yet, but here she’d called Alex and assigned him a book no one else had touched yet. She must have some kind of confidence in him to do that and that made him happy. He opened up the book and got to work reading. He’d make sure he didn’t miss a thing. He wouldn’t disappoint Heather. He never wanted to disappoint her again.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Heather
Heather took in her new temporary surroundings. Blake and Evan’s home wasn’t huge, but it was still spacious and beautiful. The guest room Evan set her up in was nicely decorated with a queen-sized sleigh bed in a dark cherry finish. The walls were painted a nice pistachio color and the comforter on the bed matched beautifully. It was very cozy. She even had her own attached bathroom, which was rare for a spare bedroom. Best of all was the desk that was set up in a corner adjacent to the bed so she’d have a place to get her work done. She had briefly entertained the notion that they purchased that desk specifically to accommodate her, but she laughed the idea off; they wouldn’t go that far to make her comfortable, surely.
All in all there was nothing to complain about other than the fact that Blake had all but taken her choice away between staying here or at her own apartment. She’d let him slide on that one though. It wasn’t like staying here would be a hardship. Evan had taken her by her apartment and helped her gather anything and everything she might possibly need over the next few weeks, then insisted on putting it all away in the closet and drawers right after they got there, effectively moving her in. In truth, she now had more stuff here than at her own apartment.
After plugging her laptop in at the desk, Heather headed out of her temporary room to find Evan. He’d left her alone to get settled in. She found him in the kitchen throwing together a salad that looked delicious.
Evan turned to look at her and his smile knocked the breath right out of her for a moment. “Hey. I thought you might be ready for some lunch,” he said. Still trying to reign in her overreaction to his gorgeous smile, Heather just nodded. “Blake said you were a fan of paninis so I’ve got a couple ready.
Just have to throw them on the panini press real quick and everything will be ready. I was waiting for you to finish up so they’d be fresh for you. Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll make us up a couple plates.”
“Sure you don’t want some help?” Heather already knew what he would say, but she had to offer.
Evan looked at her with his lips pursed and one eyebrow raised. “I’ve got this. Now sit your pretty butt down.” He motioned towards the table and waited for her to sit before he turned back to the panini press and put their sandwiches in to toast.
“I really like your home. It’s beautiful, and that might be the nicest guest room I’ve ever stayed in. Never seen a second bedroom with its own attached bath, and having a desk in there is extremely convenient. Thanks for helping me unpack by the way.” Heather felt like she was rambling, but she couldn’t just sit there in silence while he made her lunch after he and Blake opened their home to her and he was taking time off work to care for her.
“Yeah, Blake and I thought it would be easier for you to get your work done if you had your own desk in your space here. Less distractions while you work and all.”
Heather looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock. She might have briefly entertained the idea that they put a desk in the guest room for her, but she hadn’t seriously believed it to be the case. “Wait. Are you saying that you bought that desk for me while I stay here?” Evan nodded. “Evan, that’s too much. All of this is too much.”
Evan placed a plate in front of her then took a seat next to her with his own lunch. He smiled and reached over, pulling her hand into his. With a light squeeze of her hand he said, “No it’s not. I’m happy to do it; all of it. And trust me, Blake is through the roof happy about you being here.”
“I appreciate that, I really do, but I can’t have you spending money on me like that on top of everything else you’re doing.”
“Don’t worry about money.”
“Evan, that desk is nice and it’s solid wood. I know it wasn’t cheap. You have to at least let me pay you back for it.”
“It really wasn’t much, and there’s no need for you to pay us back for anything. We are happy you’re here.” He reached up and cupped her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheek gently. “I’m glad you’re here. Just let us be here for you. Okay? It’s what we both want more than anything right now.”
Heather searched Evan’s eyes for any sign that he wasn’t being truthful or was exaggerating his happiness over her being there. She found nothing. He seemed to truly mean what he said, and she believed that he genuinely wanted her there. “Okay, but I’m serious. I don’t want you guys spending a bunch of money on me. So, please, no more large purchases to accommodate my needs in your home. I’m only here temporarily, so it’s not logical for the two of you to purchase things like furniture just for me.”
Evan’s smiled faltered momentarily at Heather’s comment about only staying temporarily, but it didn’t take him long to recover. He squeezed her hand reassuringly before releasing it and picking up his sandwich. “Let’s eat before these get cold.”
Heather kept her eyes on him while they ate. She hadn’t missed the fact that he never actually agreed to not spend any more money on things for her. He was just as stubborn as Blake. No wonder they were so great together.
“What’s that for?” Blake pointed towards her mouth.
“I’m sorry. What?” She reached for her napkin assuming she must have food on her mouth or something.
“That little smile that just crept up on your face while you were staring at me.”
Heather felt the heat climb up her cheeks as her face undoubtedly went red. She took a drink of water and cleared her throat trying to get her flush under control. “Oh. I was just thinking that you and Blake are good together. I mean, I can see why you get along so well.”
Evan smiled as he lifted his own glass to his mouth to take a swallow. Just before he put the glass to his mouth he said, “I can say the same thing about you. I’m already beginning to see why he loves you.”
“Loved. You mean loved.”
