“Ready?” He grabs my bag, then jogs around the car to open the door for me.
“Thank you.” I smile as he locks our hands together and leads me to a shaded part of the park.
He spreads the blanket out on the grass before I sit down, and he sits next to me. “Do you want something to eat? I have sandwiches and fruit.”
“I’d love some fruit,” he admits.
I reach into my bag and pull out a small container of fresh-cut strawberries, pineapples, and cantaloupe. I pop the lid off and hand it to him with a fork.
“This is perfect,uccellina,” he murmurs, taking a bite of pineapple. He moans in pleasure, the sound sending a shiver down my spine.
I turn away, trying to hide the blush that's creeping up my cheeks. I focus on the trees swaying in the breeze, the leaves rustling in the wind. Anything to distract me from the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
He chuckles softly, the sound deep and velvety. “It’s delicious,” he says, his voice dropping to a husky timbre.
My heart skips a beat as I hear him set the container down and move closer to me. I can feel the heat of his body as he leans in, his breath hot against the shell of my ear.
“You’re delicious,” he murmurs, his voice a low growl.
My breath catches in my throat and I can feel the heat rise in my body. I turn to face him, our eyes locking, and I can see the desire burning in his gaze. I bite my lip, unsure of what to do next, but before I can make a move, he captures my mouth with his in a searing kiss.
His lips are soft yet demanding as they move against mine, his tongue sweeping across my lower lip, seeking entrance. I open for him, welcoming him in, and our tongues dance together, exploring and teasing. His hands slide up my arms to my face, pulling me closer, deepening the kiss.
I’m lost in the moment, my mind racing with thoughts of him, of us, of this new and unexpected connection. His fingers tangle in my hair as he breaks the kiss, his forehead resting against mine.
“Fuck, Wren,” he murmurs, his voice thick with desire. “You’re perfect.”
“Well, aren’t you two cozy?" Elijah laughs as he drops onto the blanket beside me. Ezra pulls back, his eyes hooded with desire as he looks from me to his brother.
“She brought us food,” Ezra says, his voice a low rumble.
Elijah’s eyes flick to the container of fruit, and a smirk plays on his lips. “Well, that was thoughtful of her.”
He reaches over, his fingers grazing mine as he plucks a strawberry from the container. He pops it into his mouth, savoring the sweetness. “Mmm, that’s good.”
I can’t help but watch as his tongue darts out to catch a stray drop of juice, the simple gesture sending a bolt of heat through my body.
Ezra clears his throat, drawing my attention back to him. “I’m glad you could join us, Eli.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he replies, his eyes never leaving mine. The tension between the three of us is palpable, and I can feel my heart racing in my chest.
I look away from them both for a moment as the hairs on my neck stand at attention. Just before I turn back to the guys, I see him.Richard.
A scream erupts from my lips as I try to back away but my feet get caught in the blanket. I fall into Elijah’s arms and I fight him to let me free but he only holds me closer.
“What’s wrong,uccellina?” he murmurs in my hair. I glance around, my eyes frantically searching the crowd, but Richard is nowhere to be seen.Was he really there? Did I imagine him standing by that tree?Questions swirl in my mind and I don’t know what’s real anymore.
“I-I thought I saw someone I used to know,” I whimper into my hands as tears stream down my face.
The twins’ heads both whip around, looking in every direction. “Where is he? I don’t see him,” Ezra snaps.
“It doesn’t matter. I probably just imagined it. I should get home.” I grab my bag and stand up, but Ezra is on me in seconds, pulling me into his hard chest. His arms wrap around my body as he buries his nose in my hair, breathing deeply.
“You’re not going anywhere, Wren. You’re coming home with us.” He lets go of me and Eli takes my hand. “Let’s get your blanket. You’re spending the night at our place.”
“I need to tell Wy–”