Page 24 of Craving Francesca

Frankie’s body visibly relaxed. “Harp! When the hell did you get back? Wait until you see the inside!”

Harper jogged toward them, but I took my time removing my helmet and making my way toward the house. By the time I got there, Frankie had pulled Harper inside and only the boyfriend was left on the porch.

“I’m Scott,” he said, sticking out his hand.

“Gray,” I replied, shaking it.

He gripped my hand tighter than was comfortable, but I ignored it. I wasn’t playing that game. Not only did I work with my hands and could crush the bones in his hand if I’d wanted, but I was also comfortable with the size of my dick and didn’t need to swing it around.

“Everyone’s inside,” he said, jerking his head toward the door. “Beer is in the coolers on the sun porch.”

Like he fucking lived there.

“Good to know,” I muttered, going inside.

The place was packed. There were people spilling out of the kitchen, sitting and standing around the living room, and talking loudly on the sun porch.

“Well, fuck me,” Rumi called from his place on the counter in the kitchen. His wife Nova was standing between his spread knees. “Gray’s here.”

I made my way through the crowd.

“Here,” he said, reaching into the sink and pulling out a beer. “Didn’t want to have to keep dragging my ass out back.”

He’d filled the sink with ice, and it was peppered with different drinks.

“It’s like ten feet,” Nova chided him with a smile. “Lazy ass.”

“Quiet, woman,” he ordered.

“You’re so tough,” she mocked him. “How do you possibly carry those huge balls around all the time?”

He choked and laughed as I took the beer from his hand.

“Hey, Gray,” Nova said, shooting me a smile. “How’ve you been?”

“No complaints,” I replied. “How’re you feelin’?”

“Like I could run a marathon,” she replied, setting a hand on her belly.

Rumi scoffed. “I tied your shoes this morning.”

“That says more about the dominance I hold in our relationship,” she dismissed him. She smiled at me. “I feel great now that I’m past the first trimester.”

“Good to hear.” I glanced around the room. There were plenty of people I didn’t know, but a lot more that I did. “How’s Bird?”

“My baby brother is excellent,” she replied. “Kicking ass and taking names as always.”

“Light on the ass kicking,” Rumi added. “Bird’s a lover, not a fighter.”

“Shit, Esther’s here?” I asked in surprise. Rumi’s brother Otto and his wife rarely went out. I couldn’t remember the last time they’d come to a party.

“Titus brought Noel, too,” Rumi confirmed. “Mick and Emilia are around her somewhere. All of us are here.”

“We wouldn’t miss Frankie’s birthday,” Nova said simply. “I doubt they’ll stay late, but they’d never skip it.”

Otto met my eyes from across the room and jerked his chin in greeting.

“Oh, sure,” Rumi called, as I moved away. “Just leave me for my brother, you whore!”

---