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Calvin spotted him and sat up from Riot’s lap, waving. “You made it!”
“On time, as always.” Niles looked around the yard, his gaze sweeping the grills, the cooler, the people scattered across the grass. Then he turned to Calvin and planted both hands on his hips. “You couldn’t be bothered to text me back today? I sent you three messages. Three.”
Calvin’s face went pink. “I was busy.”
“Busy sitting on your boyfriend’s lap.” Niles pointed a finger. “That’s not busy. That’s comfortable.”
“It’s both.”
Riot laughed, arm tightening around Calvin’s waist. “He’s got a point.”
“I do not need your input.” Niles turned back to Calvin. “You left me on read for six hours. Six. I had a crisis about guy stuff and you abandoned me.”
“My bad.”
“Lucky you’re cute and hopeless,” Niles grumbled.
I watched Niles move through the yard, greeting people with that easy charm. He found Ollie and Trent by the cooler and made them laugh within thirty seconds. He crouched to scratch behind Noodles’ ears, and the puppy nearly knocked him over with enthusiasm. With every step he took, the skirt shifted against his thighs, and I had to look away before a boner popped up.
“Food’s done,” Drift called.
Everyone converged on the table. Calvin took a plate from Riot. Ollie grabbed two burgers before Trent could reach the stack. Spencer loaded up and dropped onto the grass with Noodles pressed against one side, Crowbar on the other.
Niles appeared beside me at the grill, looking good enough to devour.
“You cooked all this?” he asked.
“Drift cooked most of it.”
“You flipped a few burgers,” Drift argued. “Don’t use my skills to impress your boy.”
“Still impressive.” Niles reached for a plate, and I handed him one. His eyes met mine over the platter of burgers. “You look good with a spatula.”
“You look good in that skirt.”
He struck a small pose. “Wore it just for you.”
No one said anything about the skirt. Not Trent, not Ollie, not Spencer. They’d all glanced at it when he walked in and then moved on. If anyone had thoughts about it, they kept their mouth shut.
Calvin caught my eye from across the yard and gave me a look that was half-amusement, half-warning. I ignored both. I didn’t need Niles’ best friend giving opinions. I liked learning about the male firsthand.
Niles loaded his plate and found a spot on the bench beside me. He took a bite of his burger and groaned.
“This is good,” he said, hand hovering to cover his mouth. “Really good.”
“Told you.” I winked. “I never exaggerate when it comes to Drift’s cooking skills.”
“You helped,” Niles insisted. “Takes skill to know when to turn a burger over.”
“Fine, I cooked,” I relented, loving how he insisted I take part of the credit.
He glanced at me, mischief in his green eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
“You’re trouble, sparkles.” I took a sip of my beer. “A man could become addicted to you.”
Niles fit into the noise like he’d always been here, trading jokes with Trent, arguing with Ollie about something that made both of them gesture wildly, leaning against my shoulder when he laughed hard enough to lose his balance.
I watched him closely. Could see myself with the male for more than just hypotheticals and a cookout. A permanent place on the back of my bike and in my bed.
