Page 61 of Theirs

“Alex, let’s just go,” I tell him, already turning for the door. “I can’t afford anything here. I wanted to go to the thrift store.”

He reaches for my hand and pulls me back to him. “Honey, please. Let me and the guys spoil you. Get what you want. At least try something on and buy one outfit, some jewelry. The guys and I like taking care of you.”

I frown and look at the ground, daring to ask the question that’s been festering in my mind. “But what happens when you’re done wanting to take care of me?”

“Tea,” Alex says softly. He places a gentle palm on my cheek. “Stop worrying about something that’s not going to happen. I can only speak for myself when I say this, but I have a feeling the guys would agree, we’re in this for the long haul. You don’t need to worry.”

I wrap my hands around his torso, breathing in his spicy scent, before pulling away. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

Shopping with Alex isn’t that bad. I pick out some basic v-neck tees that cost way too much. I could have picked these up at Walmart for five bucks, I get three new pairs of jeans, and some tops for going out on date nights. Alex picks out a dress he wants me to wear to dinner one evening, and I even pick up some lingerie because my underwear is getting kind of raggedy. I haven’t bought a new bra in three years, so this will be refreshing at least. Alex waits at the cash register when I go to that section because he says he wants that part to be a surprise. He does tell me he likes when I wear plum to match my hair, so I make sure to get a matching set for him.

He sends me out of the store once the employee starts cashing us out, knowing damn well I would probably try to put back half the stuff if I were to see the final total.

I find the guys standing outside the shop, and they smile at me when I come outside.

“You missed the fashion show,” I tell Colin, standing on my tip toes to place a kiss on his cheek. “Thought for sure you’d want to see some of the corsets I tried on...”

Colin smirks down at me, licking his lips. “You can give me a fashion show tonight, baby.”

I roll my eyes, and then look at Mac just in time to see him hide a small bag behind his back.

“What’s that?” I ask, trying to peek around him, but Ben wraps his hands around me and pulls my back to his front, resting his chin on the top of my head.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head,” Ben says, and holds a different bag in front of me. “This bag however, you might want to worry about.”

“What’s in it?” I ask suspiciously.

He places a kiss on my neck, and then moves to whisper into my ear. “New toys.”

I try to look in the bag, but he moves away from me before I can snatch it from him.

Just then, Alex comes out with my two bags of new clothes.

“All set,” he says. “Wanna get some lunch?”

“God, yes,” Colin says. “I’m starving.”

“Me too,” Ben says, winking at me and nodding toward my lady bits.

I roll my eyes, and climb back into the car, sliding into the passenger seat of Mac’s Porsche. My phone pings with a message as the guys join me. Mac sliding in the driver’s seat.

“Oh, hey,” I say, reading the message from Kristen. “Kane and Kristen invited me over for lunch. Let me text her and tell her I’m with you guys, and see if we can all come over.”

“That would be nice,” Mac says. “Been awhile since we’ve all hung out. Tell her we can pick up some extra food.”

I text Kristen back and tell her I’m with the guys, asking if they can come too. She responds instantly saying that Kane would love to hang out with the guys, and that she’s got enough food to feed a football team. I chuckle, very glad I’m not dating a football team. I tell Mac we’re good to go, but then my heart starts racing. A lot has changed since the last time I hung out with my brother and sister-in-law. Kane’s texted me every day since our brunch, checking in, asking me if I’m okay, but we haven’t spoken about the secret I finally told him.

As we pull into their driveway, parking behind my brother’s shiny Audi, my heart starts racing.

“What if they ask why we were all together?” I ask, no one in particular.

“Then we be honest,” Ben says from the back seat. “We’ve all been hanging out a lot since you moved in, and we went shopping together.”

“Ben, you know what I mean,” I say, turning in my seat to look at him squeezed between Alex and Colin. The three of them squished back there together is almost comical. “I don’t want to lie about our relationship, but I don’t want to get judged either.”

“It’s your brother, and your best friend,” Colin pipes up. “They just want you to be happy, and I’m assuming we make you happy.”

I turn to look at him. “You guys do make me happy. So happy.”

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