Page 120 of Lucky Mother Pucker

The guys all nod along. She blushes. “Thanks. I threw it together at the last minute. I was worried it wouldn’t look very good.”

“No, it looks great,” Nick says.

“Come on, you have to take a big group photo with all of us,” Blake says to her.

He hands his phone to someone, and we all crowd together. Lucy’s smile is shy as she poses with us, but I don’t miss the warm look in her eyes. Like she’s happy to be part of this—part of us.

Something in my chest tightens. I hope she feels like she belongs here. I hope this feels like home to her.

Chapter 44

Leo

When we finish taking photos, the guys go back to playing beer pong.

Briar grabs Lucy’s hand and leads her into the kitchen along with Anna and Poppy. I watch as they mix drinks, giggling and talking the whole time.

I smile to myself, happy that she’s fitting in and getting along so well with them. She’s been on her own for so long. She deserves a close group of friends that she can have fun with and lean on.

Lucy looks up, catching eyes with me. That pretty mouth curves up in a sexy smile. I wink at her.

“Yo, Peretti. You’re up,” Nick says.

I join their beer pong game. The whole time, I keep an eye on Lucy. I know the girls will look out for her, but I want to make sure she’s okay too.

After a while, I see Briar helping Lucy over to me.

“She hit the Jell-O shots pretty hard,” Briar says.

Lucy aims a sleepy-drunk stare at me, her eyes half-lidded. She yawns. “I’m so tired, Leo.”

I slide my arm around her and pull her against me. “Let’s get you to bed.”

She wraps her arms around my waist and nuzzles her face into my chest, closing her eyes.

I turn to the guys. “I’m gonna help Lucy upstairs.”

Gently, I cup my hand over her cheek and tilt her face up to me. She slow-blinks at me.

“You think you can walk upstairs, or do you want me to carry you?”

She aims a sleepy-drunk smile at me that’s so cute, it hurts. “Carry me.”

I scoop her up in my arms. She slinks her arms around my neck and burrows her face into my chest.

I move through the crowd and make my way up the stairs.

“How many Jell-O shots did you do?”

Eyes still closed, she yawns. “Three, maybe? No, wait, four. I think.”

“Damn, Luce. That’s a lot for someone as tiny as you.”

I turn the corner into my bedroom and lie her down on the bed. She instantly curls up and closes her eyes. I take off her sneakers and set them on the floor.

“Goodnight, Luce.” I start to walk off, but she opens her eyes and reaches up, grabbing my wrist.

“Don’t go,” she says in a sleepy voice.