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"Deal," Love says, grinning.
The next night the three of us cuddle up in Love and Issac's bed and watch movies. We fall asleep a messy tangle of naked limbs.
I wake up with a bony knee slammed into my hip. Love is drooling on my chest and Dex is plastered to my back with an arm tossed over my nude stomach. He's got his hand on Love's baby belly. I can't see him, but I can tell it's him from the blond hair on my arm and his beachy scent.
Issac is quite literally spooning a very naked Riggs, and I'd give about anything in the world to have my phone so I could snap a picture of that shit.
Dexter's face is snuggled against my back.
I sigh. This is the downside to pack life. My dads conveniently left that particular fact out of all the raving about the lifestyle. Love snuggles in close to me and I ignore Dexter's warm breath on my neck.
Closing my eyes tight, I will my ass back to sleep.
I'd put up with a lot to have Love's nude body wrapped around mine. Apparently even share a king size bed with three other guys.
Priority number one: Buy a new bed big enough for five people.
I knock on Dexter's door and get no answer. He might not be here. I haven't seen him in hours, but the penthouse is huge. The knob turns when I try it. Dex is lying across the end of his bed. He's frantically writing and glancing over at a book. I'm pretty sure that's the one Love's been scouring the house looking for.
Dexter doesn't glance up. I take a few steps toward him, and once my shadow lands on his notebook he finally notices me.
He tries to slam the notebook closed and glares at me.
"What?" he growls, pushing himself up until he's sitting.
I stretch, checking to see if that's the book Love's obsessively searching for. It's open to a page with pictures on how to pick up a newborn while properly holding their head. My eyes fly to the page of his notebook and my confusion rises. My eyes pop up to meet Dexter's. I'm still bent over and not expecting the furious look on his face or the hard shove that comes when his palms land on my pecs.
"Get the fuck out," he says, pointing to the door.
I stagger back a few steps and right myself.
"Shit," I whisper, shaking my head. All the other books were there when Love went searching through them. All the ones except that one. The ones with step-by-step pictures.
"Get out," Dexter hisses. He pops off the bed and stands toe to toe with me.
"Love's been looking all over the penthouse for that book. Pregnancy can lead to obsessive cleaning and searching for things they can't find," I tell him calmly, but my mind races.
Do I keep my mouth shut and let him stay pissed? Try to forge some kind of understanding?
"My youngest brother is dyslexic," I say, holding my palms up. "Do the others know?"
His chest rises and falls in quick movements. He's really fucking pissed. "I said get the fuck out."
"Dexter," I pause. My mind runs through all the memories of how self-conscious Tanner was anytime anyone tried to talk to him about his dyslexia. My brother wanted to ignore it, or pretend he didn't have it.Okay, so don't focus on that. Focus on what you can forge a connection over."You're learning about how to take care of the baby?"
Dexter sighs, shaking his head. "I can read. I'm not fucking stupid."
I growl. "Do you know I have seven younger brothers and sisters?"
"What?" Dexter scoffs.
"Yeah, I'm the oldest of eight kids," I say, staring straight into his eyes. "That means I spent my childhood taking care of babies."
"Good for you," he says, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You're so stubborn." I sigh. "You think Vince and I are your enemies. That's not how it is. I grew up in a pack. My dads are a team. If they viewed each other as competition, their pack would never work."
Dexter doesn't say anything. I rub a hand over my face.
