I realize I’m backing myself into a literal corner and duck around Tobias, only to come up against Banks’s solid chest. As always, the warm strength of him makes my thighs feel like jelly, my urgent need to leave immediately waning. I’m tempted to lay my cheek on his shoulder and let him comfort me while the sky falls, but that would be too easy. I can’t start relying too much on these men. I’ve learned to have my own back, because it’s selfish to expect others to catch me when I tumble…when I know we’re only in each other’s lives temporarily.

This is too big. Depending on people.

It was one thing to make the independent decision to venture into this quad, but relying on them is a whole other story. I’m not there yet. I’m not there. I’m scared of pressing down on something too hard when I haven’t tested the stability. I’m scared, period. And yet. I think…I might be allowing myself to freak out a little bit so they can use their potency to calm me down.

Does that even make sense?

“This relationship is moving too fast,” I heave.

“No, it’s not,” Gabe says in my ear. Where did he come from?

Two of them are touching me now. If Tobias completes the circle, I’m screwed. I’ll give in and let them play my heroes. I’ll stay here and possibly put them in harm’s way. Letting them share this mess with me would be the ultimate act of selfishness. With that in mind, I whirl free of Gabe and Banks, just as Tobias is about to lock me into a four-way embrace.

“It is moving fast,” Banks agrees. “I think I speak for the three of us when I say, we’d be happy with it moving even faster. But we must give Elise time to catch up.”

“There’s no better time to think than when you’re tied to a bed rail,” Tobias offers.

“A better use of the rope might be strangling you,” I say sweetly.

They’re literally following me slowly around the room while I back around furniture and try to avoid tripping over discarded boots and remote controls. “Look, I’ll keep in contact with you guys and when the situation blows over, we’ll—”

Banks shakes his head. “No.”

“You’re pushing us away, Elise.”

“Rope.”

I snatch a throw pillow up off the couch and launch it at Tobias’s head. He ducks, gracefully, avoiding the projectile. But he doesn’t anticipate me hurling another one immediately afterward and this one hits him square in the forehead.

He’s shocked and miffed, and I can’t help it, I start to laugh. In my distraction, I trip backward over a remote and land on my ass near the edge of the rug. Hitting the ground without warning jars me into laughing even harder, despite the fact that all three of them are surrounding me now, worriedly asking if I’m all right and checking for injuries.

“I’m fine,” I assure them, slapping numerous hands away. “You should be checking on Tobias’s ego.”