Easton

“One day?”

“Yeah, don’t you see us being friends for a lifetime?”

“I don’t know what I see. Please don’t let me fall.”

“I won’t ever let you fall. I’ve got you, Scar. I won’t ever let go of you.”

She held onto him tightly, and he knew he would protect her, always.

****

Present day

“You need to stop panicking,” Liam said.

“Easy for you to say. You don’t have an ex arriving. I should go through your little black book.”

“Little black book?”

“Yes, and that way we could have one of your exes here to make up the numbers.”

“You’re wanting to partner Easton up with one of my exes?”

“Why not? It sounds like a plan.” Scarlett didn’t know what to expect. She’d thought Easton would cancel. Her son was upstairs, playing. They had told him a visitor was coming and that they’d call him down when dinner was ready.

She was so nervous. She had ended up changing three times until Liam had picked out the right outfit for her.

This was just one of the many reasons why she loved him.

“Is Easton bi?”

“No.”

“Then I would have invited another guy around to talk to.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re just being difficult.”

The doorbell rang, and her nerves kicked up a notch. Liam got to his feet. His hands went to her shoulders, and he worked out the kinks.

“Stop panicking. This is all good. You, me, the kid, and his dad. It’ll work out.”

“I don’t know why I’m acting this way.”

Liam kissed her cheek. “I’m here.”

“How are we going to play this?” she asked.

“Play what?”

“You and me?”

“We’re husband and wife. Expect touches and kisses, stuff like that.”

She nodded her head. “Right, of course, right. I can do this. There’s nothing wrong here.”

They walked to the door, and she was really glad Liam was behind her. Without him she would have sunk to the floor.

When she opened the door, there Easton stood. He held a bottle of wine and a gift beneath another arm.

“I didn’t know what to bring, and I should warn you, I don’t drink at all.”

Scarlett took the bottle of wine and realized it was non-alcoholic.

“I also checked that it’s vegan as well. Does that count?” Easton asked.

“Scarlett and Easton Junior are the vegans here. I’m vegetarian,” Liam said.

She forced a smile to her lips as Liam pressed against her back. They had done this many times. Dinner parties and social gatherings. Playing his wife was never a chore. She adored him, and she was used to being close with him. They shared everything together. He was her best friend and her confidant.

“Come in. Come in,” Liam said.

Easton looked a little unsure.

“I will go and pour us all some of this,” Scarlett said.

She had to get away from the temptation of seeing both of those men together. She couldn’t deny how sexy Liam was. He had never given her the impression he wanted anything more. There were a few mornings he woke with an erection, but she’d always put that down to morning wood.

Entering the kitchen, she breathed in the scent of the tomato garlic sauce. Her son had been the one to ask her if he could go vegan, and it had terrified her. Liam helped, consulting with the best doctors, and they had helped to guide her on what to cook.

He’d made his choices, and at eleven she wanted to respect them. He was a good kid, and she loved him so much.

Grabbing the glasses, she opened the bottle and couldn’t help but wonder why he made a point of saying he didn’t drink. Had he encountered problems with drink in the past? She was so confused right now.

Liam wasn’t helping matters either. Her body was humming with his touch. She had always been able to ignore the slight yearning he created inside her, but not tonight for some odd reason.

“It’s okay, Scar. You can do this.”

“Talking to yourself already?” Liam asked.

“I have a feeling I’m going to need something stronger,” she said.

Liam took both glasses. “We’re going to be fine. You need to stop panicking.”

“Who’s panicking? Me? I’m relaxed.”

He laughed and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Come on. I’ve got your back. You will always be safe with me.”

She believed him.

Following him out to the sitting room, she wondered how Easton Junior was getting on. He’d not come to see who their visitor was, not that she should expect it. He often stayed in his room, reading, playing with his microscope, or working on his vocabulary.

Easton was sitting in the chair near the fire. It wasn’t lit as it wasn’t cold enough yet to have a fire.

Liam took the other chair, and as they were doing this dance, Scarlett sat on the arm by her husband.

“I wanted to thank you for letting me come here tonight. The invitation was a surprise.”

“When Junior said he’d met you, I was curious. You didn’t know about him, and now, you can have the option, if that is what you wish?”