“For having beer in the house?” asked Rafe with a crooked grin, though it was clear his humor was more habit than heartfelt at the moment.
“That, and for coming for me, for saving me.”
“Anytime.” Nothing anyone had ever said to her had sounded so sincere. “And I’ll make sure there is plenty of beer.” Then he bent and kissed her unmarked cheek.
“And love.” Max kissed her cheek after Rafe had finished.
“So much love,” added Rafe, kissing the top of her head gently before they sat on either side of her.
She leaned against them, basking in their proximity, and let her eyes close as she savored the strength of their promises.
So much love.
“Rafe and Maxwant to move in,” Simone told Gemma, who was doing her homework on her laptop.
The statement caught the girl’s attention, and she looked up from the computer. “What?”
“They say they love me and want to move in. They want to live with us.”
She shrugged. “And why are you asking me?”
Simone arched a brow. “Because it affects you.”
Gemma scrunched up her face. “Yeah. I hate the way the guys fill the fridge up with beer. You think that is a dealbreaker?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because you’ve been the only one in my life for some time, and it would be different.”
“So, you think it makes sense to consider my feelings?”
She let out a sigh of relief. “Yes.”
“Sometimes you are a real idiot, sis.”
Simone sat up straight. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m pretty sure you love Max and Rafe. I mean, those smoking-hot guys love you enough to do anything for you—and we’ve both seen that isn’t just talk. So rather than decide if you love them, you ask me what I want. Which is awesomely stupid, because if I said I didn’t want them here then you’d be dragging around here moping and miserable, which would make my life hell. If I say I want them here, then it seems like you’re letting them move in because I want them to.”
“You are part of this family.”
“For a few more years. But I’m the fifth-wheel and I’ll adjust, but I’m not going to decide something like that for you.” She closed her computer. “Besides, I’m just a dumb high-school girl filled with romantic notions about bikers and, as you often point out to me, I’m not anyone with the experience to give you a very objective viewpoint.”
The seriousness of her answer made Simone laugh. “Really?”
“Really. But if you really want my honest, teenage-girl response to you asking me if you should let them move in, I’d just ask, ‘Are you out of your mind? How would you say no to hunks like them?’ That’s pretty much what I’d say.”
Simone tapped the table. “There is one other thing I need to ask about. I take it that you are pretty comfortable with bikers now?”
“You mean do I see through their macho façades and see that most of them actually have a macho core? Sure. The guys are just bigger versions of the boys at school, except they like motorcycles instead of video games, although those aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“No, I meant would you be happy and willing to stay with Clutch, Romeo, and Tessa for a couple of weeks?”
The girl smiled. “What’s going on?”
“Because the guys think I need a break from working and that we should take a trip and spend some time getting to know each other.”
“A trip?”
“I was thinking of riding the bikes on a meandering road trip. Maybe all the way up to Canada now that it’s getting warm up there.”