Page 72 of Denial

"Is that a touch of bribery I hear?" I chuckle.

"Whatever it takes." He smiles, but it sobers, and I see the nervous bob of his Adam's apple. "So, what do you say? If you need me to apologize again, a hundred times, a million times, I—"

I bring my fingers to his lips. "You've groveled enough. I accept. And I accept your invitation to your home. Although, I'm going to add something in the fine print about you guys packing up all my stuff because I hate packing. And that you run me a bath right now and join me in it. Those are my conditions."

"Agreed," they both say.

Ezekiel comes forward to kiss me again, and I hiss against his lips as Jeremiah slowly slides out of me. When Ezekiel backs away, I can see he still wants to apologize.

"It's the past now," I say low. "I swear that's where it will stay, too. I won't have any of that hanging over us. We both had our reasons for wanting to run, but in the end, we ran to each other. And that's all that matters."

He smiles. "I like that, ran to each other."

"And I was just always at the finish line, waiting for you two to catch up," Jeremiah scoffs.

"So sorry to have kept you waiting, sir." I laugh.

He smirks. "I can think of a few ways for you to make it up to me." He juts his thumb towards the bathroom. "We might just start in this tub. That thing is huge."

Ezekiel slides out of me and brings me to the end of the bed to he can carry me to the tub. Almost filled with water now and whichever of the bubbles Jeremiah used from the selection the hotel provided, I know this will soothe my sore muscles. Ezekiel doesn't even put me down, just steps into the water and sinks down with me in his arms. The water already flows over the sides before Jeremiah gets in as well.

"Oops," he chuckles.

Instead of staying at the other end he got in on, he comes over to where we are. They position me until I'm on both of them, my back on both of their chests, one leg on each, the water lapping at my chest.

"This feels so right." I sigh. "I felt like I couldn't really breathe without it."

"You'll never feel that way again," Ezekiel promises.

"I know." I nod. "So, what else would you like added to these deals we're striking? Besides my undying love and beautiful face, of course?"

"I mean, a few kids wouldn't hurt," Jeremiah says.

"Oh, just a few, huh?"

"To start with."

"Moving in and making it so even a moment without you there feels unbearable," Ezekiel adds. "I want to feel you everywhere in there."

I smile. "Oh, I can do that."

"And what do you want us to do, besides the declarations of love?" Jeremiah asks.

"Hmm, breakfast every now and then. Dinner would be nice, too. Plenty of dates, of course. Hmm, holding me while I'm sleeping, kissing me awake. You know, all that good stuff."

"I think we can do that," he agrees.

"Anything else?" Ezekiel questions.

"Just...forever," I say low. "I want you both to give me forever. I want endless days and nights. I want sunrises and sunsets. I want everything."

"And we'll give it to you," Ezekiel softly answers, kissing my hair.

"Always," Jeremiah promises.

I close my eyes and savor this moment. "Then, we've all got a deal."

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