Chapter 8 It was all starting to feel like a fever dream. How was it possible that all of them were into this? It wasn't very surprising with Dash. I knew he liked me more than he should, and I liked him back the same way. But Ashby and Rhys? That was where everything started to feel unreal. Simply because I hadn't seen it coming. Not from them. Not like this. We were all sitting at our round dinner table, eating roast chicken with the TV on in the background. Nobody talked much, just the occasional mutter coming from Odin. I didn't dare to look at any of them. I could feel Rhys and Ashby watching me, and even Tripp's gaze burned into the side of my face at times. But I didn't look up. I let them stare and continued to eat my food. "More potatoes?" Dad asked, holding the serving spoon halfway between the bowl and my plate. I blinked, forcing myself to look up. "Yeah. Thanks." He dropped a scoop onto my plate and moved on without noticing that I was barely breathing. He had no clue about the things I'd done since last night. God, this was as exciting as it was dangerous. Under the table, Dash's hand found mine. It was a subtle touch at first, but he knew exactly how much I needed it. He brushed his knuckles against the back of my hand first, then he slid his fingers in between mine and gave a soft squeeze. Just slightly. Just enough to steady me. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He didn't look back at me. His focus stayed on his plate. But his hand stayed right there. I gave his fingers a small squeeze, then smiled. It was a quiet thank you, which I knew he wouldn't accept because to him, gestures like these were a given. His thumb moved across mine, slow and calm, letting me know that he would never leave my side. It helped. Not enough to make everything feel right, but enough to stop the shaking in my chest. Tripp cleared his throat and broke the silence. I looked at him, and the way his jaw clenched made me think he was about to say something that would get me in trouble. Maybe the others had told him. He looked at me with his dark blue eyes, his jaw working as he chewed the piece of chicken he put in his mouth. Then he swallowed and moved his gaze to Dad. "I talked to the guys and we decided to fix the shed instead of tearing it down. We can make something out of it. A second house. Maybe a place to hang out instead of the basement." I let out a relieved breath. He didn't know. Or maybe he did but didn't want me to know that he knew. Either way, the things I did with Ashby, Dash, and Rhys didn't come up at the dinner table. "I don't care what you do with that shed as long as you don't come asking me for help. This summer, I don't want to hear anything from anyone. I want to relax," Dad stated. Rhys laughed, which got everyone else to laugh too. "You? Relax? We all know you'll open the shop back up after a damn week of it being closed. You can't relax for shit, old man." "Watch your damn mouth," Dad shot back, sounding way angrier than he looked. He was frowning, and he knew that Rhys was right. "I'll try, all right? It's gonna be a hot summer and even I can't sit in that shop for too long." The guys started mocking him and coming up with bets about how long he'd actually make it before he went back to The Old after closing it down for the summer. "All right, all right," he said loudly, shutting everyone up. "Let me fucking live. If I go back to work, it's probably because all of you are making it hard for me to relax. Sometimes I wish I had all girls in this house instead of boys." I pressed my lips together and glanced at him. He always said he was lucky to have a daughter. That I was the only one he ever wanted. I never wished for sisters anyway, so I didn't read too much into it. He loved the boys, and when retirement came, they were the ones who'd be there to take care of The Old. Dad's eyes met mine and he gave me a wink. "And I want you to leave Bliss alone. She deserves a break too." I smiled at him, then lowered my gaze again. There were too many eyes on me, and I hated how flushed my cheeks became. "So," Dad continued. "Long as you keep me out of it, you can do with that shed whatever you want." "We'll take care of it," Tripp said. The conversation shifted but only for a minute before it was back to silence. I was the first one to finish eating. My appetite had never been great when I was nervous, and tonight it was a miracle I'd managed more than a few bites. I pushed my chair back and started stacking the plates, careful not to look at anyone while I moved around the table. "I'll help," Dash said, already standing before I could protest. I didn't stop him. I just grabbed the serving dishes and made my way into the kitchen, feeling him close behind me. The lights here were warmer than the ones in the dining room. Softer from the rest of the sun still illuminating the sky in the distance. It should've made me feel more at ease, but it didn't. I set the plates on the counter and turned on the water. Dash stood beside me, his presence quiet but steady. "You okay?" he asked after a second, his voice low enough that it wouldn't carry over to the dining room. I nodded, keeping my eyes on the sink. "Yeah." He didn't press. Didn't ask again. He knew me well enough to know when I meant it and when I didn't. This time, I wasn't sure which it was. But I appreciated that he didn't make me say more. I wondered how he felt about the things we did last night, and about him kissing Rhys. I hadn't expected that from either of them. Dash grabbed a towel and started drying the dishes I handed him. We worked in silence, the familiar rhythm between us settling my nerves a little. Just enough to breathe normally again. When we were done, I wiped my hands on the dish towel and gave him a small smile. "Thanks." He shrugged. "Anytime." Then he leaned in slightly. "I know there's a lot on your mind, and I want you to know that I'm here