My lips meet hers, connecting our bodies on another level entirely. My hand disappears in her hair, and my tongue slides against hers. She moans and trembles, and I restrain myself from pushing harder—lifting her around my waist. I can’t right now.
My lips break from hers and then brush her ear. “Later.”
She nods in acceptance, and I scan her body for signs that she can handle not going further. She’s flushed, but she’s not crossing her ankles.
“I’m okay,” she tells me.
“Do I need to check?” I ask seriously, my eyes traveling to her zipper.
“I’m already wet, but not soaked.” She nods again, this time adamantly. Though she reddens even more.
I smile. “I love you, Lil.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder.
“I love you too, Loren Hale.”
I feign surprise. “You love me? Holy shit.”
She punches my arm playfully, and I hug her close as we leave the bathroom. The minute we exit, we both halt in place at the same time.
In front of the couch on the carpet, Ryke sits beside Maximoff who rattles a comic book like it’s a damn maraca. While my brother plays with him, my son chews on the corner of Young Avengers. I notice Willow picking at a muffin on the couch, hugging the armrest.
“Close your eyes,” Lily whisper-hisses and practically catapults her body at me to shield my sight from our son desecrating a comic book.
“It’s too late, Lil. I’ve seen it.”
But she climbs up my back, and I hold her by the legs. Her fingers barely cover my eyes. “You didn’t see anything,” she repeats like she can hypnotize me.
And then I hear the sound of paper tearing from the spine. “Ryke,” I groan. “I blame you for this.”
“He’s not even crying right now. I’m doing a fantastic fucking job.” The fuck-and-punch tactic to eliminate cursing barely lasted. Ryke just grew more pissy, and I hated punching him every two seconds. At first, it was fun. Then it just became exhausting.
But if Janie or Moffy’s first word is “fuck”—he owes Connor and me, big time.
“You gave him a comic book, and he can’t even read yet.”
“He’s starting early then,” Ryke says. “Maybe you should’ve given me his diaper bag or something.”
Lily drops her hand. “We’re in a store with tons of toys on the walls. You could’ve taken a Green Goblin action figure.”
I add, “Or Wolverine, Black Widow, Hulk, Spider-Man—”
“For fuck’s sake, okay. I got it.” He pries the defiled comic book out of Moffy’s clutch and then lifts the baby in his arms. Moffy laughs, like a giggle. My lips rise. My brother’s not too bad with my kid.
“You should babysit more often.”
“Fucking hilarious,” he curses, passing me Maximoff while Lily slides off my back, her feet thudding to the floor.
That’s when I reroute my mind to the serious topic. Willow has already finished eating, and she straightens up as soon as I focus on her.
“Your mom is going to fly out this weekend to talk with you. Until then, you can either stay with us in a guest room or at a hotel. I’ll pay for the expense, no problem.”
“A hotel works,” she says. “I don’t want to…impose any more than I already have.”
Moffy squirms and kicks out, and Lily thankfully takes him from me so I can concentrate. “If you change your mind, the invite is always open.” Before she interjects, I ask, “How old are you, by the way?”
“Seventeen.”
“That’s what I thought.” I think about this for a second. “You know, Daisy is pretty close to your age.”
Ryke shoots me a look like that better not be a slight at me. It wasn’t one.
I continue, “She’d probably love showing you around Philly. Is this your first time here?”
“Yeah, but…” Willow nervously rises to her feet since we’re all standing. She holds the strap of her backpack like it’s her lifeline. “I’m not sure she’d like me. I mean, I don’t like motorcycles and…other stuff like that.” She avoids Ryke’s gaze. We all have reputations that circulate in the media, and so I’m guessing that’s all she knows about us.
“Neither do I,” Lily says. “They’re terrifying.”
“You haven’t even ridden one,” Ryke retorts.
“Because they’re terrifying,” Lily notes.