Page 31 of Pick One
“One thing you’ll get to know about me, baby—you don’t mind if I call you baby, do you? —is that I am all about oddly specific kinks. For example, karaoke with charming-if-not-particularly-tuneful singers. Also, baked goods.”
“You’re attracted to baked goods?”
“Mmmm. Mostly the men who bake them.”
“Men?”
“Man,” he corrected, nipping at my lower lip. “Just one man.” He kissed me more deeply, sliding his tongue against mine and reminding me just how much I’d missed him for the two days we’d been apart. “Just one incredible man.”
“You’re very forward,” I said breathlessly. “For a perfect stranger who’s just volunteered to move my sofa.”
“But it’s a really nice sofa.” He moved his hands under the waistband of my shorts to cup my ass.
I collapsed into laughter as I pulled his lips back to mine. “I missed you, baby.”
“Me, too,” he said. “A really pathetic amount for having only spent thirty-two-point-five hours away from you. Not that I was counting.”
“Of course not. Did you get Fern moved into our old place?”
John nodded. “Moved our stuff out, moved her stuff in, then we jumped in the truck. Monica and the Graziellas are unpacking Fern’s stuff for her, God help everyone involved, and then they’re driving up here tomorrow. I left Fern outside having a Come to Jesus with Monica about allowing Monica’s cats to sleep on a pile of Fern’s unmentionables. How about you? Were you bored while I was gone?”
“Bored?” I rolled my eyes. “Not quite. Thursday night, I hung out at Molly’s with the new baby, and we concepted a whole new book series. Friday morning, I had a meeting with the principal at Averill Union and got the keys to my new classroom so I can start preparing for the fall. A bunch of the other teachers took me out for a welcome lunch at this little diner-type place in Little Pippin Hollow—”
“Panini Jack’s?” John demanded, and when I nodded, he groaned enviously. “Oh, damn. I forgot that was only the next town over from us. I feel like we’re going to be eating in the Hollow alotfrom now on.”
“Uh-huh. But it turns out Knox’s little brother works there, and he wanted to hear the whole story about how we’d met Knox and Gage down in Boston—”
“The probability of us meeting guys from Vermont at our local bar in Boston was…” He shook his head.
“Only slightly lower than the probability of what ended up with happening with Knox and Gage after that?” I finished. “Yes, agreed. But I kind of like how it all worked out. It’s nice to already have friends here, in addition to Molly and your moms. And Gage isn’t aterribleperson,” I allowed, “despite our tragic first meeting.”
John grinned and nipped at my earlobe. “I love when you get jealous.”
I sniffed but didn’t argue. Iwasjust a trifle jealous when it came to him, which worked out nicely since I was really into how caveman-possessive my guy could be.
“As I was saying,” I continued as he chuckled knowingly and squeezed my ass more firmly. “I met Knox’s little brother, Hawkins, who works at the restaurant. And then Knox’sotherbrothers came in—the lumberjacky one we met last winter—”
“Webb Sunday,” John supplied. “The guy with that wholebugledrama.”
“Yes, right! And oh, God, you’re not gonnabelievehow that story turned out. But he was also with their other brother Porter, who’s going to be a senior at Hannabury—”
“Small world.”
“Seriously. And theirother-otherbrother Reed, who’s home for a quick vacation from DC—”
“Jesus Christ. How many Sunday brothers are there?”
“So many,” I said gleefully, because each one was cuter and lumberjackier than the last, and while there would never be anyone for me but John, a man couldlook. “Then Gage came in withhisbrothers—”
“No shit! The Goodmans came up from Florida?”
“From Whispering Key,” I confirmed. “Gage’s two brothers, their partners, his cousin andhispartner, his dad and stepmom, and some guy who kept offering to score me some pheromone supplements—whatever those are—are all up here for a visit.” I bit my lip apologetically. “I was so caught up in the excitement that I mayyyy have accepted an invitation for all of us to attend a cookout tonight with all of them over at the orchard after we get moved in. And, um, I may also have indicated a willingness to consider a puppy from his dog’s latest litter?”
“Did you now?” He laughed out loud. “So,definitelynot bored while I was gone, then.”
I shook my head. “Not even remotely bored.”
John sighed and withdrew his hands from my shorts. “So, we won’t be christening the couch in our new home just yet, is what you’re telling me.”
