Page 79 of Totally Fanatic

“You decided on a name, what is it?” Lion asks me, and I nod toward the screen.

“Yep, just wait, I want you to get the full effect,” I say, and Buck pulls out his mini projector and points it at the screen, the image coming into focus quickly.

Everyone claps and cheers. Roaring BBQ, is written in giant letters, and with it is the art Buck helped to design. A lion sitting on top of a smoker, one paw in the air, riding it like a bull.

“Do you love it?” I ask him, and he loops his arms around my waist and spins me in place.

“I love it. And I love you,” he replies, setting me down and looking back at the screen with the logo.

Did he just say he loved me, and in front of all our friends and his siblings? He said it so easy, too, like it wasn’t the first time, but the millionth, rolling off his tongue like a song on his lips.

“Hey,” I say, and he looks my way again. “I love you, too.”

He presses another soft kiss to my forehead and then turns back to the table to start collecting plates while the others make a start on the duck hunt. I can’t believe we just had our first I love yous, and he’s now picking up leftovers. He grabs the tray of mostly eaten mashed potatoes with blue cheese, bacon and pickles, and I laugh when he gags a little when the smell reaches his nose.

“What?” he asks, moving it away. “I know I said I’d try it, but I don’t think I can.”

“It’s not that. I was just… Well, I wanted to tell you I loved you before, but I wanted it to be perfect, so I thought I can’t just blurt it out while you’re gagging over stinky cheese, and then well, I sort of just did.”

He leans in close to whisper in my ear, one hand resting on my hip and sending heat flooding under his touch.

“You can tell me again later when I’m gagging on something completely different.”

“Help me find these ducks so we can get everyone out of here.”

“You got it, boss.”

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