Jax adds, “Not me.”
Callum shrugs. “I guess that leaves me.”
“They’re ridiculous,” I correct.
“That too,” my mom says.
Zinnia nods and whispers, “So weird.”
After breakfast, my mom takes Zinnia to the park and gives us space.
Zephyr disappears to his room to study. Finals aren’t going to pass themselves.
Callum has film to watch. Some game footage Coach sent over.
Jax and I end up on the couch with a cooking show playing that neither of us is watching.
“You happy?” he asks suddenly.
I look at him. “Yeah. I am. Why?”
“Just making sure.”
“Are you?”
He thinks about it. “Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Never thought I’d end up here. Sharing a girl with my best friends. Living in some weird domestic bliss situation.”
“Regretting it?”
“Not even a little.”
I curl into his side. He wraps his arm around me.
“I love this,” I say quietly.
He goes still. “What?”
I sit up and look at him. I stare deep into his eyes and smile. I think I’m ready to say how I feel, how I have felt the whole time, ever since I laid my eyes on him.
I whisper, “I love you, Jax.”
“Tiger—” He leans over and kisses me. He pulls me onto his lap and asks, “Did you tell––”
I shake my head. “No, just you, Jax.”
That makes him smile. He kisses me again, using his tongue this time. He holds my head in place and devours me with his lips.
I pull away to catch a breath. But it’s not long before his lips are on mine again.
“I love you too,” he says against my mouth. “So fucking much.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
