Page 70 of All I Want Is Love
“Remember that emergency meeting? They guilt-tripped them,” Robin grins. “You helped organize the festival, and Valentina was all, ‘Your boyfriend, your brother did this and that, why don’t you play your part in the festival?!’”
“Funny,” I chuckle. “Because they both did plenty for the whole event.”
“I know,” Robin exclaims, before linking our arms and waving at the snowball fighters. Both Aspen and Soren look up at the same time, both waving back at us. “I think they might secretly enjoy it.”
“It looks like they are having fun,” I agree. “But don’t tell them I said that.”
Robin grins. “Let’s keep them in the delusion that they hate doing it, and need to be convinced to help.”
“They only helped because they are so gracious and kind,” I add.
Robin and I exchange a look, bursting into laughter. It feels so good, so freeing, to stand here with him and enjoy the day, the silly, funny event, and just have this experience.
“Say, are we winning or is the other Sunhaven leading?” I ask.
“I have no idea,” Robin says. “I never got the rules. But they will soon be having a break. We can ask them then.”
“Should we buy them something hot to drink?”
“Oh, good idea!” Robin beams, handing me his cup with hot chocolate. “Hold my cup. I will hurry and buy them something. Or do you want to go?”
“Nah, I am fine,” I say, my cheeks flushing slightly. “I like watching Soren play.”
“Of course you do,” Robin smiles, his face lighting up. “I can’t believe Soren finally has a nice boyfriend! The last one sucked.”
His words pique my interest. I have heard that before, and Soren said it too, but I don’t want to be too pushy and ask questions, especially not of Robin. If anything, I want to ask Soren himself, and as someone who has kept his own past wrapped up for a while, I know that there are things that are hard to talk about.
While I am caught in my thoughts, Robin dashes off to buy a warm beverage. He takes longer than expected, due to the amount of people who came to watch the snowball fight. But I don’t mind. I just keep watching Soren. Whenever he turns to look at me, I make sure to wave.
“Jeez!“ Robin’s voice is next to me again. “That was more of a hassle than expected, but I made it back in time.”
I help him hold the cups, noticing how he has also bought some snacks, a humongous bucket of caramel-flavored popcorn and a cup with chocolate-covered fruits and waffles. “You are amazing!”
“I know,” he grins.
“And you really made it just in time.” There is a short alarm echoing through the area, and the snowball players take off in different directions. Both Aspen and Soren make a beeline for us. “You are a lifesaver,” Aspen exclaims when he sees the tea in our hands. “But please tell me you also got some beer.”
Robin chuckles, angling for a bottle of beer in his bag. “Here you go, but it’s ice-cold. Be careful.”
“Thanks, Robin.”
“Actually, it was Leo’s idea to get you something to drink,” Robin says.
“A joint effort,” I argue. “Robin was the one who went to the trouble.”
Two arms pull me into an embrace, and before I can even grasp what’s happening, Soren pulls me into a kiss. His lips are icy cold, but the kiss is still searing. And he doesn’t mind that we are in public. My heart makes a jump of joy. I don’t have any free hands to hug him back, but I make sure to answer the kiss with all I have.
“Excuse me,” Aspen groans. “You have people watching.”
Soren draws back and grins. “Who cares, and since when do you mind?”
“Since it’s my own brother!”
Soren nods earnestly before winking at me. “Let’s continue this later.” I turn around in his embrace, leaning my back against his chest. “Leo, do you know what the left leg says to the right leg?”
I blink. “No.”
“The guy in the middle is a dick.”
