Page 40 of Finally Home

When I turn around, Rhodes is leaning in the doorway with his hand up on the frame. I swear he has an honest-to-God pout on his face, but I’m too distracted by the bulging muscles in his arm to figure out why. His tan skin is taut and covered in a light layer of hair that does nothing to distract from the prominent veins that stand out when he flexes.

So I have a thing for forearms; sue me.

“Wren?” He snaps his fingers in front of my face, and my jaw drops.

“Excuse me, did you just snap at me?” I place a hand on my hip and raise an eyebrow.

His smirk widens as he copies my stance, and I roll my eyes. He prowls toward me slowly and grabs my hips in his big hands. “How else was I supposed to get my beautiful girlfriend’s attention when she was busy drooling over my muscles?”

My heart stutters at the word “girlfriend” on his lips. I don’t know where the sudden shyness comes from, but my cheeks flame with the heat in his eyes. A flash of insecurity crosses his face when I stay quiet, and he starts to pull away, but I fist his shirt gently.

“Is that what I am?” I ask. My own insecurities are making themselves known despite my best efforts to keep them hidden. Not that I can truly hide them from someone who knows me so well.

He pulls his hands free from mine and my heart falls, but he moves to cup my face. “I guess I never really asked, did I? You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Starling, and I would love nothing more than to have you as my girlfriend.”

I don’t even let him finish his sentence before I nod. Tears well in my eyes, but I don’t have a chance to bask in my happiness before he crushes his mouth to mine in a deep, soul-searing kiss, which is cut short when a quiet “Oh, shit,” comes from the hallway. We jump apart like we’ve been burned, breathing hard. Aidan stands next to a clapping Copeland; both of their mouths open in shock.

Grabbing my bag, I smirk at the boys and pop onto my toes to give my boyfriend one more quick kiss goodbye. When I make it to the door, Aiden and Copeland are still frozen in place, so I pat them on their cheeks and turn to smirk at Rhodes. “Looks like the porch lights are on, but nobody’s home. You might wanna check on them.”

I manage to keep my laughter in check until I’m halfway down the stairs and yell, “See y’all later! No hospitals or morgues or I’ll tattle to Mamas Gray and Black!” I stop on the landing and laugh silently when I hear their last names together out loud. “Copeland, have you ever considered changing your last name to White? Y’all could form your own boyband and call yourselves Three Shades of Gray.”

I hug Crew goodbye and don’t stop laughing the whole way to the Gray’s house.

CHAPTER 23

RHODES

“Dude, what the fuck was that?!” Aidan’s voice is borderline screechy as we walk down the stairs. “And did she just make fun of our last names?”

I can’t help the laugh that bursts free because the little shit totally did.

I wonder if I could spank her for it later?

Clearing my throat, I quickly hop off that train of thought before my pants get uncomfortably tight in front of my friends and my nephew. “That was a kiss, and yes she did. She’s a sassy little thing when she wants to be.” Pride swells in my chest as I answer Aidan’s questions, and I thank my lucky stars that she feels the same way I do and is willing to give us a shot.

“No shit it was a kiss,” comes Cope’s smartass response. “What Aid meant to say is how did that happen? When did that happen? And more importantly, were you gonna tell us?” Copeland isn’t an emotional guy by nature, but he knows how I feel about Wren and has been rooting for us just as much as anybody else but in a quieter way.

I turn a shit-eating grin their way when we make it to the kitchen. “I confessed my feelings when I got home from golf this morning after Archie told me I was being stupid.”

Their eyes widen in sync, and I scratch the back of my neck as my ears heat under their scrutiny. “Our dads raked me over the coals, so I rushed home, told her I love her and that I’ve loved her since college, and now she’s my girlfriend.”

Aidan smiles widely and rounds the island to hug me. “Congratulations, man. I know how long you’ve waited for this. And the more I see of her, the more I realize how perfect y’all are together.” He laughs. “She’s you in girl form. But, you know, much prettier.”

I scoff and flip him off, but Cope’s expression has me glancing worriedly his way. “Do you not like her?” I ask him quietly. He seemed to like her at the fun park a few weeks ago, but maybe something has changed since the camp. I wouldn’t break up with her if he didn’t approve, but it would suck. I’d just need to work that much harder to make them friends.

His startled eyes dart my way, “No! Dude, that’s not it at all. Wren is amazing, and she really is the perfect girl for you. Plus, you love her, so that’s all that matters to me.” He trails off and fidgets nervously. “But…her divorce isn’t final yet, right?”

I nod, because I know where he’s headed with this. “She won’t go back to him.”

He only looks mildly relieved at my words. “How do you know?”

I didn’t share the details of why Wren came home; the guys just know she’s getting divorced and needed a place to land. Hopefully, she won’t mind me telling them now that she knows they won’t betray our confidence.

Shaking my head, I sigh, grab my laptop, and set it on the counter. “Wren went to work one day about a month ago and opened her email to this.” I hit play on the video Jamie sent me last week. He claimed he gave it to me so I had a backup copy should she need it, but really I think he wanted to make sure I knew not to hurt Wren any further.

Sounds of shock and outrage come from them when Derrick comes into focus, and something in my chest relaxes now that I see she has two more people on her side.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Copeland is seething, no doubt reminded of his ex, Carly. Ever since she screwed him over the guy hasn’t had more than a one-night stand and gets tattoos whenever he starts to get the urge to settle down. According to him, getting something as permanent as a tattoo settles his need for commitment.

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