I let out an exasperated breath. “You have to let me. Remember what I promised you.” I ran my hand through his hair and he groaned, wrapping his arms around me and pressing his face into my stomach.
“That was for letting you get out of bed. Now you want to get on the roof. I should at least get to plug your ass as a reward for letting you do this. That is, if I survive. Because if Cam wakes up and you’re on the roof, he’s going to murder me.”
A thrill ran through me at the thought of Ben plugging me, of him touching methere.
“Okay, deal. If we both survive the night, you can do that.”
“What?” Ben sputtered out, his shock making him forget to keep his voice low.
I gestured wildly and covered his mouth. He shot me an apologetic look and mimed zipping his lips.
“While I’m loving hearing this touching conversation about how you’re going to defile my best friend, let’s get this show on the road,” Sam’s voice hissed out from above, causing me to let out a small shriek and almost fall off the table. Ben’s arms tightened around me, keeping me steady.
“What the hell, Sam,” I whisper-shouted.
I could see the outline of his face pop out from the roof overhang, his bright eyes and smile clear.
“I could say the same thing,” he whispered back. “First, I have to hear you fuck the grumpy one in the dining room, and now this?”
“Wait, Theo’s the grumpy one?” Ben asked, glee in his voice. “I have to tell Cam he’s been dethroned as pack grump.”
I couldn’t resist smiling.
“Help me up,” I said to Sam, lifting my arms above my head. He pulled me up with ease, although I was sure I looked a bit like a beached whale with all my flailing.
“Just as graceful as always,” Sam said. I elbowed him in the side as hard as I could, causing him to let out a quiet grunt.
Ben popped his head over the edge of the roof.
“You good, precious?”
I shimmied on my stomach over to the edge and gave him a kiss. “All good.”
“Please be careful coming down. My ass is on the line here. Or should I say, yours is.” He winked before getting off the table. My cheeks must have been flaming red with how hot they felt.
Sam groaned as he hefted me further onto the roof. “I’m scarred for life.”
“You’ll survive,” I said. “Remember that time you butt dialed me while you and Gerald were doing that role play…” I squeaked as Sam lunged at me, covering my mouth with his hand.
“I thought we promisednever to speak of it again,” he growled.
“Anything you say,professor.”
We both burst out laughing, lying back on the roof side by side. I reached out and grabbed his hand, reminded of all the times we had done this growing up.
Sam squeezed my hand. “You seem happy, Josie.”
“I think I am.”
“Are they treating you right? Because I’ll find a way to smuggle you back with us if not.”
“They treat me perfectly,” I said, smiling.
“I’m still not sure they’re good enough for you.”
His voice was grumpy, but he had talked and laughed with the guys at dinner. I had been on the verge of happy tears, so grateful to have the people I loved most at the table. Even if I had had to endure lots of jokes about us eating in the room Theo and I had defiled.
“I want you to like them. You’re my family, they’re my pack. I want us to all be friends together,” I said.