“Nope.” He sat his glass down and looked at her with sincerity in his eyes. “I meant just what I said. I meant it when I said it at the hospital, and I mean it now. He loves you. Always has. Always will. Just, don’t let him know I told you so. I think he’s trying to work up to telling you himself. Wants to rebuild your trust in him first.”
Heather sat her fork down and tried to process Evan’s words. She’d just assumed he was telling her what he thought she wanted to hear in the hospital, anything to get her to agree to him helping her out for the next few weeks. She never imagined Blake was actually still in love with her, and even more, that his husband knew it and was seemingly fine with it. “Evan, I…I don’t know what to say. I can go. I don’t want to come between—”
“No,” he said without any hesitation. “This isn’t news for me, Heather, and it’s not something to worry about. I love Blake and he loves me. He just happens to love you as well. I believe that he has enough love in him for us both. I mean, he’s already proven that to me in the years we’ve been together. I’ve never felt slighted in our relationship, and his love for you has always been a part of him even before the two of you came back into each other’s lives.”
“You’re pretty amazing. You know that?” Heather smiled at him. She didn’t know if she would feel the same way if their roles were reversed.
“Yeah,” he said with a wink, “but it doesn’t hurt to hear it every now and then from others.”
Heather started laughing and Evan soon joined in. “Yep. You and Blake definitely belong together.”
Evan
Evan knocked on the bedroom door before walking in. After lunch Heather had gone straight to her room and got busy working and he hadn’t seen her for several hours. He knew that she was dedicated to her work, but he was there to make sure she didn’t overdo it. She’d just suffered a pretty bad head injury and had brain surgery. She did not need to be overdoing it with work or she could slow her recovery.
“Hey, aren’t you ready for a break?” he asked when he walked into the room. Despite the fact that he’d knocked loud enough she must have heard him and opened the door to come into the room, Heather’s eyes had not left her computer screen and she was tapping away at the keys.
“Just a few more minutes,” Heather replied. She still hadn’t looked up at him.
Evan walked over to her, and standing behind her, he grabbed the back of her chair and spun her around to face him. Heather crossed her arms and gave him a look that he was sure she used to intimidate her under-performing employees at Panda Publishing, but it wasn’t working on him. It honestly looked so strange to see a scowl on such a beautiful face that he couldn’t hold in the laughter her glare brought on.
Heather tried to push at his arms to get him to back up, but Evan held onto the armrests of her chair and moved in closer. Her response was to increase the scowl on her face by drawing her eyebrows down further, increasing the lines that formed above the bridge of her nose. “What are you doing?”
“Rescuing you from yourself, or kidnapping you. Call it what you want, but I’m getting you out of this room and away from that computer before your eyes permanently cross and your brain makes itself bleed just to get a break from staring at that screen.”
Heather rolled her eyes but he didn’t miss the small smile that was starting to form at her mouth. He knew she was trying to hold it back, but he wasn’t going to let that happen. “I know you’re trying to hold your smile back, but I’m not going to let you win. Your smile is too beautiful to be kept under wraps.”
Evan lifted one of his hands from the arm of the chair and took her chin between his fingers and thumb. He gently touched his thumb to the edge of her mouth, which had curved up in a more vivid smile after he mentioned its beauty. Her lips were soft and pink, and when Evan placed his thumb by them Heather pulled in her bottom lip and bit it with her teeth then let it slowly
slide free. Evan felt the sudden urge to taste her lips, to find out what they felt like pressed against his own, and to take that enticing bottom lip between his own teeth. Evan’s eyes were glued to Heather’s lips, and without consciously doing so he groaned when she brought her pink tongue out and slowly licked her lips.
He needed to back away, and he needed to do it now. Even though he knew Blake was hoping that the three of them would one day find a way to be together, it felt like it was too soon for him and Heather to start exploring anything romantic. That didn’t mean he didn’t already want to. Clearly he wanted her. Hell, he found himself more attracted to her than any woman he’d ever been with before he met Blake. Still, he wanted to take his time getting to know her and make sure she was on the same page.
Evan found the strength he needed, and he forced his eyes up from her lips. However, when he looked up he found that Heather’s eyes were also locked on his mouth and knowing she was thinking the same as he had been sent a wave of desire crashing into him. The next thing Evan knew his mouth was pressed against hers, and their lips were moving in a tango of caresses, teeth, and tongue. Heather brought her hands up to the back of his head and let them roam over the skin that covered his head. It felt amazing. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer to him. When their bodies pressed together Heather moaned into his mouth and his dick went instantly hard. He released Heather’s mouth and took a step back. Heather didn’t move. She placed her fingers against her mouth and drew large gulps of air into her lungs.
“Shit. Heather, I’m sorry.”
Heather dropped her hand from her mouth. “What do you have to be sorry for?”
“Oh, I don’t know. For kissing you. For this.” Evan gestured to the massive erection that his jeans were doing absolutely nothing to hide.
Heather gave him a sly smile he hadn’t seen on her before, and fuck him if it wasn’t sexy as hell. “I don’t think that’s something to apologize for. I mean, it seemed pretty impressive to me pressed up against my belly a moment ago.”
