Page 26 of Bliss: Part 1
“Watch your damn mouth,” Dad shot back, sounding way angrier than he looked. He was frowning, and he knew that Rhys was right. “I’ll try, all right? It’s gonna be a hot summer and even I can’t sit in that shop for too long.”
The guys started mocking him and coming up with bets about how long he’d actually make it before he went back toThe Oldafter closing it down for the summer.
“All right, all right,” he said loudly, shutting everyone up. “Let me fucking live. If I go back to work, it’s probably because all of you are making it hard for me to relax. Sometimes I wish I had all girls in this house instead of boys.”
I pressed my lips together and glanced at him. He always said he was lucky to have a daughter. That I was the only one he ever wanted. I never wished for sisters anyway, so I didn’t read too much into it. He loved the boys, and when retirement came, they were the ones who’d be there to take care ofThe Old.
Dad’s eyes met mine and he gave me a wink. “And I want you to leave Bliss alone. She deserves a break too.”
I smiled at him, then lowered my gaze again. There were too many eyes on me, and I hated how flushed my cheeks became.
“So,” Dad continued. “Long as you keep me out of it, you can do with that shed whatever you want.”
“We’ll take care of it,” Tripp said.
The conversation shifted but only for a minute before it was back to silence.
I was the first one to finish eating. My appetite had never been great when I was nervous, and tonight it was a miracle I’d managed more than a few bites. I pushed my chair back and started stacking the plates, careful not to look at anyone while I moved around the table.
“I’ll help,” Dash said, already standing before I could protest.
I didn’t stop him. I just grabbed the serving dishes and made my way into the kitchen, feeling him close behind me. The lights here were warmer than the ones in the dining room. Softer from the rest of the sun still illuminating the sky in the distance. It should’ve made me feel more at ease, but it didn’t.
I set the plates on the counter and turned on the water. Dash stood beside me, his presence quiet but steady.
“You okay?” he asked after a second, his voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry over to the dining room.
I nodded, keeping my eyes on the sink. “Yeah.”
He didn’t press. Didn’t ask again. He knew me well enough to know when I meant it and when I didn’t. This time, I wasn’t sure which it was. But I appreciated that he didn’t make me say more.
I wondered how he felt about the things we did last night, and about him kissing Rhys. I hadn’t expected that from either of them.
Dash grabbed a towel and started drying the dishes I handed him. We worked in silence, the familiar rhythm between us settling my nerves a little. Just enough to breathe normally again.
When we were done, I wiped my hands on the dish towel and gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
He shrugged. “Anytime.” Then he leaned in slightly. “I know there’s a lot on your mind, and I want you to know that I’m here if you ever want to talk.”
My chest tightened. He meant it from the deepest part of him.
I swallowed hard and nodded, lowering my gaze for a moment before looking up again. I kept my voice low and said, “Do you think we should stop?”
He watched me with his brown eyes. I could tell he was unsure. There was the same excitement in his gaze, but also the same worry. “I don’t know.”
“Did it feel good when you kissed him?”
His jaw ticked, and for a moment, I thought he was going to laugh. Instead, he lowered his gaze, almost ashamed to look at me.
“Dash, you can tell me. I won’t judge.” Because that would make me a hypocrite. I liked watching them kiss. Actually, I wished I would’ve kissed them too. A three-way kiss. That’s what came to mind when I watched Rhys kiss Dash.
He looked at me again, this time with a bit more ease in his eyes. “It felt too good. So damn good that it makes me sick. But I can’t deny it.”
I pursed my lips and nodded, knowing exactly how he felt. “Me too.”
We stood there for another moment when Uncle Odin walked in with his empty plate. “You two all right?” he asked, pushing between us to put the plate in the sink.
“Yeah, everything’s fine, Dad.”