if you ever want to talk." My chest tightened. He meant it from the deepest part of him. I swallowed hard and nodded, lowering my gaze for a moment before looking up again. I kept my voice low and said, "Do you think we should stop?" He watched me with his brown eyes. I could tell he was unsure. There was the same excitement in his gaze, but also the same worry. "I don't know." "Did it feel good when you kissed him?" His jaw ticked, and for a moment, I thought he was going to laugh. Instead, he lowered his gaze, almost ashamed to look at me. "Dash, you can tell me. I won't judge." Because that would make me a hypocrite. I liked watching them kiss. Actually, I wished I would've kissed them too. A three-way kiss. That's what came to mind when I watched Rhys kiss Dash. He looked at me again, this time with a bit more ease in his eyes. "It felt too good. So damn good that it makes me sick. But I can't deny it." I pursed my lips and nodded, knowing exactly how he felt. "Me too." We stood there for another moment when Uncle Odin walked in with his empty plate. "You two all right?" he asked, pushing between us to put the plate in the sink. "Yeah, everything's fine, Dad." Dash gave me a look, then nodded to the door. I gave him a nod back, then looked at Odin, smiling tightly. "We'll go upstairs." Odin didn't respond. He left the kitchen without suspecting anything. Dash followed me into my room and closed the door behind him, letting out a heavy sigh as if being away from the others was a relief. We looked at each other but didn't speak. We just got on my bed and leaned back against my pillows, letting our legs tangle in the most natural way. Nothing was awkward or strange between us, not even after the things we did. And for the next hour, we kept sitting there, occasionally asking each other random questions, the answers forgotten as fast as they came. Still, the memories from the last twenty-four hours clung stubbornly to me. Dash's hands. Rhys's mouth. Ashby's voice in the dark. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing until the tightness in my chest fully eased. For now, everything felt still. But I knew it wouldn't stay that way. Not if anything else happened between us. *** I woke up with my cheek pressed against Dash's shoulder, his hand still wrapped loosely around mine. I didn't remember falling asleep like that, but I loved waking up like this. The room was dark, and the only noises I heard were the faint sound of a TV somewhere in the house. Dash's chest rose and fell in a slow and even rhythm. He was asleep, but when I shifted, his fingers twitched around mine. Then his eyes opened. We looked at each other for a long second, not saying anything. There was a softness in the way his lips curved into a sleepy smile, like waking up next to me wasn't something he ever wanted to question. I smiled back, wishing moments like these were forever. Neither of us moved to get up. But then a louder burst of noise floated up through the floorboards. It came from the basement. "The others are downstairs," I said quietly. He nodded once, and without saying a word, we both got up. We didn't have to say it, but we knew exactly where we were headed. I slipped on a hoodie over my tank top and followed him quietly down the stairs. The house smelled like leftover dinner, instantly making my stomach growl. But I wasn't really hungry. In the basement, the lights were dimmed and the TV was glowing, casting flickers of color across the walls. Ashby and Rhys were playing something loud and fast-paced, their faces lit by the screen. Tripp sat in the recliner, feet up, thumbing through his phone with no real interest in the game. Nobody looked at us when we walked in. Nobody had to. Dash and I took the couch, settling in on the far side. He sat close enough that our arms touched, but didn't make a move beyond that. I didn't need him to. Just sitting next to him felt like an anchor. Safe and protected. The only sounds were the game, the occasional click of a controller, and Rhys muttering a curse under his breath when Ashby beat him. There was something strange about this night. It wasn't tension, exactly. Just a strange quiet that still felt good. Like all the energy between us had shifted into something softer. Something unspoken. Something thick and warm and impossible to name. And the words we all know lingered in the air. But we didn't speak about it. Didn't mention it. And for some reason, I had the feeling that Tripp already knew everything too but wasn't bothered enough to talk about it. I looked over at him, watched him for a while as he kept his gaze on his phone. There was no difference in his eyes. They were still the same, but then...Tripp was always good at masking his emotions and thoughts. His eyes flicked up and met mine, and instead of looking away, I kept my gaze on his. A lump formed in my throat, and I swallowed hard, trying my best not to give away what I was thinking. Then, without even a tick of a muscle, he looked away again. I took a deep breath and leaned into Dash a little more, needing his silent support. He pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over us without a word. His arm settled behind me, and I let myself sink into his side. Ashby was still focused on the screen, brow furrowed in that way he always got when he was trying too hard not to care. Rhys was quieter than usual, though he never looked in our direction. Tripp kept his silence. But none of it felt bad. Just...uncertain. It was exciting, even, but I didn't let that feeling take over and end up hurting me. I closed my eyes sometime later, letting the steady beat of the game and the warmth of Dash's body settle me. My head slid to his chest, and he didn't move. He just stayed still, calm, like he was meant to be holding me. That was the last thing I felt before sleep pulled me under again. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!