AllFreeNovel
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“She’s got our number already,” Ethan says, taking another sugar-free banana muffin off the plate of muffins Sylvie baked for us this morning.
“Hmm…” Chloe glances around the room. “How about by the fireplace? Could you light it first, though?”
“I got it.” Any chance Drew gets to please a pretty girl, he’s on it.
It’s a cold and dreary November day so it’s not a bad idea. What is bad is my mind racing to a picture of Chloe and me sitting in front of the flames, my mouth on hers.
We take a few pictures, Chloe’s satisfied smile lighting up the space like she’s invited the sun into my home. She decides on the best photo and posts it with a clever line: “Mondays are always brighter from behind smiles.” #Auprincebrothers #offseason #triplethepower
Thankfully, my brothers do have jobs to get to and with their curiosity about Chloe appeased—for now—they say goodbye and see themselves out.
“They’re nice.” Chloe leans against the kitchen counter.
“Relatively,” I joke.
“You guys are close. I can tell. You’re lucky.”
I shift my gaze from Sammy lying under the coffee table and chewing on the bone Chloe brought for her to the woman I want to know better. The clues she shares about her life aren’t enough to slake my interest. “Do you have any siblings?”
“No. It’s just—” She stops abruptly, catching herself from revealing more. Long, black eyelashes sweep over high cheekbones. Seconds tick by, and then I’m hit with remarkable pools of gold and caramel.
Whatever she sees in my expression, it’s enough for her to continue. “It’s just me and my dad. My mom passed away.”
My stomach twists. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago. So—” she claps her hands together, the gesture a means to release us from the unhappy strain “—this morning is all about you and coffee. You do drink coffee, right?”
“Only Tuesday through Saturday.”
Her brows knit together.
“I’m kidding.”
“Good thing.” She moves around the counter. She’s wearing a zippered pink hoodie, black leggings, and white Vans. Her blond hair hangs over one shoulder in a side braid. Ethan was right. She definitely has the sexy athletic thing going on. She’s also comfortable looking through my cupboards.
I’m comfortable staring at her ass.
“Which is your favorite mug?”
Firm, round cheeks, more than a handful, but I’d need to confirm that with a hands-on approach and—
“Finn? Your favorite?”
My eyes jump up to hers, peering at me from over her shoulder. If she noticed where my attention strayed she doesn’t call me on it.
“I don’t have one.”
“Come on. Everyone has a favorite. That one mug that makes the coffee taste better.” She continues her search.
I reach above her, my chest brushing her back and shoulder blades. The soft hair on the top of her head tickles my chin. My arm span stretches well beyond hers to the top shelf, where I locate my most valuable mug. I’d forgotten about it until she reminded me.
Her breath hitches, from our closeness or from the bright rainbow of ceramic colors, I don’t know. It takes all my strength to step back rather than bury my face in the slope of her neck and trail kisses along her skin.
She spins around. Neither of us speaks for several moments of pure electricity. I swear we could power Landsharks Stadium with what passes between us.
But as fast as it rippled, it disappears. She studies the mug instead of me. “Did you paint that when you were young?”
“Drew did actually. He made one for me and one for Ethan for Christmas one year. I think he was five, maybe six. He was really proud of himself.”
