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Carys hugs him, and I fight back the growl clawing its way up my throat.
He’s doing us a favor.
They’re friends.
But he’s touching my girl, and I fucking hate it.
“Good seeing you guys. Let me know if you need anything.” He nods his goodbye and leaves.
“Alright. I have to get to work. Any chance you could get away for breakfast tomorrow morning, Carys? We could meet up with Chloe and Maddie at the Busy Bee.” Daphne hugs Carys again, apparently not ready to let her go.
“Don’t you have to work?” God, it’s so fucking good to see her smile again.
“I’m sleeping with the boss. I think I can go in a little late. Max won’t mind.” She winks, and Carys laughs and checks out the huge engagement ring on Daphne’s finger.
“Yeah, I guess you’re safe.” She kisses Daphne’s cheek. “Breakfast should work. Thanks for everything, D.”
“Anytime, C.” Daphne kisses my cheek, and Carys shoves her gently.
Carys puts her hand on her hips and cocks her brow. “Hey, you’ve got your own. Leave mine alone.”
I wait for Daphne to turn, then lift Carys from her feet and crush her to me.
Her legs wrap around my waist, and her arms circle my shoulders, clinging.
“Are you jealous, baby?” The thought sets my body on fire.
We walk through the front door. “Maybe a little. I mean, it’s just Daphne. But still. I don’t love seeing another woman’s lips on you.” She skims her mouth up my neck. “I’m the only person who gets to do that.”
I set her on her feet, and she gasps and takes a step forward. “Oh, Coop... I love it.” She turns back and takes my hand in hers, dragging me through each room. “This place is perfect.”
“Yeah. It really is.” High ceilings and an open floor plan combine with wall-to-ceiling single-pane glass doors that overlook a big backyard and the lake behind it. You can see Kroydon Falls further down in the distance, and huge hundred-year-old trees dot the shore as far as you can see.
She grabs my hand and pulls me upstairs, where four bedrooms and three bathrooms are spread out down a wide hall. The master takes up the entire far corner of the house, with a balcony the size of a small room overlooking the lake.
Carys places her palms against the railing and breathes in the cool fall air. “I love it.”
I bracket her with my arms on either side of her body. “Good. Then let’s take it. I didn’t like sleeping without you last night.”
“Sorry.” She runs her tongue along her lips. “Though Mom didn’t have a problem with it.”
“Yeah well, Dad did. I figured it’s best not to push it yet. I mean, Nattie and Brady lived together for four years, and I honestly think he believed they slept in separate rooms.”Denial... it’s not just a river in Egypt.
“Can we even afford it? I mean, I’ve got my trust, but did you and Hudson talk cost?” She worries her bottom lip, and I realize she and I have never had a conversation like this before.
I tug her away from the railing and sit down on the chair, pulling her onto my lap. “So, here’s the thing. I knew I was never going to make the kind of money my parents made in the Navy, but I’m not going to lie and say I don’t like having it.”
Her eyes crinkle in confusion. “Alright...?”
“I took a few online classes the summer after graduation and have added a few here and there when I could. I might not be Sebastian smart, but I’m really good at math. And I’m even better at the stock market. I’ve been investing since I was sixteen.” I watch her carefully. “I’ve actually also been doing it for your brother, Declan, Brady, and Bash for the last few years.”
Carys circles her arms around my neck and adjusts herself on my lap, confusion still evident in her eyes. “What are you saying, Coop?”
“I’m saying we can buy this house, if that’s what you want. I’m saying I need to find a job because I could never be happy not having something to do. But if it takes years for me to find one, we’ll still be fine. I can take my time figuring out what my next move is. Money isn’t an issue, baby.” I wait patiently while she processes what I just told her.
“So I guess you can afford to get a car without eyelashes, can’t you?” She giggles, then scoots off my lap and lowers to her knees. “The privacy here is incredible, isn’t it?”
She pops the button on my jeans and slowly lowers my zipper, looking up at me through her dark lashes.
