Page 262 of Better When Shared
“She told us she has anxiety issues,” I added. “But that’s all we know.”
“With anxiety, sometimes people need to step away and process. The best thing you can do is to be open when she returns, but not pushy. Let her know you’re there to talk if she wants, but respect her space if she doesn’t.”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Thanks, Aimee. That helps.”
“Hey, I’m rooting for you guys,” she said, her voice warm. “All three of you. When do you come back?”
My heart dropped into my stomach as I looked down at the date. How had the time passed so quickly?
“Two days,” I whispered. “Too soon.”
Aimee was quiet for a minute. “Long distance can work, but I want you to know that you don’t have to stay in Denver. If you’ve found love, you need to chase it, big brother, even if it means moving across the country to do so. Got it?”
“Yeah,” I said, voice hoarse as I glanced towards Kiaan.
After we hung up, Kiaan’s thumb traced circles on the back of my hand, the simple touch grounding me. “We’ll figure it out,” he said.
“Yeah. We will. I just wish I had more time.” I stood, blowing out a breath. “So. Want to help me distract myself while we wait for Sky to come back?”
“Help how?” His eyes dropped to my dick and he licked his lips.
“As much as I’d enjoy fucking that luscious mouth again, I think I’d like to finish my project for Skylar. Get her collection all pretty and on display.”
I walked to the back of the room and ran my fingers along the honey-colored wood of the shelf I’d built for Skylar, testing to see if the stain had finally dried. Satisfied with the smooth, non-tacky finish, I turned to Kiaan, who was digging through a box labeled “VINTAGE GAMES” in Skylar’s neat handwriting. The worry about her hasty departure still gnawed at my gut, but we’d decided to keep busy rather than spiral into anxiety. Setting up her game collection on the new shelves seemed like the perfect distraction—a small way to show her we cared without crowding her space.
“Look at this.” Kiaan held up a cartridge, his eyes lighting up with genuine excitement. “Original Legend of the Twin Blades. This is the game where we all met.”
I took it from him, examining the worn label with a surge of nostalgia. “I can’t believe it’s been six years. Feels like yesterday and forever ago at the same time.”
“Remember when you first joined our guild?” Kiaan’s fingers brushed mine as he took the cartridge back, the casual touch sending warmth up my arm. “Skylar vouched for you when everyone else thought you were too green.”
“And you were pissed because I kept stealing your kills.” I couldn’t help but smile at the memory.
Kiaan arranged the game in a place of honor at the center of the top shelf. “I was jealous. Already half in love with her. And she liked you right away.”
We continued unpacking the games, creating a colorful timeline of Skylar’s gaming history. I handled each one with reverence, understanding that these weren’t just games—they were artifacts of who she was, pieces of her story that she’d chosen to share with us.
The sound of gravel crunching outside made us both freeze, then turn toward the door. Seconds later, Skylar stepped inside, cheeks flushed from the cool island air, a paper bag clutched in one hand. Relief flooded through me at the sight of her, followedby the now-familiar tightening in my chest that happened whenever she entered a room.
“Hey,” she said, her eyes darting between us, uncertain in a way that made my protective instincts flare. “You guys okay?”
I thought of Aimee’s advice—be open, but not pushy. Give her space to process. “We’re good. Just wanted your shelf to look nice before I head back to Colorado.”
She let out a soft gasp. “Back to Colorado.”
“Not forever, Duchess. But I need to get back to work,” I said.
Skylar blinked and nodded, then moved to the shelf, her expression softening as she took in our work. “It looks perfect. Thank you.” She set the paper bag down on the counter and shrugged off her jacket, movements slightly jerky with tension.
“We were worried,” Kiaan said, straightforward as always. “You seemed upset when you left.”
She chewed her bottom lip, a nervous habit I’d noticed on our first day together. “I’m sorry for running out like that. I ran into my grandmother and got strong-armed into running errands.” Her voice was casual, but something in her posture screamed anxiety.
I moved to the couch, sitting at one end and patting the cushion beside me. “No pressure, but we’re here if you want to talk about it.”
Skylar hesitated, then joined me, leaving enough space between us that Kiaan could sit on her other side. The three of us formed a small circle, knees almost touching, an island of connection in the quiet room.
“It wasn’t just errands,” she admitted after a long pause, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “It was a pregnancy scare. I mean not exactly a scare, since we only just had sex. But we didn’t use protection, and I’m not on birth control.”
