Page 42 of Right Side of Paradise
“Chris.” I blinked and Soul was an inch in front of my face, head angled so he could watch me closer.
He was close enough to count the hairs on my chin.
“Where did you go?”
“Sorry.” I blinked and told myself I’d deal with Rico later. Finding out what happened at Sunday dinner was more important.
“Is everything okay with your condo? Is that why you’re so distracted?” He was still close, watching every micro expression that flitted across my face.
“Nah, it’s not as bad as we thought. We’re still on schedule.”
“Oh…okay.” He smiled at me. The same easy smile he’d been giving me for over twenty years, and I mirrored his expression without hesitation.
It was so easy to relax around Soul. I didn’t know how he did it. It was a talent I hadn’t been gifted with.
He waited until I had my food in front of me and took the first bite before he said, “Something happened at dinner.”
Calling a house meeting with five minutes’notice was very on-brand for Rico. Me giving in when I had other shit to do was also typical.
Soul was sprawled on the chaise part of the sectional and Harlow was tucked into his side, closer than she would have been this morning.
Whatever happened at that damn dinner had resulted in the tangling of their limbs and the hand he had resting at the base of her throat.
I loved Soul. I wasin lovewith Harlow. So why did it feel like somebody had just kneed me in the chest?
Fuck, was I jealous?
Rico started talking before I got too far in my head about it.
“Harlow told us she showed you the list,” he said, looking at me. “And now that we all know what’s on it, I think now is a good time to go over our boundaries.”
Harlow cleared her throat, giving me more than a passing glance for the first time since we all sat down. “Soul and Rico agreed to help me check off as many things as I can this summer. But I don’t want you to feel like I expect that of you just because we’re in the same house.”
“I’m a grown ass man, Harlow.” I leaned forward so my elbows were on my knees and stared at her until she broke eye contact. “If I ever felt like you expected something I couldn’t give, I’d let you know.”
Her slender throat worked in a swallow, and I wished I was close enough to wrap my hand around it and feel her pulse jumping for me.
“Oh…okay.” She rubbed at her neck, focusing on my hands instead of my face. “Does that mean you don’t want to do anything?”
“No. But I have conditions.”
One by one, Rico, Soul and Harlow snapped their gazes to mine, all their lips parted in anticipation for what I had to say.
“If we help you with that list, you owe us a date for every item we check off. It can be a group date or a one on one.”
Harlow opened and closed her mouth at least four times before she looked at Soul and Rico for help.
But they didn’t give it to her, and I finally sat back, relaxing into the sofa when I saw the wheels turning in their heads.
“I’m not looking for dates. Wouldn’t that be pointless if it’s not leading anywhere?”
Rico lifted her hand and kissed along her knuckles. “Why does it matter if it leads nowhere? Why can’t we just wanna spend time with you?”
I remained quiet.
She could tell herself those dates wouldn’t lead anywhere, but it was simple math. Eleven things on that list meant a guaranteedeleven dates. That was more than enough for us to make her fall in love with us and never leave again.
Harlow still had questions. “What if we cross off multiple things in one go? Is that one date?”
