“Oh, so now you’re just giving out naps?” Valerie demands, stealing my attention. “So the people you date get naps, but not me? I’m hurt.”
“Napping is different from being hungover.” I bark back. “And Roman has been up since before I got up preparing things.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She stabs a pancake and threatens Roman with her fork … pancake and all. “Listen here, macho man. She may be easily swayed by good looks, but I’m not. Gunner passed the “not a creep” test last night, but I have a high bar for people Sophie dates.”
“Loud and clear,” Roman says, then purrs to me in Italian, telling me he’d walk the world to find me and fall in love with me. I melt and he grabs some sunglasses. “I’ll go make sure Holden is doing okay.”
“We’ll be up soon.”
I grab a sausage from Valerie’s plate and she smirks. “How many of those can you take at one time now?”
I choke on it and spit it out before glaring at her. I end up chasing her around the house both of us laughing hysterically until we nearly tackle Gunner. He sighs heavily. “Okay, I don’t normally complain about having two women on top of me, but one of you is not my girlfriend, and both of you are on thin ice.”
Valerie gets up to change, absolutely going to steal one of my bikinis, but I kiss up Gunner’s neck. “How do I get off thin ice?”
“I am open to bribery.” He grumbles, letting me kiss him, but not giving in.
I work down the other side of his neck, going slower, flicking my tongue across his skin, exhaling over the damp areas so goosebumps raise. That’s right – I’ve learned plenty of tricks from these men. I roll my body on his.
“I can handle bribery with you,” I whisper. “Ilikegetting back on your good side.”
“I’m going to have to discipline you. You may like spanking, but I don’t think you’re going to like edging.”
“If it involves you touching me, I’ll like it.” I continue.
“Alright!” He sits up and chuckles. “Listen here, sweets. You better behave. You get one of us riled, all of us are going to get riled. This is not that kind of party … considering your parents are here.”
“Will be there, yeah.” I agree, wrapping my arms around his neck. But we do have some time and all the help has taken a lot from my shoulders, so why don’t we fix things now?”
Gunner tries to keep his laughter in, then points past me. My dad and mom are standing there. Dad’s face is red and I know that if he was a cartoon, there would be steam pouring from his ears. Mom gives me a thumbs up in front of her smile of approval.
I drop my head on Gunner’s shoulder. “Be clearer next time.”
“I said ‘here’.” He chuckles. “Off, before your dad forgets he’s okay with this.”
I get off and push my hair back as I stumble again. My dad goes out to the balcony without getting a word out. My mom giggles and walks over to Gunner. “And here I thought you had all the moves.”
“I have plenty of those.” He assures her with a wink. “You think I got Sophie on my good looks?”
“Nope.” She pats his chest, then strokes down to his abs. “I thinkshegotyouand I have yet to see anything to argue with that.”
Valerie peeks around the corner, sees my mom, and tries to dip, but my mom is observant as hell, even with her hands on my man. She pats Gunner’s cheek harder than necessary. “Be a good boy for me today and my daughter will give you a treat.”
“Mom!” I gasp.
Gunner grins. “You’re a treat all on your own Diana.”
“And don’t you forget it.” Then she stomps over to Valerie. “Don’t you hide from me. I’m your second mother. Get over here,Val.”
Valerie goes sheepish and then hugs her. My mom squeezes her so hard I hear her back crack. Gunner rubs over my ass. “You hear that? I get a treat.” He beams at me.
“Ifyou behave.” I remind him.
He kisses my cheek. “Me behaving is most people after three drinks.”
With that fun tidbit, he runs upstairs. I finally manage to save Valerie from my mom an hour later. We head up to enjoy time together, but I notice there are already drinks being poured. I sit with Holden, close, but not on his lap since my dad is there.
Holden kisses my neck slowly and I lean even closer but shivering. “Hold, my dad already saw me on top of Gunner.”