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

“I don’t know,” he said, “but I wouldn’t worry about it.” He leaned forward, brushing my hair back over my shoulder. “He did this to me when the two of us scened together. Whatever it is, I’m sure he’ll get over it.”

I curled my fingers around the mug. “We didn’t talk about what’s going to happen once he’s home.”

He pulled at the sleeve of my shirt and seemed distracted by the curve of my shoulder once it was exposed. “We didn’t.”

His mouth, rough with stubble, brushed against my skin and tendrils of interest awakened in me. But while my body was excited, my mind was fixated on the man downstairs, and the relationship the three of us had. It was wrong to want one when I needed them both.

“Let’s just give him some room to breathe and figure out what he wants,” he said softly, “He can do that this last week while he’s gone. When he’s home for good, we can talk about it and everything will be okay.”

I wanted to ask him to promise me that, but I knew he couldn’t, so instead I chose simply to believe him.

For the first time in my career, I was happy to have long, grueling days. It cut down on the amount of free time I had to check my phone for messages.

Because there weren’t any.

The group chat that had been incredibly active until last weekend, had gone almost silent. It was all messages from me and short replies from the guys. More of a question-and-answer session than a conversation. We used to talk multiple times throughout the day, and now—

Nothing.

And we didn’t arrange any sessions for Clay to watch Travis and me together either.

Travis had said to give Clay space, but by Thursday I was panicked. I could handle one of them being distant, but quitting them both cold turkey? That was brutal.

Cassidy: Have you heard from the guys?

Yesterday, I’d found thirty free minutes in Cassidy’s schedule to get together. I’d met her at a Starbucks on the edge of campus and told her everything. How I’d fucked Travis without knowing his name. The arrangement the three of us had struck. How Clay’s project was over now, and I worried Clay might have thought the evening we’d spent together was the end.

A ‘goodbye sendoff.’

Me: They both gave me bullshit answers about being busy.

Cassidy: You need to talk to them. Like, for real.

She was absolutely right. There’d been a seismic shift in our group dynamic, and if we didn’t address it, it would only get worse or disintegrate completely.

And I did not want to lose either of them.

My phone stayed silent Friday morning, and by lunchtime, I reached my breaking point. I composed my text while I sat in my car, ignoring the salad I’d just gone through a drive-thru to pick up.

I sent the most serious of messages; one that should strike fear in the hearts of the men.

Me: We need to talk.

Clay’s response was almost instantaneous.

Clay: Agreed, but I’m about to get on a plane. My place tonight, 8pm?

Travis’s text didn’t come in until I got back to the clinic and I read it while coming in the back door.

Travis: Yeah. See y’all then.

I wore the red leopard print heels Clay had given me like they might be a good luck charm. Since I’d worn them the night the three of us had become one, my hope was their magic would work again. Trepidation made my muscles tight as I walked over to Clay’s house, and my steps slowed as I came through the gate.

Travis’s SUV was already parked in Clay’s driveway.

Was he running even earlier than I was, or were they meeting without me?

I swallowed dryly and rang the doorbell. A few seconds later, Clay’s figure darkened the glass insert of the door. He wore jeans, a button-down shirt, and a look of anxiety that faded the instant he saw me.

“Hey,” I said softly.

“Hi.” He pushed up his glasses as he stepped back and gestured for me to come inside, but he seemed transfixed. He gazed at me like there were a million things he wanted to say, but first he just needed to look at me.

My heart skipped.

He’d never gazed at me like this before. It was the reaction I’d hoped for the morning after we’d all slept together, and I was thrilled to see he was back. Not just physically either. This was the man who’d let his guard down that night and let me in.

His focus moved down to note the shoes I wore, and recognition lit his eyes. He was pleased by my choice.

I’d been temporarily distracted by him but snapped back to reality. “Is Travis here already?”

Clay’s expression voided out and his shields went back up. “Yeah, he’s in the dining room.”

I followed behind him and when we stepped into the room, the tension was so thick it nearly knocked me over. It only grew when Clay went around the large table to the far side, standing behind the chair that was directly across from Travis, rather than take the one closest that was beside him.

Sitting on opposite sides made them seem like rivals, and had the added bonus of a choice for me. If I sat next to one of the men, it’d seem I was choosing them over the other. At my entrance, Travis rose to his feet. On the surface, it was merely courtesy. Neither man would take their seat until I did, but it felt like a power play.

So I marched to the end of the table, pulled out the chair at the head of it, and sat, leaving equal distance between me and the men.

The atmosphere of the room was already formal, and the gesture of the men taking their seats after I had only added to it. Was this a fucking business negotiation? I peered over at Travis. “You got here early.”

He frowned and cast his gaze across the