I smirk and take the plate from him. “I’ve got it,” I growl at him, or at least I try to growl. I like that my brothers are attentive, and I know they care about my girl, but I just got her yesterday. They can back off.
I kiss her temple. “Pick a seat, sweetheart. I’ll get us some food.”
She wanders toward the table. “Last time I sat in one of these chairs, I was tied to it. Is that part of the welcoming committee, or should I expect that on the regular?”
There she is. That’s my firecracker. The more comfortable she gets, the snarkier she’ll be, too. I grin as I fill our plate.
Adrian chuckles. “I can’t promise you’ll never get tied to a chair, but I can tell you that from now on, the only person who will put their hands on you like that and use restraints will be your husband. He’d kill us if we touched you.”
Good answer.
I fill a tall glass of orange juice and bring both it and the plate to the table. After sitting slightly sideways, I reach out for her.
She stares at me and then glances at my brothers as if to say, You seriously want me to sit on your lap and share your plate in front of other people?
“Remember how I told you I would be bossy when it comes to your safety?”
She nods slowly.
“Eating enough is a safety issue, sweetheart. Come.”
That last word makes her flinch, but she obeys me. When she gets close enough, I lift her onto my lap, her legs between my knees.
In my peripheral vision, I’m aware of my brothers watching us, brows furrowed.
Like last night, I wrap my arm around her, secure her hands on her thighs, and then offer her a bite of scrambled eggs.
While she chews, I glance at my brothers. “Don’t judge. Rebekah has food insecurities. The best way to ensure she eats a healthy portion is not to pressure her with a specific amount on her own plate.”
“Ah,” Aaric says. “Ingenious.”
Adrian nods his approval as they go back to shoveling their own food in.
Both men finish in the next few minutes and load their dishes into the dishwasher.
Adrian speaks on their way out of the kitchen. “We’ll be in the office. I assume you’re planning to bring her down and explain things.”
“Yes. We’ll be there in a bit.”
Adrian doesn’t elaborate on what things need explanation in the basement. He’s right, though. Rebekah needs to be aware and prepared.
My brothers cross the room and disappear through a door. Rebekah is so focused on eating that she doesn’t notice where they’ve gone.
I don’t rush her. I eat a few bites in between every one of hers. She doesn’t balk at anything I offer her, which concerns me. “Are you not a picky eater, sweetheart? Or are you too polite to tell me when you don’t like something?”
“I’m not picky. Everything tastes so good.”
I kiss her temple and give her a drink of juice. “Okay, but I will never require you to eat things you don’t care for. I want you to tell me when that’s the case. Everyone has some tastes or textures they don’t like.”
“Okay.” She leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder, which I take as a sign that she’s full. I’m actually impressed with how much she has eaten. “Are you always going to feed me?” she asks softly.
“We’ll see. For now, I’m going to do so to make sure you get enough to eat. But I have to say, I really enjoy having you on my lap, and feeding you makes my heart full. Indulge me?”
“Your brothers think we’re weird.”
“My brothers are jealous because I’m the youngest and the first to get married.”
She lifts her head to look at me. “You think they’re jealous?”
