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“Nice try.” Lila batted his hand away as everyone laughed.
Nick popped to his feet. “Don’t open my shit. I mean, the stuff I got for you guys. I wanna see your expressions.”
“If you’re going to smoke, so help me, Nicholas,” Lila warned him, studying his face for tells. He sucked at lying.
Or so she’d once believed. Now she wasn’t so sure. She was afraid to believe in him, or in anything beyond getting through this night.
“Nah. Just that damn turkey. Ran right through me.” He patted his stomach and leaped over the strewn pile of gifts—some opened, most not—and out of the circle like a gazelle on crack. A moment later, they heard the sound of his footsteps thundering up the stairs.
“He’s probably the only guy I know who could say that and still think he’s getting sex anytime this century,” Gray mused. Then he glanced at Lila, his brow furrowed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything.”
Lila smiled. For rock stars, they were pretty sweet. All of them, even the one with digestive issues. “He’ll get sex whether or not I’m involved.” She held Gray’s gaze, though she could tell the others were exchanging surprised glances. “His hand isn’t choosy, right?”
Margo grinned and leaned around Simon to hold out her fist. Lila bit her lip, then lightly bumped knuckles. “Did I do that right?”
“Yes.” Laughing, Margo moved back and grabbed a box wrapped in bright purple foil. “Here, open this. Simon wrapped it, not me.” She nodded at the clump of tape dangling off one corner.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you don’t buy quality supplies.” Simon flashed Margo his best pout.
It must’ve worked, because she shook her head and kissed him soundly on the mouth. They didn’t stop lip-locking and tongue-tangling until Gray cleared his throat.
“Hello, children present. They’re not ready to see a biology lesson in their living room.”
Simon eased back and slapped Gray’s leg with a grin. “Facts of life, baby. Facts of life.”
“Open that already,” Margo said to Lila, who was still staring at the box, more than a little shell-shocked.
“I didn’t expect presents from you guys.”
“You brought them for us,” Jazz said.
“Yeah, but—”
“Nobut. Open the damn thing. I need to get up and hand off this baby. I think she has the same stomach malfunction as Nicky.” Simon made a face.
“Speaking of not getting laid tonight, Mr. I’m-wearing-baby-poop,” Jazz said sweetly, unhooking the snuggy from Simon’s chest and carting the now-whimpering baby out of the room. Harper had disappeared into the kitchen again, probably to clean up the mess they’d left behind.
Simon patted his chest. “It didn’t soak through. But man, what a stink.”
Margo moved a full foot away from him.
“Watch your bitching about my kid, Kagan,” Deak said, depositing some other treat Harper had concocted on a table near the fireplace before walking out again.
Smiling faintly, Lila finished unwrapping the box—whoa, Simon had gone heavy on the tape—and pried off the lid. Inside, a pale yellow sweater was nestled among layers of tissue paper.
“Oh my God, cashmere?” Lila drew it out of the box and ran a fingertip down the sleeve. “So incredibly soft. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Is the yellow okay? I know it’s not your usual color, but it just seemed very you.” Margo shifted, seeming uncomfortable. “Goes with your hair.”
“I love it. I’ll wear it tomorrow.” On impulse, Lila got to her knees and crawled across the circle to give Margo a quick hug. “Thank you so much.”
“Hell yeah, nowthat’swhat I’m talking about.” Simon nudged Margo’s shoulder. “Good choice, babe.”
Margo just rolled her eyes at him.
More presents were exchanged. Margo squealed over the leather jacket Lila had gotten her and let out a laugh when she saw Simon had a matching one in badass floor-length leather. Gray and Jazz loved the picture books she’d gotten them—for Gray, a history of acoustic guitars, and for Jazz, a book with about a million knitting patterns, since that was her new obsession, along with a set of glow-in-the dark drumsticks. The stuff for the babies were oohed and aahed over, and Harper and Deak loved the certificate she’d given them for a couples’ massage.
Lila was just finishing up opening the gifts she’d gotten from everyone—which included clothes, and a gift certificate for her favorite wine store, and an amazing ski vacation weekend from all three couples—when boots clomped down the stairs yet again. Except they sounded heavier this time. And when a shadow loomed in the doorway, there were gasps.
