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“Um,” Kit began, arching a brow in a way that said she thought that was a stupid-ass question, “because you’ve spent the most time with her this week out of all of us.”

“Yeah. And, besides, lord knows she’s talked to you the most,” Jack chimed in. “She’s been quiet as a fucking dormouse around us.”

“Because you two plus Michael are fucking chaos personified,” Alder pointed out.

Zann laughed, and then immediately regretted it when Alder spun toward her and jabbed a finger at her chest.

“Oh, you don’t get to laugh, Ms. I-goaded-Aspen-into-sleeping-with-the-Ambassador’s-daughter. You’ve only been better this week because you’ve been tits-over-ass for Lydia.”

“She does have a great rack, though,” Kit said, cupping her hands in front of her chest.

Zann gritted her teeth. While she loved every single thing about Lydia’s boobs, she didn’t love the casually familiar way Kit talked about them. “Nope. Do not go there.”

Kit glanced at her for a second in surprise before tipping her head in apology.

“And, besides,” Aspen said, gallantly throwing herself into the fray, “if Zee hadn’t goaded me into the whole thing with the Ambassador’s daughter, I wouldn’t have owed Michael for saving my ass, which means there wouldn’t have been a favor for him to call-in to get me to take his place as Eve’s plus one at her parents’ gala, so…”

Alder didn’t look at all impressed. “That’s really how you want to play it?”

Aspen held her hands out and shrugged. “I mean, one plus one equals two. Can you really argue with that math?”

“Math!” Kit and Jack crowed, throwing their hands in the air victoriously.

“Jesus fuck, you guys are nerds,” Alder muttered.

“Nerds who blinged out your kids’ Nintendos,” Jack sassed.

“And thanks for proving my point,” Alder sniggered. She clapped Aspen on the back. “Love ya, Asp, but I’m gonna go find Greg and see if he’d like to get out of here since the kids are having a sleepover with Mom and Dad tonight.”

“Oh, yeah! Get some!” Jack yelled, holding his hand up for a high-five. When Alder just looked at it, he pouted and said, “Aww, come on. Don’t leave me hanging!”

Zann chuckled at the way Alder rolled her eyes as she relented, and couldn’t resist needling her a little as well. “Don’t pull anything.”

Alder cackled. “Right back atcha, Zee.” She shook her head. “Actually, that goes for all of you.” She smiled at Aspen and pulled her into a quick hug. “I’ll see you at brunch.”

“Looks like the girls are done,” Jack noted. “C’mon, let’s get Bon and go find her a bed buddy for the night.”

Kit whooped. “Okay!”

“And on that note,” Aspen laughed, “I think I’m gonna see if Eve wants to get out of here, too.”

Zann’s stomach fluttered as Lydia’s eyes found hers from across the room, and she cleared her throat. “Yeah, I think Lyds and I will probably get out of here, too.”

Lydia smiled at the feeling of Zann’s left hand wrapping around her hip as she brushed against her back to reach past her with her right to set her watch box on the small console table in the foyer. It was a casual intimacy, just the two of them sharing a small space as they settled back into this unexpectedly beautiful bubble that was theirs, and it wasn’t until Zann wrapped her up in a gentle embrace, that she realized just how much she’d needed this.

Needed her.

From the moment they’d left Zann’s house, the day had become a whirlwind of traffic, friends, and loud, chaotic, albeit joyous conversation that kept her too busy to really notice that they hadn’t had a moment to themselves in what felt like a fucking lifetime. But now that she had…

She covered Zann’s hands on her waist and let her eyes drift shut as she sank back into her. A sigh escaped her at the feeling of Zann’s lips brushing a gentle kiss over her cheek, and she pressed her fingers into Zann’s, silently asking to be held more firmly.

And, god, did Zann deliver. Zann’s arms slid more fully around her waist, drawing her in closer, enveloping her completely in her warmth and strength, and Lydia’s throat tightened with emotion at the contented burr that rumbled against her ear as Zann melted against her back.

How am I going to live without this?

“You okay?” Zann murmured. When Lydia just nodded and let Zann take more of her weight, Zann held her tighter, grounding her in the moment like she so desperately needed. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” Lydia whispered. She caressed the backs of Zann’s hands. “I just really like this.”