“It’s always the quiet ones. Cleo Martinez you dirty, dirty woman. I’m going to have to stop my sister from hanging around with one so uncouth!” Will winked at a now tomato-red Cleo who covered her face and groaned.
“I hate everything right now.”
“Cool your jets, Zelda. It’s all a bit of good natured ribbing.”
“Zelda?” The way Cleo twisted her lips when she didn’t understand something, made Linc want to grab her lip between his teeth.
“You can’t have forgotten Mo is a gamer, can you?” Russ slapped an open palm against Will’s chest.
“Oh, I haven’t. I still don’t get the connection to Zelda though.” Cleo’s frown deepened as though she wasn’t sure whether she was being mocked or not.
“Nothing bad, Cho-Cho. Zelda’s love interest in the game is called Link.”
Something twisted in Linc’s stomach at Will’s use of Molly’s nickname for Cleo.
“Easy, Turbo.” Russ’s voice was low and quiet. “He’s known her a long time, and he’s not interested in her like that.”
Will grunted. “Yeah, you can un-ball that jealous fist of yours, Linc. I’m not moving in on your girl. Though I should probably give you some big-brother ass-kicking spiel about hurting her.”
Cleo giggled and stepped toward Linc, slipping her palm into his. “Can we at least leave the display of macho bravado until I’m gone? I appreciate the protectiveness,William, but Molly has already got you covered.”
“No shit.” Linc rubbed the back of his neck. “She’s threatened many forms of grievous bodily harm if I don’t take good care of Cleo.” He let go of her hand and slid his hand around her waist. “Everyone can stand down. I have no intention of hurting her.”
Her cheeks flared pink again. He dropped a kiss on her temple.
“Well, now all this soppy shit’s out of the way, Mo and I will be leaving. My folks have Jude for the night, and we’re going to throw some darts.”
“Isn’t that for old guys?” The blush staining Cleo’s cheeks hadn’t receded.
Russell’s dramatic gasp and clutch at his heart as though Cleo had shot an arrow into his chest made her giggle.
Did all women have such a consuming giggle? Had Linc just never noticed? It wrapped around him like a warm blanket on a Minnesota winter’s night.
Will’s hand clapped on his shoulder. “Well, just for funsies then. Hurt her, and I’ll hurt you.”
“Will!” Cleo buried her face against Linc’s chest.
“Yes, sir.” Linc threw a salute. “You boys have fun.”
Russ offered him a fist-bump before they left.
“I felt like you guys were gonna whip them out and measure them, like, right in front of me.”
Linc chuckled. “If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I can’t compete with Will. I’m an average dude with an average dick. He’s captain on and off the ice.”
Cleo’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “I did not need to know that about my best friend’s big brother, Lincoln!” She thwapped his chest with her fingertips. “He’s the closest thing to a brother I have. I don’t need to know about his… his…”
“Say it.”
She rolled her eyes, gave a small head shake and folded her arms. “His penis, Lincoln. I don’t need to know anything about Will Morrison’s penis!”
“Uh…” Finn had let himself into the room, the door was ajar behind him. “Did I come at a bad time?”
“Jesus fucking Christ, it’s like Grand Central station in here!” Cleo flopped onto Linc’s bed with a theatrical sigh. She peeked from under her arm to greet the new addition to the group. “Hi, Finn.”
“Hi, Cleo. I feel like you’re not having the romantic bow-chica-wow-wow time you probably had planned with Linc, so I’m gonna grab my wallet and leave.”
“Why is your wallet in Russ and Lincoln’s room?”
