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Noodles abandoned Spencer and made a beeline for Niles. The puppy hit him at full speed, nearly toppling the plate from his hands when he’d gone for seconds. Niles caught it just in time, laughing.

“Hey, you,” he said, scratching behind one ear. “Look at you. Queen of this yard.”

Noodles pressed her full weight against his legs, tail hammering the bench. Niles broke off a piece of his burger and held it out. The puppy took it gently then licked his fingers clean.

“She likes you,” I said.

“She’s an overgrown baby.” He rubbed Noodles’ muzzle. “Aren’t you? Just a big soft baby. Tell your daddies to treat you to a spa day.”

Calvin watched from Riot’s lap, his expression a mix of fondness and wariness. He’d tried to climb Riot the night he’d met the dog. “She’s terrifying.”

Niles looked up. “She trips over her own feet.”

“She looks like she could eat me.”

“She wouldn’t. She’s too busy being adored.” Niles fed her another piece of burger. “See? Gentle.”

Calvin didn’t look convinced. Riot pressed a kiss to his temple and murmured something that made him relax.

As the sun dipped lower, Spencer gathered Noodles’ collar in his hand and walked her toward the house, the puppy’s legs fumbling to keep up. Diesel and Ollie had migrated to the patio, heads close together. Preacher and Trent were stretched out by the firepit. Riot and Calvin stayed in their chair, wrapped around each other.

The pack had thinned, most slowly drifting inside the house. Ramos, Calvin’s brother, had been there earlier, glaring daggers at Mayhem, but had taken off right after he’d eaten.

Niles set his empty plate on the picnic table and leaned back, his arm pressed against mine.

“This is nice,” he said quietly. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome here anytime.”

“Careful. I’ll show up for breakfast.”

“Or wake up to breakfast.”

He glanced up, the last of the sunlight catching his green eyes, making them brighter against the darkening yard. He laced our fingers. His felt small compared to mine.

“You mean that,” he said.

“Every word.”

His thumb traced the back of my hand. “I’m going to hold you to it.”

“Countin’ on it.”

The evening wound down around us. Plates got stacked. The grills cooled. Riot carried Calvin toward the house, his mate’s head tucked against his neck. Trent and Preacher followed, arguing about something that made both of them grin.

The yard emptied until it was just us.

Niles stood and stretched, the skirt riding up his thighs, and I drank in every inch of those slim legs as I imagined them wrapped around my waist.

“Walk me to my car?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

We crossed the yard together under the deep purple sky, the steady chirp of crickets filling the quiet. His car sat at the edge of the lot next to the row of club motorcycles.

At the driver’s side door, Niles turned, pressing his back against the car, then looked up with those green eyes.

“Thanks again,” he said. “For the food. The company. All of it.”