“Riley wants to hunt scavengers to find the star.” Annika peeked under the cloth, pleased to see the balls were bigger.
“A scavenger hunt?”
“A form thereof,” Riley said to Doyle. “We compile a list of things, symbols, possibilities that may apply, and we start looking. Hell, what else have we got to do on a rainy night?”
He shifted, caged her back against the counter. “Seriously?”
“You can have sex now,” Annika suggested amiably. “There’s time before dinner.”
Doyle smiled at her. “Gorgeous, are you sure I can’t talk you into tossing Sawyer over for me?”
“Nice.” Not too subtly, Riley lifted her knee, pressed it firmly against Doyle’s crotch.
“He’s making a joke because he knows Sawyer is my only true love.”
“Good thing,” Sawyer said as he came in with Bran behind him.
“Sawyer, the balls are bigger!”
“Not mine.” Doyle eased Riley’s knee down.
“No, yours, too— Oh.” Tossing her hair, Annika laughed. “You made another joke.”
“He’s a laugh riot.” Riley shoved Doyle’s chest, didn’t budge him. “You’re blocking me.”
“I’m thinking of time before dinner.”
“I’m using the time before dinner,” Sawyer announced. “Anni—”
“But we can’t have sex now because I have to make the dinner. It’s my turn.”
“Anni,” he said again, and went to her, cupped her face, kissed her.
“Sasha could watch the balls of dough,” Annika murmured, and circled his neck with her arms.
“I love you. Everything about
you. Everything you are.”
“Is this happening now?” Doyle muttered at Riley.
“Shut up.”
“Do you remember when Riley and I went to Dublin?”
“It hurt my feelings you didn’t take me with you, and the others were angry because—”
“Yeah, let’s skip over that,” Sawyer said quickly. “I went to get something for you, and Riley helped me.”
“The surprise, but you never gave me the surprise.”
“I’m going to give it to you now, because you like the rain, and we’re making soup, and this is family. You’re my family. Stay my family, Annika.”
He took a pair of polished shells out of his pocket.
“It’s beautiful.”
But when she reached for it, Sawyer lifted the top shell.