Page 25 of Exclusive

“Um, Sutton?”

“Yeah?”

“As hot as your whole growly, Clan of the Cavebear speech was, I think it’s only fair to point out…” I swallow down my giggle, “that you work at my father’s club and live in an apartment owned by my Uncle Dane. Ergo, the pool we’ll be hosting at… also Dane’s. I fear, you may already be mixed in with us.”

“Ah, but,” he holds up a proud finger, “I worked there before us, and I pay rent, pay to use that pool. Nothing is handed to me, nor will it ever be. In fact, can’t have you thinkin’ otherwise, so I’ll be fixing those things as soon as possible.”

“Oh, stop,” I snicker, dismissing his crazy talk with a flit of my hand. “I was just kidding with you. You’re not moving, or quitting your job. Don’t be ridiculous. Or homeless and unemployed.”

“Yeah, ‘cause that’s the only job or apartment in town,” he scoffs, the mood no longer playful. “I need your respect, Presley, and I see now… I don’t have it.”

I quickly rise to my knees, yanking the waistband of his shorts to bring him closer. “Sutton, stop this right now; you’re getting carried away. I do respect you, very much, for way more important reasons than where you live or work. I work for my dad, and live in an apartment he owns. Do you not respect me?”

“Not the same thing,” he grunts.

“Why; because I’m a woman?” The mood so no longer playful.

“Fuck no, don’t even start with that shit; furthest thought from my mind.”

“Then why isn’t it the same?”

“Because, he is your family, so that’s okay, normal; he’s not mine. I have my own family, a family of just as strong, smart, well off, capable men, and women, that I come from, was taught by, and will carry on our tree. Branches. Leaves. A whole fuckin’ forest!”

A little over the top? Probably. Hot as hell? Definitely. And… I get it. Maybe because I know Sutton, maybe because I know how overwhelming, and often suffocating, my family can be, but I get it. So, I pepper his chest with little kisses, then peer up at him and whisper, “Okay.”

“Okay?”

I nod. “Yep. Okay.”

“P, get your fuckin’ wildebeest off me! He had his rabies shot?” JT whines, fighting off my killer puppy… who’s not happy about him rough-housing with Sutton.

I turn my head to Bellamy, laying out with me on the lounger to my left. “How turned on are you by your man right now? The whole nasally whine, scared of a ten-pound puppy thing’s gotta be pretty hot, so if you want to jump him, we’ve got private use of the air-conditioned pool house too.”

“Still my brother, and still gross, every time you talk about it,” Skylar grumbles from the other side of me. “Besides, I’d much rather hear about you and Sutton. Hosting parties together seems like a big step; how about you catch us up on all the in-between on how we ended up here?”

“Ohh, I like that plan,” Bellamy giggles, and Brynn, proving once again she inherited her father’s freakishly good hearing, rushes over to join us.

“Not much to tell really; we just, we’re…”

“We’re what?” Sutton, apparently also equipped with sonar hearing, hollers from the pool.

I sit up and slide my sunglasses on top of my head, wanting an unencumbered view, read, on him and his question. For a second, I forgot that’s my goal though, unable to resist the chance to let my eyes dance over him. Damn, he’s good looking. His body’s just so, so big. Beastly. But not super hairy, ‘cause, ew. As always, he towers a good head-above the other men around him, with shoulders wide enough to carry anything, broad, golden chest, and cut abs, with perfect indentation… a fine, black treasure trail disappearing into his swim trunks.

“Presley, we’re what?” he asks again, pulling my attention, and eyes, to his, where a challenging smirk awaits me.

He waits… for more than my short answer. He may wear a smirk, for our audience, but his eyes, those big, beautiful, all-seeing green eyes, tell me exactly what he’s really waiting for, and why he really arranged this get together with our friends and my family. He wants a statement, a proclamation, from me. Out loud. For all of them to hear.

I keep his stare as I say, loud and clear, no mumble, no throat-clearing, “Sutton and I are together; officially. A serious, monogamous, do-things-beside-have-sex couple. And yes, people, we have a couple dog. Anyone wanna talk some shit about any of that? Now’s the time.”

No one says a damn word, but Sutton moves his mouth, sending me a wink, gorgeous grin, and an ‘I love you.’

And he does. God help me, I know he does.

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