Brazen and Breathless (Untouchable #6) - Heather Long Page 0,56

against my back. “Well played,” he said.

“Thank you,” I laughed, but wiggled when he tried to get the mail.

“At this rate, we’re never getting out of here,” Coop said, grinning almost wickedly. Heat licked its way through me at the suggestion, and my nipples stabbed at my bra. Damn. Just spending the day together and playing like we had in Colorado? Yes, fucking please.

At my sigh, Archie stopped trying to pluck the letters from my hand. “You want to just call it and skip today, babe?”

Ian grinned at my expression. “I’m going to say the answer to that is yes. The real question is…”

“Will she be able to do it,” Jake finished for him. “Do you have any tests today? Any projects that you haven’t already turned in? I mean, technically, you won’t be at school on Fridays from this week for the next six or seven, right? So you could just get started early.”

“No tests,” I admitted, then chewed at my lower lip as I leaned back against Archie. Skipping wouldn’t kill me.

“GPAs are locked, Frankie,” Coop reminded me. “Colleges have already seen them. How are you on homework?”

“I got a lot done last night, and I’ve got one book left for lit.” Still…

“No tests. No projects due. No more Fridays with us for a few weeks…” It was that last wistful comment from Archie that clinched it.

“Sold.” And just like that, the twist of guilt in my gut vanished, and I tilted my head back to find Archie giving me a slow smile.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you guys are right. I’d rather spend the day with all four of you than bouncing from class to class. I need to text Rach so she isn’t looking for me…” Fuck, there was the guilt again.

“Tell her she’s more than welcome to come hang out,” Coop offered, even as Jake and Ian swung their heads to half-glare at him. Unperturbed, he spread his legs as he sprawled back in the chair, donut in one hand and looking quite pleased with himself. “She’s almost as much of an overachiever as you, but she’d appreciate the invitation.”

“And if she accepts?” Jake asked dryly. “There goes some of our plans for the day.”

I grinned. “Only some?”

“Well, for them anyway,” Archie said with a grin. “I’ll still be taking you out tonight.”

True.

When he tapped my fingers, I let him have the letters as I twisted to press a kiss to his jaw. “Open them here where I can see them.”

He grunted, but gave my waist a squeeze as I retrieved my phone. Back at the table, I grabbed my next apple fritter and then perched in Ian’s lap when he gave me a tug, while I sent the text to Rachel before biting into the fritter. Multi-tasking win for the day.

Jake grabbed his keys and headed for the door. At my questioning look, he grinned. “Going to get coffee for our girl.” He dropped a kiss on my lips. “I might even get something for these guys—”

“What the fuck is this?” Archie muttered, and Jake pivoted even as I glanced over to see the paper in his hands. He had the first two envelopes open, and he set them on the table. Then the third.

Grabbing one of the sheets, I stared at…lab results?

No one said anything.

There were identification numbers listed for samples. Two samples to be exact. At the bottom of the page, it read No Match.

DNA reports.

Ice seemed to slick over my skin as I stared at each sheet as Archie set them out.

Four pieces of paper.

Four innocuous, wrinkled pieces of paper.

Each one with sample numbers.

One sample number was the same on every sheet.

The other was always different.

No Match.

No Match.

No Match.

Match.

The lab where the work was done was the same. All in New York. That was why none of the letters had return addresses. They were anonymous, I supposed.

“We don’t know what this means…” Coop had begun, but even he couldn’t quite make the words work.

Archie hadn’t even waited to speculate. He’d picked up the sheet with the words Match and pulled out his phone. Currently, he stood in the middle of the living room with his phone to his ear, snapping out something to the person at that lab. I kind of felt sorry for them. He was pissed.

Rubbing his chin gently against my shoulder, Ian tugged me back against him. Jake hadn’t left yet, he kept dividing his attention between me and Archie. Coop studied one of the pages and then asked, “What’s the date