She places her hand over mine. “I hope you know that this is common. That you shouldn’t feel shamed or?—”
I lean over and press a sweet kiss to that plump mouth. Her mauve two lips. She tastes of juniper and a plume of spring air.
“I love you,” I whisper. “You make me feel competent even while doing this.”
She blinks at me, the blue of her eyes like the deepest part of the ocean in the dim light. “Becauseyou are.”
“Well, if I’m so competent? We need to solidify our plan. Make sure everyone knows their roles.” I glance around at my brothers. Most of them casual and easy. Laughing and enjoying their evening. Not pressured. Though the heaviness of the Seven feels like an entity filling the empty corners, ready to swallow us all. “And we need to hurry.”
She opens her mouth to reply, but a beer sloshes over us as Nicky slides one across our table. “Quit being so—so—married. It’s fucking weird.” He bypasses the rope with a hip-check and threads into the rounded booth next to me. “What’s good, Scout? I’m Nicky. Don’t think we’ve been formally introduced, though I was at the wedding. I’m the secretary ofBetaand used to be this guy’s friend. But he’s ditched me.”
He takes a big gulp of his ale, eyes locked on mine accusingly. I pick up the one he gave me and take a swig. “Mywifetakes precedence over sweaty, stinky brothers. I’m not sorry.”
“Nice to meet you,” Scout says wryly. I notice she slyly tucks the book into her bag and nuzzles closer to my side.
His face drops into a slow grin. “I’m just jealous. Waiting for my appointed, and I’ll probably get stuck with a bitch.”
I nod. “You need one. Someone to put up with your shit. Keep you in line.”
He smirks. “Gods, I hope so. That would be hot.”
My hand slips onto Scout’s thigh possessively. “We were, uh, kind of busy over here.”
“Oh? Doing what?”
“Having a private conversation.”
“Scout! Mr. President! And Nicky…” Oz joins the table, and I roll my eyes. He cuts in on the other side of Scout and sticks out his hand. “Oz Freidenberg.”
I lean in and murmur, “Adal’s younger brother.”
Scout shakes his hand. “Hi. I’ve seen you in the back of Society Foundations class.”
Oz snorts. “Have you? Been checking me out?” His eyebrows dancing lecherously.
“Yeah. You were snoring. It was loud.”
I bust out a laugh as he purses his lips. “Not that loud…”
“I think you should get tested for sleep apnea.”
Oz slaps a hand to his chest, as if he’s offended. “Me and my snoring will go elsewhere.” He exits the booth with a huff. Then freezes. Spinning, he leans toward Scout, and she flinches back. Low, almost so I can’t hear, he tells her, “I’ve never seen him smile this much.”
Scout grins, then wiggles in her seat. It’s the cutest thing ever.
Nicky tosses back the rest of his beer and joins Oz. “Don’t be weird. Come join all of us. Mingle.”
Scout glances at me, and I shake my head. “Okay. We will,” I tell him, not removing my eyes from my wife.
The two slip back into the crowd, now shouting at the Northview Nighthawks hockey game playing on all the screens.
When Scout attempts to stand, I shove her back down into the seat with a firm grip on her hip. “You’re not going anywhere. Not until you get your deserved punishment.”
I scan the guys all huddled near the TVs behind the bar. Stools occupied. Thick crowd attuned to Scout’s brother playing on the screen. He slams in a goal, and they go wild.
That’s when I lift her off her seat and plop her on my lap. My hands wrap around her waist. Her body shifts, restless and searching, and it drags a reaction out of me.It doesn’t take long to get her jeans undone. Then mine. A tiny sound of protest breaks out of her before she can stop it.
Thinking again.
