“Alex! I’m . . .” I cover her mouth with mine, and grip the headboard so tight I could probably break it and rip the fucker off.

I feel her clench around me, bringing me to my own orgasm just seconds later, releasing my load inside her as deep as I can.

We’re both a sweaty, panting mess; fighting for air as our bodies lay tangled against each other. Right here, naked and in Tripp’s bed, is where I want to spend the rest of my night, and I’m not letting go until I have to . . . at least not until the morning. After that . . .

I have no fucking clue what we’re going to do.

AFTER ALEX CLEANS US BOTH off he crawls back into bed behind me, like he always has, and pulls me into his strong arms. “Wait a sec.” I try to sit up, but Alex pulls me back down and kisses the top of my head, wrapping his arms around me tighter, tighter than ever before.

“You don’t need any clothes, Firecracker.” I can feel him smile against my hair. “I can’t promise that they won’t come back off in the middle of the night.”

Laughing, I playfully bite his arm.

“Ooooh yeah . . . I like that, babe. Harder.”

“Alex.” Struggling to turn around and face him, I push his chest, but stop laughing as soon as my eyes meet his. I don’t want to lose moments like this with him. It scares me. “Do you think we can stay like this?” I ask honestly.

Cupping my face, he leans in and presses his nose against mine. His sweet breath on my lips almost pulls me in, but I stop myself before I cave. “I’ll never let us change. Didn’t I tell you that I’d always take care of you?”

Feeling my heart swell from his words, I nod my head and tangle my fingers into the back of his hair. I’ve always loved touching his thick hair. “Yeah, and you have; except for when . . .”

“But I came back, Tripp,” he cuts in. “I only left because I had to. Fighting was the only way to earn the money I needed after my mother passed. I would never fucking leave you if I had a choice. I’ve been there since you were seven. Nothing could make me stop caring about you the way I do. If anything, I only care about you more now.” He presses a firm kiss to the side of my head and then flips me back over, holding me in our usual sleeping position. “Go to sleep. No more thinking for tonight . . .”

Sighing, I grip his arm and get comfortable, knowing that there’s no way in hell I will be able to stop thinking. “Goodnight, Alex.”

I lay in silence, lost in thought and snuggled in his strong embrace for the next two hours . . . until I finally fall asleep in hopes that tomorrow won’t be awkward for either of us.

Especially since Lucas will be gone for the next week and it will just be the two of us . . . I have a feeling that Alex doesn’t know that yet.

I WAKE UP TO LUCAS leaning over me. My mind instantly goes to Alex, but when I look beside me the bed is empty. He must’ve slipped out early this morning when he heard Lucas getting ready. It’s not unusual for Alex to wake up and take early morning runs.

The look on Lucas’ face as he watches me yawn is different than normal. He looks almost worried and defeated in some way. “Just wanted to say bye before my flight. Didn’t mean to wake you so early after your late night with Alex.”

Sitting up, I blink a few times and run my hands over my face in an attempt to wake up. “Lucas . . . I–”

“We don’t talk about that stuff, Tripp. There’s no need to start now. I’m not worried. There’s no future for you and Alex, because you guys have too much on the line if things don’t work out.”

My heart sinks to my stomach hearing those words out loud. I mean . . . I’ve known all along that this could never be more than what it is, but wow . . . hearing it out loud is like someone twisting a knife in my heart and ripping it the hell out.

“I mean . . .” Lucas sits down next to me and grabs my chin, placing a rough kiss to my mouth. “The sexual tension has been building for years between you two. This is your chance to get it all out. I don’t blame Alex for getting it in as much as he can. The poor guy has wanted to fuck you for years, and now he has the opportunity. A few rough nights of you two blowing off steam and then he’ll be on to the next girl while you’ll be ready to move on with me. We both know Alex doesn’t stick to one girl for long.”

“Yeah,” I manage to get out through the pain. “You’re right. I’m sure he’s just blowing off steam.”

“I’ll text you when I land.” He leans in to kiss me again, but this time slowly and with tongue.

He tries to make it passionate, but it’s stiff on my end. Kissing him feels so wrong after having my lips on Alex’s just hours ago. This feeling is so weird. Two of my close guy friends and I’m fucking them both.

Oh man. That sounds so bad.

“Have a safe flight,” I say when he breaks the kiss and stands up.

Looking me over, he nods his head and then turns to leave. Even though he’s playing it off, the look on his face says that he’s worried. I don’t know why. It’s not like he has anything to worry about anyway. He said it himself. Alex is just blowing off steam and taking advantage of the situation. He will be on to the next girl in no time.

I lay back and don’t move again until I hear Alex jogging up the stairs an hour later.

Sweaty, shirtless, and out of breath, he enters my room and smiles at my sleepy state. “Morning, Firecracker.”

I groan and roll back over, kicking the blankets off of me. “I don’t know how you do mornings so well. What time is it anyway?”

He looks down at his imaginary watch. “Time to get your sleepy butt out of bed and have breakfast with me.”

I can’t help but to smile at his playfulness. It doesn’t matter what time of morning or night it is, Alex always has a way of waking my ass up and making me want to do stuff with him. “Fine.” I groan. “Let me shower first.”

He winks. “Gotcha, babe. I’ll jump in the shower downstairs and meet you by my truck in twenty.”

As soon as he leaves my room, I roll over in bed and smile while running my hands over my face. I love it how we live in the same house, but he still has me meet him by his truck as if we don’t. I seriously don’t think Alex could be any more perfect. He’s so adorable that it fucking hurts to think of how this is going to be in a week . . .

WHEN WE’RE DONE EATING BREAKFAST we hang out at the local diner and relax, as if we have all day to just talk. We’ve been coming to Monty’s for years, although, we haven’t been here in months. I love how being here with him makes me feel. It reminds me of old times when all that mattered was being together and having fun.

“So what are we doing today?” Alex asks with a raised brow.

“We? Well I have to go to work in a few hours. Harley is teaching me a little bit about bartending during lunch.” I lean over the booth and toss my straw wrapper at him. “What about you? Don’t you have like a million appointments today or something?”

He flashes me those sexy as sin dimples and reaches out to tip my chin up. “I would like to get you back in my chair and finish what I started.”

“So you want to hurt me?” I tease. “Is that why you made me get out of bed?”

Alex’s face turns serious as his eyes search mine. “I would never hurt you, Tripp.” He sucks his bottom lip into his mouth and leans back in his booth with a grin. “But I would mark you forever, and that’s what I want to finish doing, so are you in?” He flashes me those damn dimples again and tilts his head.

I melt. I seriously fucking melt. “You asshole . . . that’s not fair. You know that always works on me.”