The Architect (Nashville Neighborhood Book 3) by Nikki Sloane (top e book reader .TXT) 📗

God—now I felt even worse. I flattened a hand to my chest as if I could smother the guilt raging through me. Hearing about what we’d done was bad enough. Witnessing it was extra cruel.

“I stopped watching,” he added quietly, “once it was clear what was going to happen.”

“I’m so sorry,” I repeated.

He shook his head and his gaze returned to me. His expression finally had an emotion, but it wasn’t anger or jealousy or sadness. It looked like shame.

“It wasn’t your fault, Lilith,” he said. “It was mine.”

His admission was jarringly the same as Travis’s had been, and kind of ridiculous. Why was it both men wanted to take complete responsibility for my actions? “What are you talking about?”

He took a tentative step my direction, closing some of the space between us. “I kept you siloed off from each other, and I tried to do the same with the way I felt about you, but I . . . got jealous.” He took another step, moving closer still. “So, then I overcorrected, and I pushed you toward him.”

My heart stumbled and beat faster. Was that true? Clay knew how curious I was, and Travis said he felt like we’d been set up to fail.

“I convinced myself I wanted it to happen,” he said. “Once I saw you two together, I thought it’d—I don’t know—cure me of the way I was feeling.” He made a face like he thought in hindsight the idea was stupid. “Or maybe I’d see how badly I was standing in the way.”

I licked my dry lips, unsure of what to say, but thankfully he wasn’t finished.

“In a way, it did both.” He lifted a hand, and I stood utterly still as he cupped the back of my neck and gently drew me toward him until I was only a breath away. “You like him,” he said softly, “and that’s okay.”

I let out a tight breath. “I like you too, though. And . . . I really like what we have.” My voice fell to a whisper. “I’m terrified of losing it and terrified these feelings won’t last.”

Rather than be surprised or disappointed, the corner of his mouth turned up into a pleased and sexy smile. “You’re worried you’re going to get bored?”

He’d said it like it wasn’t possible, but I knew myself. As much as I wanted it to, this feeling wouldn’t last. I’d get through the honeymoon stage of the relationship, and then feel like it’d run its course.

“It always happens,” I said.

His hold on me was stable and supportive and reassuring. “If your feelings are temporary, I’d like to remind you—so is my arrangement with him.”

I frowned. “Is that a threat?”

“What?” He softened. “No, no. I just meant it’s possible your feelings about Travis might go away before my project’s even finished. Or maybe we change our minds about our arrangement with him. It’s not exactly something I can plan.” His eyes deepened, filling with gravity. “I like what we have too, Lilith. Enough to fly home today and try to work this out so I don’t lose you.” His shoulders straightened abruptly because he hadn’t meant to phrase it that way. “So we don’t lose what we have,” he corrected.

Oh, wow. I swallowed a breath because his admission made excitement flutter inside me.

“I’m not Travis,” he continued. “There are things he can give you that I can’t, so if I’m standing in the way of you two—”

“You’re not,” I said in a rush.

Maybe it was true that Travis could offer me things Clay couldn’t, but it went both ways. Clay gave me an experience Travis didn’t seem capable of, at least not without Clay’s direction.

Relief scrubbed away Clay’s worry. “Okay. Good.”

When he leaned in and slanted his lips across mine, it momentarily voided all thoughts from my mind. His mouth was warm and his tongue lush, and even though this kiss was clearly scripted, I melted all the same.

His skilled mouth pressed to mine while his hands caressed the curves of my body, moving as if he had complete ownership over me. Didn’t he? Like Noir, I felt jointly owned. And Clay’s domination wasn’t what I expected it to be. Sometimes it was subtle persuasion, not force. Requests instead of demands.

It was fucking irresistible.

I’d been filled with trepidation coming over here and admitting what I’d done. The last place I expected to end up was in his arms, him kissing me and acting like there was nothing to forgive.

“You’re not mad us?” I asked.

“No, I’m not upset with you.”

His meaning nearly slipped past me because his touch was so distracting, but I paused. “And Travis?”

He exhaled, reluctantly straightened, and gave me a pointed look. “I’m disappointed with him.”

I was compelled to defend him. “But why not me?”

“Because he’s supposed to have more self-control.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just tell me you wanted it to happen?”

“I did, but he’s a dominant and I trained him better than that. He shouldn’t have given in to what he wanted so quickly.”

I sucked in a surprised breath. Clay had trained Travis? The idea was . . .

Hot.

Oh, my God, it was so hot. What had that been like?

For once, Clay was oblivious to the effect he could have on me. “I’ll discuss it with him when he gets here.” His gaze traced over my lips as if considering kissing me again. “When I called to set a time with him tonight, he told me you ran into each other at work today.”

“We did.”

“Nashville’s a big city, but I knew there was a chance it’d happen since you’re both in the same field.”

“It was pretty surprising,” I said pointedly, “coming face-to-face with Dr. Eckhart.”

Clay matched my tone. “And it was pretty surprising when I asked last night if he’d left, and you said yes.”

I pressed my lips together. “I’m sorry about that.”

He turned serious. “I shouldn’t have withheld information from you, and I’m done doing that. We both need to be better about communicating.”

I was about to speak when the doorbell rang out, making my