Page 2 of Point Proven
“Ah, stop!” he squealed, trying to shift away from me, only for the wall to prevent his escape. “It was your fucking puppy dog face. You looked so shot down.”
“Puppy dog face?” Tickling him, a grin spread, permeating through the unease I felt. “Now you’re trapped, sunshine.”
He panted, his foot slamming into the bar beneath the table, but his smile never died. “Ah, ah… Stop, fuck. I can’t breathe.”
Laughing, I raised my hands in surrender. He wasn’t in that place anymore, and that’s all that mattered as I looked at his beautiful face.
“Mhm, you say that often, but I know you don’t mean it. Not really,” I mused, gliding my tongue along my bottom lip.
“Good fucking God,” the rasped voice came from my left, belonging to none other than our former commander. “I could hear you two from the front of the fucking restaurant.”
Oren mused, “And I thoughtIwas loud. We’re not even fucking, and it’s?—”
“See?Orenunderstands.”
Liam went to retort, but the mom from the table over finally scoffed. “Where are people’s manners nowadays?”
Thorne’s head jutted over his shoulder, his brows raising in annoyance. “And where are people’s parenting skills? I’d recommend you keep playing Candy Crush, Karen. I’m not in the mood today.”
The girl from earlier blushed, preteen now wannabe woman as she whispered, “That’s… fuck. Hot.”
“Oh God,” Liam muttered, his thumb and forefinger quick to massage his eyes. “Here we go.”
“And Miss ‘girl with the unibrow and mismatched clothes’ can mind her fucking business,” Oren snapped, practically shoving Thorne into the booth without glancing at his newest threat.
Stifling a cough, I covered my mouth with my palm to hide the smile that threatened to bloom. “Wow… Hello to you both, too.”
Oren rolled his eyes, but that undeniable grin was bleeding through his facade. “Hello to you too. And really, the place with burnt toast?”
Pointing at him, the validation was immediate as I tapped Liam’s arm. “Ha.Toldyou!”
“God,shut up.” The reply fell simultaneously from Liam and Thorne, the latter continuing, “There’s too much we have to talk about. It’s too fucking early and not late enough for liquor. Can we get a move on?”
“This is why they invented coffee, but sure, what’s going on?”
Wrapping my arm around Liam’s shoulders, I pulled him close, the warmth of his body a never-ending addiction. Thorne mirrored my shift, glancing down at his other half.
“Man purse. Please and thanks.”
“God, can you stop calling?—”
Uncontrollable laughter spewed, knee knocking into wood at the phrase coming fromhim. “Oh fucking God, amanpurse? You called it…” I couldn’t stop, hunching over as my palm slapped against the table.
“I said what I said.” Merely shrugging, Thorne gestured with two fingers. “Man purse,dove.”
Brightening at the pet name, it was like literal sunshine was injected into his veins as he set the “man purse”in front of him. That elated look didn’t dissipate as he hooked his arm around Thorne’s, scooting as close as possible.
Pointing at the bag, Liam piped up from beside me. “That’s a satchel, Thorne.”
“That’s what I said, but he says it’s a purse,” Oren huffed, tapping it once. “And, God forbid I suggest he carry it. I think he’d look perfect with it. Well, I mean, he looks great withanythingor without anything on, too.”
“Too bad Strip Uno ended early. Still not fair that you all saweverythingand plotted my demise,” I muttered.
Rubbing my thumb over Liam’s knee, he dipped his head to rest against my shoulder. His closeness was something I continually craved, a blessing in my life I would never tire of. It was once something I thought I’d never experience, but now, by the grace of whatever, it’d become second nature. There had always been an intense longing between us, but I’d been afraid to take that step untilthem.
Thorne and Oren had shaped my confidence, and their love had given ours hope. Not that I would ever tell them that, but it was their candidness that cracked my resolve to give Liam the devotion he always deserved.
“Still pouting about it?” Thorne teased, reaching into Oren’s satchel to retrieve whatever he’d been harboring. Without givingme a chance to reply, he slapped a handful of manila folders onto the table. “As much as we miss your pecker, Simon, we need to chat business.”
