“Cat,” I sigh, placing the tiles on the board.
Eden snorts. “That could work.”
Rosie giggles, and before I can respond, the front door to our home opens and Rhiannon’s sweet voice calls out to me.
It doesn’t matter how many times I hear her come through our door it’ll never get old knowing that this is our home. That we live together. That I get to come home to her. That we get to spend slow weekend mornings in bed, cuddled under the covers and only leave for food or to spend time with our families.
I never thought this would become the important work for me, but damn, I’m glad it has.
“Hey, babe. We’re in here!” I call back.
A few seconds later, her soft arms wrap tightly around my neck from behind, pulling me in for a hug.
“Hi, baby,” I murmur.
She smells good, like the spring dew that’s currently covering Brookhaven and those air fresheners she keeps at her family’s thrift store down the street where she was just working on inventory.
Rhiannon plants a kiss on the side of my head, but when she moves to step away, I grab her wrist and pull her into my lap, kissing her harder the second time.
“I wasn’t done with you.”
“Gross,” Eden groans.
“You’re an adult; you can handle it,” I shoot back, still holding her sister tightly against my chest on my lap.
Eden laughs. “I’m just relieved you weren’t a solar panel salesman. If you had been, I don’t think Rhiannon would’ve agreed to date you despite how obsessed she is with you.”
“You’re obsessed with me?” I tease my girl, brushing a strand of her dark brown hair from her cheek. Her hazel eyes roll but she doesn’t deny it. The truth is we’ve been obsessed with each other since buying this house and moving in together. And neither of us would want it any other way.
She pushes off my lap and moves to the kitchen. “I made crockpot chicken and rice for dinner tonight. Are you staying, Eden?”
“My alternative is whatever Gabriel threw together next door? Um, obviously I’m staying.”
“Hey, I heard that,” Gabriel says as he strolls into the house with Leo, his trademark grin in place. “I picked Leo up on the way out of the city.”
Gabriel’s still in his construction gear, which tells me he came straight from work, something he’s been doing a lot lately since his sister and I moved next door.
“Oh my god, Leo!” Rhiannon screeches, running to her best friend whose blue eyes are shining. They hug, and when she pulls back, she wraps her brother in a hug next. “You came for dinner too?”
“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it.”
She arches a brow. “It’s just chicken and rice. Hardly anything special. It isn’t even organic chicken,” she shoots a wink to Eden, who rolls her eyes again. “Are you all unable to fend for yourself since I moved out?”
“We’re struggling,” Eden jokes.
Leo puts his hand up in surrender. “I just came to bring you an early birthday gift.” He holds out a bag that Rhiannon opens immediately. Inside are tickets to see a live band playing in the city next month plus a framed photo of them from one year agowhen they were together in Bryant Park the night that we first met.
She hugs him tighter. “This is amazing. Thank you.”
“I think I gave her a better souvenir that night.”
Leo chuckles. “Your dick doesn’t count.”
“He’s right, the lucky boxers were the best souvenir,” Rhiannon says with a wink to me while Gabriel groans.
“Guys, please stop.”
I chuckle. “Well, I’m planning on topping everyone’s gifts this year.”
