Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

I stand and sit on the edge of his bed. He draws me closer. I try to be gentle but he holds me against him like he just found me again. The steady beat of his heart pounds in my ear and I soak it in. Every beat confirms he’s alive.

“You’re mine, Madison. Ours. No one else’s. No more games. We’ll figure out how to make this work.” He kisses my head. “We’re in this together. All of us.”

I hold him carefully, trying not to hurt him. “That’s all I want.”

He holds me like that for a while before both of us need to rest.

When Noah wheels me out, Carter stops us.

“Victoria is upset that Cooper was shot. It’s not about you, dear.” He glances at Noah before returning his gaze to me. “We know Cooper loves you and we’ll do what it takes to support you two in whatever decision you make for the future.”

“Thank you. I love him too.” Tears choke my throat, but I swallow them down.

We stop in Hope’s room. Jason sits in the corner while Hope and I talk for a few minutes. The doctors say she’ll be good to go home tomorrow too. The police took her statement earlier. I can’t stay for long, but I’m glad I could see her and we’re both free of that place now.

“I’m fine to walk,” I argue as we step off the elevator to our apartment.

“You can lean on me if you need to.” Blake keeps trying to pick me up, but I’m not the one with the gunshot wound.

Noah opens the door and we walk in. I draw in a breath and look around at the space. Last night they both stayed in my room, while Seth stayed with Coop. I can’t wait to have them all with me again. Here. Where we belong.

It will be four more days before they reevaluate Coop to see if he can come home. Fear of infection. We’ll be taking shifts to go sit with Coop in the hospital.

The apartment is warm and inviting like it always has been. But it feels different now, not worse or better, just different. I’m free to enjoy this apartment and what this relationship has become without the specter of Val and her boyfriend or the faceless stalker.

When Noah touches the small of my back, I turn to face him. His brown eyes smile down at me. “Come on, let’s get you settled.”

I let him guide me to his bedroom. Blake stands in the doorway.

“My team is doublechecking everything, including your room.” Blake rubs the back of his neck. “We’re not sure what Patrick had access to and what Andrea and Courtney may have managed.”

I sit on the edge of Noah’s bed. “I’m fine sleeping in your beds.”

They both stand there awkwardly. Do they think I’m that damaged by this whole thing?

“Do we need to go to work?” I look at Noah and then Blake.

“Not today.”

I nod. The hospital didn’t clear me until almost two in the afternoon. I stand and take off the blouse they brought me to wear home.

“What are you doing?” Blake asks.

“Taking a shower.” I drop the blouse on the floor and shimmy out of my skirt. “I’d love company.”

I stand in my bra and panties, looking at two of my loves. We’ve all had a long couple of days. I just want to be close to them. I’m wet just thinking about being with them, but I long for our connection more than just getting off.

Noah takes his shirt off and heads into the bathroom to start the shower.

I walk up to Blake and undo the buttons on his shirt. “How’s your arm?”

“Good enough.” His green eyes watch me intently. “How are you?”

“Drug free. Stalker free.” Smiling, I ease the shirt off his bandaged arm. “All I need is my men back in working order and life will be perfect.”

Blake lifts his hand and threads it into my hair, tipping my head back. “We still have things to resolve, tiger.”

I sigh. Holding his gaze, I work on his belt and pants. “I know, but in here, we can just be us. We can forget about the press and the speculation. The trial that will take months. We can just be with each other. Love each other.”