Page 22 of Melt the Ice

“This belong to you?” I ask flatly.

He looks down at who I’m assuming is his friend, then back up to me. “Damn, Lettie. This is awesome.” His chest shakes with the force of his laugh, the vibration filling the room. A shiver runs through me, knowing I can still make him laugh like that after all this time.

“Uhh, Hello?” Markus says into the couch, as if he’s offended we’re talking about him.

Lucas’s long legs eat up the distance between us. He puts his hand on the back of Markus’s shirt before pulling him up. Both of their eyes shine with amusement.

“Did you get lost?” Lucas asks with a laugh.

His gaze turns to me, softening ever so slightly. “Sorry, he was supposed to be coming over for book club.”

“Hmm…” I pop my hip, leaning against the edge of the couch. Markus pulls out a book from the inside of his hoodie pocket. It’s a romance book, a cowboy romance book. Wait a minute, that book is sitting on the bookshelf in my room. Did Lucas put it there? I totally forgot to ask Miller about it. Are all those their book club picks?

“Second Chance Ranchers…” I read the cover.

Lucas grins. “Pretty on brand, huh?” His eyebrows dance across his forehead. He never stops trying to mend the gap between us, does he?

When I don’t respond, he continues. “Wilder started it when he was trying to win Hannah back. It’s been two years. We all get together on Wednesday nights, when we’re in town.” Lucas pauses, looking back toward the kitchen. “Have you eaten yet?” he asks hesitantly, his fingers nervously tapping against his thigh.

It might be fun to see a bunch of men get into romance books. I’d like to hear their take on it, if for no other reason than pure entertainment. “I haven’t.” I could have lied, but I have a feeling he would have called me out for lying like he always could, and after our argument the other day, clearly still can.

His smile grows as Markus’s eyes dart between the two of us. “Oh,” Lucas says, like he wasn’t expecting that answer. “Um, do you…” He trails off, sliding his finger through the ring on his necklace, his uncertainty slashes my heart once again. Even though I don’t blame him. I made it this way. “Do you want to come with us?”

My arms cross over my chest as I take him in. “It’s okay, you don’t have to invite me out of pity.”

His eyes snap to mine, and a light red flush creeps up his cheeks. “No, that's not…” He slides the ring on his necklace back and forth before dropping it. “That’s not what I meant, Lettie. I just don’t want you to feel pressured.” His lips tilt up at the corners, “You’re always welcome. I’d love it if you joined us.”

I hum, trying not to give away how the words ‘always welcome’ light me up like a damn Christmas tree. “Fine, but only because I’m hungry.” His face relaxes, but there’s no real relief there. Something that makes me wonder if I’ve pushed him too far.

“Got it,” he says as he wraps an arm around Markus’s shoulder. “Sammy, apologize for being a douchebag.”

Markus scoffs, but my glare has him changing his tune. “I’m sorry I pick pocketed the wrong terracotta pot,” he says with a laugh.

I step into his space again. “You’re lucky my gun wasn’t in reach.” Then I give his chest a firm pat, “Now give me my key back, no more spare under the pot.”

“Holy shit. I think I’m in love.” Markus mumbles as he drops the key into my awaiting hand.

“Welcome to the club, dude.” My body heats when I hear Lucas’s response. I don’t turn around, though. He doesn’t need to know just how much he still affects me. Less of a chance he can use it against me that way.

Five minutes later, I lock up the house and set the alarm. “Let’s go,” I say as we head to Lucas’s house.

After listening to them mansplain how a door works, I'm seconds from punching them both in the throat so they can't talk the rest of the walk. But then a couple of steps later, a thought pops into my head. I look around Lucas, “You said your name was Markus, right?”

He nods, and I hook my thumb at Lucas. “Then why does he call you Sammy?”

Lucas chuckles, his fingers brushing softly against mine. At first, I think it was an accident, but then he does it again, interlacing our pinkies as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. “We all go by our last names,” Markus says as he looks at me over the top of Lucas. “The team, that is. Hannah and Abby call us that, too. But they’re basically two of the guys.”

I hum. “So I should call you what?” His eyes shine, and before he can answer, I cut in.“Papi is out of the question.”

He throws his head back, laughter spilling out, filling the night air with a sense of camaraderie I haven’t felt in years. “Sammy is fine, or Samuels. But no one really calls me that.”

“Sammy, it is then.”

“Who’s the stray?” A woman asks as we step onto the patio. She’s blonde, beautiful, rocking double braids and arms I’d sell my kidney for. I release Lucas’s pinky, even as he tries to hold mine tighter.

“Sheesh, Knight, would it kill you to be nice for once?” Greyson, well, Wilder, I guess if we’re going with the last name thing, says from inside.

“I am nice.” Her eyes roll before they land back on me.