“Fine. God. I’m so hungry, I’m willing to eat gluten.” Tobias drops into the chair in front of my laptop and crooks his finger at me. “After breakfast, I’ll go back to eating Elise.”

I roll my eyes at him, but I definitely saunter close enough—on purpose—that he can catch me around the waist and yank me down into his lap. He growls into the crook of my neck and strokes my hair, seeming to count each strand as they sift through his fingers. And I can’t even lie, it’s exactly where I want to be. Where I’m supposed to be. I can feel it in the depths of my chest. “What does everyone have planned today?”

Banks enters the room fully dressed. “I have a post-game meeting with the staff this morning.” He pulls out a chair, his gaze heating as it roams over me. “Will you please stay here while I’m gone? I won’t be able to concentrate otherwise.”

“I was going to say the same.” Gabe adds more plates to the counter, then briefly turns from the stove. “I have to clock in this morning and delegate projects for the day, but I can be back by this afternoon.”

“No worries, men. I’m free to play bodyguard all day.” Tobias drags his open mouth back and forth across my shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’m going to guard the shit out of her.”

“Something tells me your focus isn’t going to be on protecting her,” Banks says dryly.

“You’re right. I need to make a condom run.”

At the stove, Gabe’s shoulders shake with laughter.

I can’t help but sit and marvel over how much the dynamic between us four has changed in a week. For one, I’m no longer running. I spent the night and didn’t bail at the crack of dawn. And two, Gabe, Banks and Tobias seem to be forming a friendship. They’re no longer jealous over each other and I can’t help but hope my equal attention toward them has spurred the positive change. Because my feelings for these men are genuinely balanced. We’re a circle. A weird one, but a circle nonetheless.

“I can take care of myself. I don’t need a bodyguard.” Banks and Gabe open their mouths to protest. Tobias bites my neck like an actual vampire. “But.” I bop Tobias on the head and he un-sinks his teeth, licking the marks gently. “I’ll stay here for the day so you guys don’t have to worry.”

“You don’t like us being worried,” Banks remarks, nodding a thank you to Gabe when he sets down a glass of orange juice in front of him. “That’s new.”

There’s a lit sparkler in my chest, but I give a casual shrug. “I guess I don’t.”

Tobias drops his chin to my shoulder. “Say more.”

They’ve all suspended their movements to stare at me. “I mean…I just…” More casual shrugging that isn’t really casual at all. “If the shoe was on the other foot and one of you was in possible danger, I would want you to take precautions.”