I snigger, knowing exactly who he means and enjoying the compliments. “Come on then. You guys need to leave so I can get ready.”
“Can’t we stay and watch?” Harley sticks out his bottom lip like a recalcitrant toddler.
“That would be a no from me.” I start to push them both by the shoulders, and they pretend to resist, holding onto the edge of the door and peeking around. “The longer you lurk, the longer it will take me,” I laugh.
“I’ll deal with these assholes for a kiss,” Logan says from outside.
“Deal,” I say.
He shoves his brothers out of the way playfully and then grabs me, dipping me low like in an old black-and-white movie and planting a kiss on my lips. From outside the door, there is a rumble of clapping, and when Logan brings me back to a standing position, I find the triplets outside the door, grinning too.
“This isn’t a kissing booth,” I say, swatting Logan’s chest. “Look what you’ve done.”
He holds his hands up with a flourish. “Don’t look at me. You’re the one who agreed to a kiss in exchange for my services.”
“Well, you better take your services out there and get rid of your brothers so I can beautify myself.”
“Looks like your work is done,” he says with a wink, but he does what I’ve asked him to do, leaving the room, closing the door, and ordering his nosy brothers down the stairs.
A minute later, as I’m searching through my bag trying to find something clean and presentable to wear, there’s a knock at the door. “I thought I told you guys to leave me alone,” I shout.
“It’s me, Sean. Can you open the door a second?”
Approaching the door with a mix of nerves and curiosity, I find him outside, holding a pink bag with ribbon handles. He holds it out, his eyes gleaming and that quirk of a smile firmly in place. “I thought you might need something to wear tonight.”
Did he buy me a gift?
I take the bag and look inside, finding a gorgeous sweater dress in the softest gray. I guess that Sean really took my comments about romance to heart. “Thank you… you didn’t have to.”
“I know that, Maggie. I wanted to.”
Dropping the bag to the floor, I step into the hallway and put my arms around him, recalling the neglected little boy that he was when he came here. Now he’s a fully grown man with a shell of sarcasm and humor to keep people at arm’s length and a heart of gold beneath it all.
“Hey… a thank you would have been fine,” he says, smiling down at me.
I kiss his smile gently. “That’s the first gift I’ve ever been given by a man,” I admit. “It felt like it needed a little more than just thanks.”
Sean shakes his head, his pretty green eyes sparkling like jewels. “Well, now I feel privileged to be the first man to show you how much you deserve.” He draws back as though he doesn’t really know what to do next.
“I should get ready. I’m excited now I have something pretty to wear.”
“I’ll see you downstairs,” he says with a shrug, as though none of what just happened is a big deal, but his face is still beaming.
I freshen up, pulling on my dress and marveling at how sophisticated I look in the mirror. It’s made from a material with a silvery thread running through it, and it clings over my hips and slouches off one shoulder. I leave my hair down, the black curls cascading messily down my back. A black liquid liner and a nude lip complete a casual but sexy look, perfect for a house party. Luckily, I packed some black pumps.
By the time I make it downstairs, the music has been cranked up, and the lights turned down. The front door is open, and people are arriving carrying bottles of beer and wine. In the den, I can hear the rumble of the boys’ voices and their laughter, and for a moment, I feel like an outsider. These guests are their friends, and I know nothing about them. I’m a stranger.
Then Trey appears in the hallway and immediately grabs my hand. “Wow, you look amazing!”
“Sean bought it for me,” I tell him.
“He did?” A knowing look passes over Trey’s face. “I think you’ve made a big impression on him.”
“What for? Not letting him get into my panties?”
“Yes,” Trey laughs. “That guy is like a magician. He looks at women, and suddenly they’re naked. He thought you’d be the same, but when you walked away, you proved you were different. I think Sean likes different.”
“He likes someone with a shred of self-respect.”
“Exactly. Anyway, I’ll fix you a drink.”
Trey leads me into the kitchen, reaching for a bottle of wine. I place my hand over my belly, and he immediately realizes his mistake. “We have juice,” he says.