paused to snag it. Flipping the card over, I laughed.
We’ll be back in to enjoy the lights. C’mon out to the hot tub, drinks and food waiting.
I kissed the note and set it back down. I’d steal it later and add it to the card about wanting to get me flowers.
Sure enough, the guys were outside. Darkness had fully fallen, and there were twinkling lights all over the deck. It had been mostly cleared of snow, and the hot tub steam rose up invitingly in the air, even if the chill out there made me shudder before I even opened the door.
Even better, my favorite four people were waiting for me, and they all glanced over or twisted to see me as I slid the door open. The cold air was bracing after being inside, and the wood was cold against my feet. Yeah, I should totally have grabbed slippers or something.
“Hey, guys,” I called, hurrying the door closed and not hesitating to make a run for the tub. I dropped the robe and slid in without taking a pause. Jake caught my hand as I stepped up and in to offer me some balance. “Holy fuck, it’s cold out here.”
The water was blissfully hot, and I sank right into it.
Archie chuckled, but his heated stare did almost as much to warm me as the water. “I like the bikini.”
“I debated whether to wear it or not,” I admitted as Jake tucked me under his arm and pulled me right against him. The smoothed seats were comfortable, and the water bubbled as the jets surged it. Four harsh inhales greeted that statement, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I didn’t dare glance down in the water to see what they’d gone with, but I was pretty sure Jake had on trunks of some kind.
“Well,” Archie said, recovering first. “You can do whatever you want. No one here will judge.”
“Nope,” Coop said, and I caught him studying me, a small smile playing on his lips.
I wasn’t going to leave them in suspense. Before I could say anything more, Ian handed me a glass of wine and paused long enough to give me a kiss before he settled on the bench on my other side.
“Smooth,” Jake complimented him, and Coop snorted.
“He was just faster.”
“You snooze, you lose,” Ian said cheerfully, and his thigh pressed against mine. Another shiver worked its way up my spine that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold. The varying grins held nothing of recrimination or jealousy or anger.
Another tense band of worry relaxed, and I took a sip of the wine with a sigh. The snow falling overhead was magical because it seemed to evaporate before it got to the water. At the same time, it was like we’d been transported to another world.
“Dinner’s inside,” Archie told me. “Ready for whenever we are, but there’s also snacks and fun.” He motioned to the covered trays around the edge of the tub. I hadn’t really paid that much attention to them.
“Fun?” I asked glancing from one to the other.
“Well, we are in Colorado,” Archie said. “All the rules are suspended for the next couple of weeks, agreed?”
“I don’t see why not.” Jake stretched his legs out.
“Or something,” Coop teased, eyeing me. “Technically, most of us are legal adults.”
I wasn’t alone in flipping him off. Jake gave my shoulders a squeeze. “Fine, then Frankie and I will be over here in our youth while you old fogeys be legal.”
Ian snorted. “Technically, Frankie’s emancipated, Jake. So you’re the ‘baby’ for the moment.”
“Fuck that,” Archie dove in to it before the two could start sniping at each other. “The point is, I had some treats picked up for us, and since we’re not worried about random drug tests with the season over, I don’t see why we can’t enjoy them.”
Drug tests? My eyebrows climbed, and I wiggled away from Jake to twist and pop open one of the silver lids. Chocolate waited for me, and I blinked slowly. “You got us edibles?”
“Guilty,” Archie murmured, and I stole a look over at him.
“Um…before we dive into whether this is wise or not,” I hedged. “I really need to do something first.” I put the lid back on and took another swallow of the wine. Between the heat, the alcohol, and the company, more of the tension bled away. At Jake’s curious look, I cupped his face and kissed him.