Is he serious right now? “How about if you don’t go inside, I go inside and kiss the shit out of Vinnie?”
Green eyes narrow. “You wouldn’t.”
I look behind him.
The women were still there, whispering among themselves.
“Please?” I ask, using a softer approach.
He kisses the top of my head, then walks inside, pulling me behind him.
I can’t help it.
I stare at his ass the whole way.
Fuck!
* * *
“Dude, you and Rake can’t stop staring at each other,” Tia says so only I can hear, glancing around the kitchen.
I am currently having bigger problems than the building sexual tension between Rake and me. “How fucking hard can it be to make lasagna from scratch?”
I am on my second batch. The top was burned on this one. Vinnie is going to be here in an hour or two and I want his meal ready and waiting.
“Did you do the béchamel sauce?” Tia asks, looking down at the lasagna and scrunching her nose.
I still. “The what sauce? The recipe didn’t say anything about a sauce. What the hell is it?”
Tia giggles and starts opening the cupboard. “I’ll make the sauce. You get everything ready for the third and final batch.”
We finish the meal just in time for Vinnie, Tracker, and Lana to arrive.
“Something smells good,” Tracker says, heading straight for the kitchen.
Lana rolls her eyes, then hugs me. “How have you been, honey?”
She glances at Rake and wiggles her eyebrows.
“Fine,” I tell her, rolling my eyes. “Dinner is ready. Where’s Anna?”
“Arrow has taken her away for a few days,” she says, smiling. “Romantic getaway.”
“As if Arrow knows romance.” Tracker smirks, grabbing a plate and serving himself. “He’ll probably just take her camping and fuck her in the dirt.”
Rake slaps him on the back of the head. “My sister, asshole.”
Vinnie grabs a plate, then looks at me when he sees what’s on the menu, shaking his head and smiling wide. “You’re so fuckin’ cute right now, Bailey, you know that?”
“What . . . the fuck . . .” Rake growls, his whole body tensing, “did you just say?”
Everyone in the room stops what they’re doing and looks at Rake, a tense silence taking over the easy atmosphere of a few moments ago.
Tracker stops piling food on his plate and looks between the two men. I step between them and put my hand on Rake’s chest. He doesn’t even acknowledge me, gaze still firmly locked on Vinnie in challenge.
“Relax, Rake,” Vinnie says in a calm yet firm tone.
“I wanted to say thanks to him for going around with me while I did my errands the other day, so I made him his favorite meal.”
His body relaxes a little under my palm. “Right, okay.”
Everyone in the room breathes easier; I can actually feel the tension in the air clear up.
“Love the man, love the club,” I hear Tracker mutter, making Rake lift his head and look at me, emotions playing on his face. I look away, not knowing how to react to the intensity coming from him.
Cara and Rhett walk into the kitchen with Tia soon after, Cara coming to sit in between me and Rake.
“Did you finish watching the movie?” I ask her, giving her round cheek a kiss.
“Yes.” She grins, then turns to look at Rake. “Adam said I remind him of Belle.”
I look over Cara’s head at Rake. She and Rhett were watching Beauty and the Beast, because it was Cara’s turn to choose a movie. They’re slowly getting through every Disney movie ever created.
“That was nice of him,” I murmur, not looking away from him.
“I think she looks like Belle too,” Rhett throws in, picking up his fork.
Tia and I share a glance. Rhett is going to be the biggest ladies’ man this town has ever seen with those smooth lines. I can’t help but laugh when Rake bumps fists with him over the comment, obviously thinking they were on the same page.
Vinnie takes a few bites, then looks up from his plate. “It’s fu—” He glances at Cara, then starts again, “It’s really good, Bailey.”
“Tia helped,” I admit, shrugging a little sheepishly. “But I’m glad you like it.”
We finish dinner, chatting easily among us. As I look around the table at everyone laughing, smiling, and teasing one another, I realize just how lucky Rake really is, how amazing his family is, and he’s now sharing that with me.
I glance over at him to see him already watching me.
Something passes between us. A moment of understanding. A moment