Page 72 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
Ethan groans, covering his face with his arm, and says far too loudly, "I am NOT a Pillow Princess!" Then, quieter, he admits, "I just... appreciate your verbal skills."
"Uh-huh," my grin widens at how adorable he looks when flustered. "You get all hot and bothered when I talk to you."
"It's not my fault you have a sexy voice," he mutters, still hiding behind his arm.
Laughing, I pull his arm away from his face to kiss him. "I'm not complaining. I like telling you how amazing you feel. I like watching you respond to my words."
Before he can answer, there's a knock at my door.
"What?" Quickly, I pull the sheet up over us, just in case one of the guys busts in, out of courtesy more than modesty.
Gavin's voice comes through the door. "Just thought you two might want to know that the entire house is taking up a collection to buy noise-cancelling headphones."
Ethan tense beside me, but I just laugh. "Sorry, not sorry," I call back, surprising myself with how little I care that my brothers heard us.
"Also," Gavin continues, sounding amused, "what's a pillow princess? The entire living room is now debating this."
"Oh my god," Ethan groans, pulling the sheet over his head. "Kill me now."
I'm shaking with silent laughter, genuinely entertained by both the question and Ethan's mortification. "I'll explain later, G," I call.
"I'm holding you to that," Gavin replies.
Then, another voice joins in, Ian, who I recognize immediately. "Hey, Gavin, serious question though. Should sex sound like that? Like, is that normal?"
"How would I know?" Gavin responds, his voice curious rather than mocking. "I've never been with a guy."
"Well, neither have I, but damn, they were having a good time in there."
Through the door comes Gavin's voice, carrying that same tone he always uses when shrugging his massive shoulders. "Must be doing something right. Maybe we should be taking notes."
Patience finally runs out, though amusement wins over annoyance. "You two mind having your sexual awakening somewhere else? We can hear everything you're saying."
"Sorry!" Ian calls, not sounding sorry at all. "Congrats on the sex, by the way!"
"Fuck off!" I shout back, laughing.
"With pleasure," Gavin replies. "But probably not with each other." The sound of their laughter fades as they finally walk away from the door.
Ethan emerges from under the sheet, his face still flushed bright red. "I'm never leaving this room again."
"That's fine by me," Arms pull him close,mind already spinning toward round two. "Though eventually, we'll need more food."
His face is bright red, but his laugh is genuine, sending a wave of heat through my chest. "Your priorities are obvious."
"Hey, I need to keep my strength up," Lips press gently against his forehead. "Especially if I'm going to keep making you blush like that."
"You're terrible," he tells me, but there's no heat behind it.
"Maybe," I agree, feeling something soft and vulnerable expand in my chest as I look at him. "But you like me anyway."
"Yeah," he admits, snuggling up against my chest with a smile that makes my heart skip. "I really do."
And that's enough, more than enough, for now. The fact that I tried something new today and it didn't work out doesn't feel like a failure. If anything, it feels like progress, like we're figuring out who we are together. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.
Chapter 19
Dinner With a Side of Dissaproval
