Double Dating

Chapter Twenty-Four

They caught my sarcasm and each did a little roll of the eyes. The food was placed before us and Robert disappeared as quickly as he came. He must be getting paid an exuberant amount to not talk because getting this guy to be silent was impossible. He'd give up gossiping for a little bit... If money was involved though.

Robby did throw a wink my way and I returned it without the boys catching on. He knows something I don't and I want that intel right now.

Alas we started digging in with small talk in between bites. It felt like a typical date night. Things eventually ended up as they always do... With the boys fucking me on the table. And that's why we usually have our dates in the privacy of my house.

But I felt scandalous doing it here and that only added to the excitement of it all.

At least that's what I thought was about to happen when Cole made the first move. He reached under the table to grip my thigh so suggestively that the fire in my core ignited at first touch. Nico looked between us as if silently wondering if this was really happening.

Here. Of all places.

He pretended to be annoyed with it at first when he threw his napkin down on his plate and began clearing the table. Nico picked me up from my chair to place me on the table that came about waist high for him. Perfect height.

"Do you remember when you walked in that door? Because I do. One year ago today and I didn't know how you would feel about all of this." He looked back to Cole for some help with words.

Cole came to his aid graciously, "I thought you'd walk out. If we hadn't known you to be the demure, innocent woman that you once were, maybe we would've thought differently. But you came in and proved us wrong. You showed us that you wanted something different and weren't so reserved or conventional."

Nico gulped, "So, ah, we were wondering if we could make one step further tonight. And—"

"Move in with each other." Cole finished.

My eyebrows nearly touched from me drawing them in so close, "Move in? I thought we had already done that."

"Mia." Cole shook his head at me, "We still have to go to our place to get clothes and pack a bag if we want to sleep over. We're open to choosing either house to permanently move into, but we want to make it official. As in, you or us will move everything."

"I'd like to stay in the house my dad left for me..."

They nodded in understanding.

Nico clasped his hands together with a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "Now that the house situation is all settled... We have a question." He reached into his back pocket of his trousers and pulled out a black jewelry box. My heart skipped multiple beats that I thought I might have flatlined. "Do you promise to be ours, work with this unconventional relationship, and give us a solid chance? This isn't a proposal, just a promise."

I let out the breath I had been holding in. Not a proposal, just a promise. 

Nico opened the box and I had to suck in more air to stay alive. My mouth parted slightly as I gazed at the way this quaint promise ring seemed to sparkle in the dim lighting of the room. It was delicate, feminine; with a princess cut diamond set in a rose gold band that had ivy twirling around the sides of the band.

"Yes. I promise to make this work and go with the flow. And I understand your concerns, all of them, even the unspoken ones because I feel them too. Any bridge we come across, big or small, we'll cross it. I promise that."

Cole slid it onto my right ring finger, just so that people don't start asking questions.

I stared down at it for one more moment before sweeping my eyes over them.