“You saw us. Don’t need a lot of space.
I grab a second cookie, and she moves the plate out of my way. “Save some for Whit.”
I roll my eyes as the man of the hour appears with my uncle and two cousins trailing behind him. They’re slightly damp from the mist outside. Whit’s shirt clings to his lean frame and I shift on my feet at the sight.
In his hands are his suitcase and my torn plastic bag.
“Aw, babe,” I say with a smirk. “Thanks.”
I grab my bag full of crumpled clothes and press a kiss on his cheek. He blushes and shoots me a scowl.
Sem and Luke reach for a cookie, but Aunt Del smacks their hands away and then hisses. “They’re for Whit.”
“Hey, why the fuck is he so special, huh?” Luke asks.
“Because,” Aunt Del says. “Caleb has never brought someone home. We’re trying to get him tostay.”
“Aw,” I reply, slinging my arm over Whit’s shoulder and pulling him into me.
My aunt stares at me and then adds, “We have to entice Whit in any way possible.”
“Damn,” Sem says with a chuckle.
“Are you saying I can’t keep my man?” I ask my aunt, who just raises an eyebrow at me.
“Oh, fuck off,” I mutter, letting my arm fall from Whit and grab a cookie so quickly my aunt doesn’t have time to smack it out of my hand. I shove it in my mouth.
Crumbs fall down the front of my shirt, and I turn to smile at Whit.
It’s his turn to look at me like I’ve just crawled out of a dumpster.
“He adores me,” I say around a mouthful of food.
“Looks like it,” Luke hoots, and I look at Whit, who looks horrorstruck. “You can sleep with me tonight if you want,” Luke tells Whit, and I shoulder my way past my cousin, linking my hand with Whit’s.
“He’s mine, asshole,” I say. “I keep him very satisfied.”
“Keep it down in there tonight,” Luke says.
Whit huffs a laugh as I glower at my cousin.
“I bet he’s a screamer, huh?” Luke adds lowly, and I sock him in the chest.
He curses, and then my aunt is shooing everyone out of the kitchen. Bless her.
“Go settle in,” she says, and Whit and I make our way upstairs and into the guest room. I close and lock the door lest Sem barrel in.
“That was…”
I hold up a hand, halting whatever words were about to escape his mouth. Then brush the crumbs off the front of my shirt and wipe my face.
“Do you have siblings?” I ask, satisfied I no longer look like the Cookie Monster.
Whit shakes his head.
“Then just know that they can be overbearing, but I love ‘em.”
Whit leans against the door as I upend my plastic bag on the bed and the crumpled contents fall out.