Page 42 of Hat Trick
“Actually, this whole thing is interesting. I find it quite entertaining,” Gigi admits, with a humorous smile on her face.
“And you,” Lil spins to face her. “Don’t encourage them.”
Laughing, I make my way to the kitchen to grab some food, and the four of us settle into comfortable conversation about Charlie and their afternoon of tacos and margaritas.
CHAPTER 26
HUMP DAY FESTIVITIES
LILIANA
It’s my day off, and I’m waking up in between two warm bodies with every limb imaginable wrapped around me. The smile on my face is so huge it’s stupid.
Last night, we passed out right as our heads hit the pillows, the three of us all utterly spent. Shit, we barely even had the energy to kiss one another goodnight. We haven’t had sex since Turks and Caicos. None of us have felt the need… or the rush.
It’s all just feltright.
I never thought this kind of happiness or peace was possible, but with Dom and Emerson by my side, that’s all I feel.
Usually, Dom is up well before me—up before the sun somedays, too—but this morning he’s snug as the proverbial very large bug in a rug. So, as their quiet little snores fall from their lips, I climb my way out from between the two of them and head into the kitchen. Istart my favorite salted caramel coffee from the local shop down the road and grab all the stuff I need to make some blueberry muffins, before throwing some bacon on a baking sheet, knowing those two need some protein, too.
Pulling the bacon and muffins from the oven, I hear the patter of footsteps. Last night, just like the other night at Dom’s apartment, was some of the best sleep I’ve had in a long time. I don’t know if it was the fact that I was snuggled between two warm bodies, or that I felt as if I was as safe as I could possibly be, or maybe a bit of both, but whatever the reason, I know I want more of it. And as I’m leaning against the kitchen counter with my coffee in my hands, it hits me that not only do Iwantmore of that feeling, I almost feel like I mightneed it.
But that admission suggests more than I’m equipped to deal with before I’ve finished my first cup of coffee, so I swallow it down. For now.
Emerson and Dominic come into view, and I can’t help but chuckle. “Momming wore you two out, didn’t it?”
Dom whines, “Yessss, but it was so much fun.” He dramatically flops down on the stool on the other side of the counter. “I don’t know how Gigi does that every day.”
“And all on her own…” Emerson adds with a somber look on his face.
That right there is how he gets me. Emersonnotices. He notices everything. Most men wouldn’t even think about Gigi struggling as a single mother, but he does.
“That’s exactly why I try to do what I can to help her out. She’s planning on starting volleyball her senior year, too…” It makes my eyes sting just thinking about her not being able to do what she wants to do, but I have a plan to help out with Charlie as much as possible. They’re my family now too.
Emerson’s expression slowly shifts to pride, and I know whatever he’s about to say is most likely to have me sobbing. “You’re a good woman, Liliana. And an even better friend.”
?1 We sit here in a comfortable silence, sipping our coffee, grazing on the muffins and bacon, when I hear a knock at my door. And before I can even move toward it, the chime that tells me the code was entered correctly goes off, and the last voice I want to hear echoes through my apartment. “Lil Lil! Your favorite brother is here!”
Correction: my favorite brother-in-law.
My only brother-in-law, actually.
My eyes go wide as I look at Emerson and Dom, who are currently shirtless in my apartment. Whipping my head back to the door, I see Rocky stroll in behind Clay.
Clay spots the guys and immediately greets them with more excitement than necessary for this early in the morning. “Emmy! Dom! What are you two doi?—”
Rocky smacks his chest, cutting him off. “Yeah, whatareyou two doing here?”
My brother raises his browsat Dom and Emerson, but I quickly cut in. “We had a slumber party, clearly.” I roll my eyes at my brother’s wannabe, macho big-brother shit. “We’re not doing this,‘She’s my sister, you can’t do this or that.’Got it?”
I don’t know why or when he started behaving like this, and my parents have never acted all protective over me with men. They know damn well I can hold my own and are proud of me for it. But, apparently, Rocky hasn’t received that memo as of late.
My brother doesn’t answer me. Instead, he crosses his arms over his chest as his eyes remain locked on the two men sitting at my counter. Emerson looks less than phased, albeit almost perturbed by the interruption, while Dominic is wearing a shit-eating grin on his face, knowing good and well Rocky is more than capable of drawing his own conclusion as to what is going on here.
Clay comes over and wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Well, what do we have on our off-day to-do list?” He leans in closer and whispers, “Rocky’s been keeping me locked away since the honeymoon, and I’m going stir crazy.”
They stayed in Turks and Caicos for a week-and-a-half after their wedding, and I couldn’t have been more jealous. Clay is a little social butterfly, though, so I’m sure he’s been eager to spend time with someone besides my surly brother. It doesn’t help that his best friend Jackson, Emerson’s older brother, moved across the country with his new husband. But, Rocky and Clay are prepping for their pro league to start soon, andthat’s a full-time job in and of itself. So they’ll be more than busy before they know it.
