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Mark looks at him for a moment and glances at Luke. He nods at Dylan, who leaves out the front door.
Luke leans over for a quick kiss, then follows Mark and Jordy into the kitchen. Garrett turns to me. “Don’t worry about Dylan. He’s a good guy.”
“He seems angry.”
Garrett chuckles. “It’s his default, but he’ll keep you safe.”
I sigh and nod. I’ll have to remember that. “Have you always lived in New York?”
He shakes his head no. “I was born in San Diego. My mom moved us to upstate New York when I was a kid. I’ve lived in the city for a few years.”
“Have you visited San Diego?”
“No, but I want to.”
“Well, maybe you can come with us when this is over.”
He grins. “That would be fun.”
Garrett and I spend another hour chit chatting until Mark walks through with a platter of marinated chicken to the grill on the back patio. We stand and help with the dinner prep.
Dylan returns, and they discuss their schedules while we eat. It’s surreal knowing all the fuss is because of me. It’s another adjustment to being with someone like Luke. I watch him as he talks with the guys and know that it will all be worth it.
The next morning, I wake up in a happy cocoon of Luke’s arms as he spoons me. I glance at the clock and see that it’s almost 8:00am. I got a solid seven hours of sleep, so I’m feeling pretty good. Luke is deep in sleep, his face peaceful. I take a mental snapshot of him. I’ll never get over how handsome he is.
He pulls me closer in his sleep as I try to slide out of his arms. My heart squeezes at how cute he is and I’m tempted to stay right there, but my bladder is about to explode. I wait for him to relax and with slow movements I’m able to get away.
After I use the bathroom, I dig around in my bag for shorts and a tank top, since we fell asleep naked. I try to pull the door open and frown when it doesn’t budge. A second later there’s a quiet beep, and the door unlocks and pops open. I’ll add that to the list of things I should get used to.
I pad down the hall, salivating at the smell of fresh coffee. Mark is most likely awake.
I turn the corner into the kitchen and freeze. All the guys are there. Jordy and Garrett sit at the table, bowls and mugs in front of them. Mark is in the kitchen pouring coffee. Dylan sits at the kitchen island. They all have tablets with the Reilly Tech logo in front of them, and they all stop what they’re doing and look up when I walk in.
I shift and cross my arms as they continue to stare at me. Dylan’s eyes track my movements, and I tuck my hair behind my ear.
“Good morning, Liv. Coffee?” Mark says.
“Good morning. Yes, please.”
They all return to their tablets except Mark, who hands me my favorite creamer and the mug of steaming ambrosia. I wince when I get a good look at his black eye. It’s not swollen shut, but close.
“It’s not as bad as it looks. You hungry? Garrett made some oatmeal, but I can make you pancakes and eggs if you prefer,” Mark asks.
“Oatmeal is fine.”
“It’s my mom’s recipe. I use a secret ingredient. You’ll love it,” Garrett says from the table. I smile at him and take the bowl from Mark after he plops a spoon in it.
I eye Dylan for a second, debating if I should sit with him since he’s alone. He scowls up at me as I approach, but I slide onto the stool anyway.
“Good morning, Dylan.” I use my friendliest voice.
He stares at me, his brows furrowed. With a grunt, he returns his gaze to his tablet and sips his coffee.
I take a bite of oatmeal and groan in approval. “This is amazing Garrett, thank you.” He smiles and sips his coffee as he looks between me and Dylan like a show is about to start.
I eat a few more bites, then take a fortifying breath. “So, were you in the military?”
Dylan glances at me, doing a double take when he realizes I’m talking to him. “Luke knows my resume."
