As we step out of the building, I spot Xander waiting for us. He stands there with his arms crossed, wearing a black beanie, looking grumpy and gorgeous at the same time. His face brightens when Clay rushes over and nearly jumps into his arms, laughing.
“Hotdogs, babe,” Clay exclaims, “The second-best sausage there is,” making Xander chuckle as he sets him down.
“You little brat.” Xander growls, pulling him into a kiss and holding the back of his head.
I watch them, admiring their cuteness, but a pang of sadness hits me. I feel a hand grip mine, so I turn to see Joshua smiling down at me before leading me forward.
“Are you a ketchup or mustard girl?” he asks, stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.
“Who likes mustard?” Sophia chimes in from my other side, having caught up with us. “That’s just gross,” she adds, scrunching up her nose.
“What she said,” I agree, pointing my thumb to her.
“Mustard is superior,” Xander comments from behind us.
I glance over my shoulder to see him and Clay walking hand in hand.
“Oh, right. Xander is a mustard girl,” Sophia teases, making me chuckle.
“You should get that tattooed or put it in your bio,” I tease, smirking at him over my shoulder as we reach the hotdog stand.
He turns me by the shoulder and leans into my space. “Another brat with a big mouth, but this one hasn’t even said hello to me,” he growls out, then he pulls me closer, kissing me roughly, his hand finding my hair at the roots, pulling lightly, before biting my lower lip, making my breath catch in a sharp gasp and my pussy clench.
He lets go of me and gives me a knowing grin.
“Ouch,” I mutter, touching my lip and scowling.
“Don’t ignore me. I won’t let it slide. I’m not Clay,” he warns, then lightly kisses the spot he just bit before straightening.
“Hey,” Clay chimes in, looking up at him with a frown. But then he glances at me and shrugs. “He’s right, though.”
We all grab a hotdog, mine with ketchup and, of course, no relish, and stand off to the side to eat.
They’re fucking delicious.
Xander and Sophia start discussing which movie to watch on Sunday for family night while Clay leans back against Xander’s chest, who holds him close, kissing the top of his head and caressing his side.
Longing fills me, and some kind of guilt that I can’t quite place.
Suddenly, my chin is lifted, and I find myself looking up into Joshua’s dark brown eyes. He leans in to give me a quick peck. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I shrug nonchalantly, avoiding his gaze.
He gently tilts my chin up again, his eyes filled with warmth. “It’s not ‘nothing.’ I’d like to think I already know my girl pretty well,” he says with a playful grin, which in turn makes me smile.
I confess with a hint of embarrassment, “Okay, not nothing, it’s… silly.”
Just then, Xander lets out a laugh, catching my attention.
Joshua leans closer, his hand still caressing my cheek, making my gaze wander back to his unwavering one. “Tell me.”
I hesitate, biting my lip, then glance back at the others, who are engrossed in their conversation, paying us no mind. “Am I the third wheel and only realizing it now?”
Joshua frowns, clearly surprised by the question. “What? Why would you think that?”
I shake my head, feeling somewhat foolish. “I don’t know. It’s dumb.”
“Carolina,” he begins, his voice soft and reassuring. “I’ve been the third wheel with them my whole life. You’re not. Maybe you just need to learn to share a bit too,” he teases.
