My brows knit as I stare at him, slowly shaking my head. “There are so many things wrong with that statement.”
He looks at me as though he’s genuinely confused.
“First,” I say pointedly, “we don’t want an entourage. That’s like, the complete opposite of what we want, okay? No attention.”
“Aw,” Ego pouts from her seat.
I ignore her and sink into the kitchen chair with a heavy sigh. “Second, we aren’t speeding off anywhere, unless you guys have a secret vehicle stashed somewhere.”
Xeni knocks my knees apart so he can drop onto my lap, his weight grounding me even as it proves to be a major distraction. I’m momentarily lost in the feel of him as I rest my chin on his shoulder.
Xeni leans against me, tugging my arms around his waist. “On my way to the city, I was driving an SUV, but it broke down. I stashed it in some trees, but there’s no telling if it’s still there, or if it’s possible to get it running.”
“If it’s there, I can fix it,” Cato says from across the table with a smirk and boundless confidence. “I’m damn good with my hands.”
“He really is a brilliant mechanic,” I say.
Xeni sinks lower on my lap with a deliberate wiggle, pressing back just enough to make his point.
“Your jealousy is showing,” I murmur in his ear.
Xeni doesn’t skip a beat. Without looking away from Cato, he grips my chin, and in a single, fluid motion, he twists his head and pulls me forward. This kiss isn’t soft or sweet. It’s a claim, and his tongue sweeps in like he’s staking territory.
Ego whistles appreciatively as Cato grumbles something under his breath, while Sakane’s face flushes as he watches with piqued interest.
Xeni bites my lower lip and tugs just hard enough to sting. “Should I keep going?” he taunts, shifting in my lap with a very deliberate swivel of his hips that makes me grip his waist tighter.
“Message received,” I hiss.
Xeni’s grin turns smug as he settles into a relaxed slump against me, like he’s just won the whole damn war.
“Can… boys get pregnant from watching?” Sakane stage-whispers to Ego, eyes wide and dramatic. “Because I’m pretty sure that just happened. I felt something twitch.”
Ego’s grin turns wicked, and she slaps his waiting palm with a loud high-five that echoes in the tiny kitchen. “Oh, honey, metoo. We’ll be bump buddies. Matching cravings, swollen ankles, the works. I call dibs on the weird midnight pickles, though.”
Cato mutters something that sounds suspiciously like “idiots,” while I bury my burning face in Xeni’s hair, trying and failing not to laugh.
Xeni is utterly unrepentant and gives his hips another lazy roll that makes me groan into his neck.
“Keep it up,” I warn against his skin, “and you’ll be the one carrying my baby.”
Ego fans herself. “Now that’s a visual I didn’t know I needed—but damn if I’m not here for it.”
My cheeks burn as I clear my throat, trying to get everyone’s attention off my sex life and back on the problem at hand.
“Alright, back to what we were saying…” I say pointedly.
“No vehicle, but a maybe on gettinghisworking,” Cato recaps with a smirk that’s all teeth.
“You can say my name,” Xeni says in an overly sweet tone, wearing a smile that's blatantly insincere.
“Don’t want to tarnish my lips with it,” Cato replies just as sweetly.
“Careful, Gingersnap,” Xeni purrs. “Keep dodging it and people might think you’re scared it’ll taste too good.”
Cato crosses his arms and leans back in his seat. “You need a muzzle.”
“Funny,” Xeni drawls. “I was thinking the same about you… except I’d add a leash. Big dogs need discipline.”
