“I like animals.”
Reid laughed. “You like fake leopard print skirts and faux fur rugs.”
“I have a cat.” She glanced at the lazy feline licking itself while it watched them from its spot on a chair in the living room. “Rex counts.”
“I don’t think he’s really a cat,” Reid mused. “More like a demon in fur and whiskers.” He turned to Smith and confided, “Sometimes he finds my toes under the bedspread in the morning. And he’s got claws. It’s like he takes great pleasure in scarring my feet.”
They all looked at the cat who didn’t miss a beat, now cleaning his paw.
Smith had thought about getting a pet. He’d tried as a kid, but Meg had claimed allergies. Allergic to love, more like. Now, living in a place that didn’t allow pets and being so busy all the time, he didn’t think having something small and furry, depending on him, would work for his lifestyle.
He glanced at Erin, saw her eyeballing the cat with caution, and thought she looked a little wary to be a cat lover. “A demon, huh?” she asked.
“Can we just answer the question?” Naomi said with a huff.
“Fine by me.” Reid shrugged. “But don’t blame me if Smith or Erin take us back to yellow.”
“Oh, the loser color?” Erin asked with a wide smile. She winked at Smith.
He let the warmth flow through him and smiled back at her, happy and no longer hiding it. At first, he’d guarded every word and expression around Reid. But over the course of a pretty damn good steak dinner, some decent enough beer, and conversation, he’d eased, allowing himself to share in the fun, as well as bask in Erin’s laughter.
He could tell she was enjoying herself. She’d held his hand under the table a few times, and it had been all he could do not to show off how much his girl liked him.
His girl.
He kept thinking about her in those terms, naturally pairing himself off since Reid had Naomi. Except Reid and Naomi planned on getting married. Smith just planned on getting Erin in bed. Or at least, thathadbeen the plan. He wanted her, no question. But lately, just being around her eased him. Seeing her smile made everything around him feel right. And that emotional response unnerved him, because he hadn’t felt that kind of need for a woman in a very long time. Sex he understood. Love and affection were foreign entities best experienced by normal people with normal families.
And normal had never been in his make-up.
Erin tapped him on the shoulder. “Pay attention.”
“Hey, no cheating,” Reid said.
“Telling Smith to wake up isn’t cheating.”
Reid scratched his head. “It has to be. He knows all the answers, or you do. This is not a fun game.”
Naomi sighed and stroked his arm. “Hey, at least you’re pretty. That’s gotta be worth something, honey.”
“Thanks.” Then he blinked. “Wait a minute.”
Smith saw Erin bite back a grin. He out and out laughed. “Yeah, at least he’ll marry well.”
“Shut up.” Reid crossed his arms over his chest, scowling at everyone.
Erin shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re telling us not to cheat. We should be saying that to you guys. Who keeps looking at their phone for ‘the time?’ Please, Naomi. I can see Google open from here.”
Naomi flushed.
Smith shrugged, biting back a grin. “Let her. We have a ten second time limit.”
“Since when?” Naomi tried to pretend she hadn’t been on her phone.
Even Reid groaned. “I thought you were good at this game. Naomi, they’re crushing us. This is embarrassing.” Then he gave Erin a wide, super insincere smile. “Or you could read between the lines and see that we wanted this evening for us all to get along, so we’re letting you win.”
“Um, yeah.” Naomi’s bright smile hurt to look at. “Way to spin it our way, Reid. I think good PR and marketing is wearing off on you.”
Erin and Smith sneered at the same time. A united front in mockery. He was so proud.
