Page 48 of Some Like It Hot

Simon comes into the room and gives Elise a kiss on the back of her head before taking a seat on the only empty stool at the kitchen island. Then he pulls her in between his knees so that she’s leaning onto him, her butt resting on the front edge of the stool. Aidan sets the plate and fresh cup of coffee down in front of them.

Simon lifts the cup and takes a sip before handing it to Elise. She smiles at him, then takes a long draw.

Aidan presents her with a fork. “Do you need cream or sugar? Hot sauce for your eggs? More salt?”

But rather than hand her the fork, he lifts a bite to her mouth. I watch as she opens her mouth and lets him feed her.

“Mmmm,” she moans.

All of us are watching her raptly.

She chews and swallows. “They’re perfect. Thank you.”

And suddenly I wish I’d helped make them.

I clear my throat.

She looks at me. “Right. Okay, what did you need to talk to me about so badly?”

I look at her leaning against Simon, who is now, thankfully, also dressed. Though the clothes he’s wearing are obviously what he wore last night. I guess that means he’s not staying here on a regular basis.

So far.

Then I look at Aidan. He’s watching me with an amused look.

He basically just asked me out on a date with the other two.

The three of them are going out tonight.

Aidan is not fucking her. Yet. That ‘yet’ is very obvious. It could practically be a neon sign. And Simon clearly has.

Elise definitely has the happy afterglow going. So it was good. And she’s going out with him again tonight, which means she wants a repeat.

My gaze locks on hers.

Drop it.

No, you can’t drop it. Just say you need a favor.

Just say it’s about your grandma. Lead with the grandma.

Drop it!

No, you can’t! It’s just a favor. It’s fake. It’s temporary. Lead. With. It’s. Fake.

But when I open my mouth and actually speak, what comes out is, “Elise, I need you to marry me.”

The kitchen is completely silent for five ticks on the clock above her sink.

Then Simon starts chuckling, Aidan says, “Didn’t see that one coming,” and Elise says, “What the hell are you talking about?”

I blow out a breath. “I want to buy a house. It’s where I want to retire. It’s been my dream. But my grandmother won’t sell it to me unless I can convince her that I am in a serious relationship and won’t move to the Minnesota woods all alone and become a hermit.”

She studies me.

Aidan and Simon just go back to drinking coffee.

Specifically, Simon keeps drinking Elise’s coffee. I don’t know why that annoys me.

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