Page 286 of Manhattan Bossholes

“I’ll be right back,” Trent said. I frowned at him, and he held up his phone. “Dee texted me to say she just arrived. I’m going to escort her up.”

Ah, right. Trent had mentioned that Dee might attend if she was feeling well enough. He squeezed my shoulder, handed Violet off to Piper, then disappeared, leaving me alone with his friends. This was the moment it might all go downhill, but as I turned back to them, Piper smiled at me.

“So, I saw some of the designs for the furniture pieces you’re making for Dee,” she said.

“Oh, really? I’m pretty excited about them. Trent found an old church and managed to save a lot of amazing stained glass.”

“What do you think about designing children’s furniture?”

“I’d love to,” I said.

“Great. It feels like we only just got the nursery done,” she explained, “but somehow this little one is already outgrowing things. I sort of want to set it up for the long term, if that makes sense?”

I nodded. “Pieces she can grow into.”

“Exactly. I just want to swap her crib out for a bed at some point, and everything else can stay.”

“I’ll have to pick your brain about your tastes,” I said. “Then I can draft some designs.”

Piper kissed the top of Violet’s head. “That’d be amazing.”

“Dee!” Aiden called.

I turned over my shoulder, spotting Trent and Dee. They made their way across the terrace, Dee pulling that portable canister of oxygen with her. She looked a little more run-down than the last time I saw her, and she was moving a little slower. I could tell by the way Trent hovered at her side that he was concerned. He wiped the look away by the time they made it over to us, and Dee rallied, going right for the baby.

“How is my little Violet doing?”

Dominic and Stacy joined us a moment later, and we went through introductions again. Dee gave Stacy and Dominic an interested look, then came over to me, clinging to my arm as she whispered, “I like this. Whatever this is.”

I chuckled. Clearly Stacy had gotten Dee’s stamp of approval.

“I’m going to go sit down,” she said. “Come chat when you can. I need details.”

“How’s it going?” Trent asked, returning to my side. “Dee trying to pump you for information about Stacy?”

“Yes,” I laughed. “And it’s going well.” Truthfully, I was having way more fun than I had expected. Piper, Cora, and Chloe had all been incredibly nice and welcoming. Violet was adorable. The five-year-olds were noisy, to say the least, but they weren’t my responsibility, and the entertainers Dominic had hired were keeping them pretty well corralled. Dominic, meanwhile, was treating Stacy great. And I liked the way the guys played off each other. Not to mention that Trent looked good standing next to me. “Actually,” I said. “I just need to pop out to the bathroom. Think you could show me where it is?”

“Sure.” He took my hand. “We’ll just need to stop by Dom’s place. Be right back,” he said to the group. He led me to the elevator. The moment the door closed, I was on him, dragging him into a searing kiss.

He hummed delightedly when I pulled away, his arms snaking around my back. “I’m starting to suspect you don’t actually need the bathroom.”

“Sorry,” I whispered. “You just looked so damn sexy. You were driving me a little wild.”

“So it’s the cashmere sweater that does it for you?” he asked.

“It’s everything.” The way he was with his friends. The way he doted on Hailey and Violet. The way he looked out for Nana Dee. His smile. His laugh. The way his eyes twinkled with mirth when his friends were ragging on him. Despite his bemoaning the hordes of preschoolers and grumbling as baby Violet slathered him in a half-chewed cookie, he was most attractive like this, surrounded by people who cared for him.

“I’m not complaining,” he said as the door opened. He took my hand, leading me down the hall to Dominic’s apartment. It was unlocked, but Trent locked it behind us. Then he led me into the bathroom and locked that door too. He pulled me close, capturing my lips in another searing kiss. His hands started to explore beneath my shirt, tugging at the waistband of my jeans. He got the button open, and my heart sped up. “Do you think⁠—”

“Quickie?” I suggested.

“Holy fuck, yes,” he growled, and my stomach flipped at the sound.

I put my purse down on the counter, rifling through it. It had been a while since I’d had to carry condoms around, just in case. I found one, fumbling with the wrapper, snickering as Trent snatched it from my hands, tearing the package open with his teeth.

I shoved my pants down my hips and turned around, placing my hands on the bathroom counter as he took care of business.

“Yes,” I moaned as I felt him nudging against my entrance a moment later.