passed.
“No suspenders tonight?” she teased.
He huffed a laugh and rolled his eyes. “Those suspenders are second only to that stupid fedora.”
“Aw.” Rin chuckled, stepping into Court to wrap her arms around his neck. “You’re such a good sport.”
“Only for you.” He kissed her red lips softly.
Val peered through the open doorway, sticking her head out the threshold to look down the street. Her pout flipped at what she found, and she bolted down the stairs and down the sidewalk, jumping for Sam like a howler monkey.
He caught her with ease, spinning from the force, the red chiffon of her skirts lifting. To be honest, it looked like a swing move, as graceful as it was, her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist, lips crushed in a kiss worthy of some homage to immortalize it—statue, poster, billboard, linograph, anything.
I sighed dreamily.
“They’re just too goddamn much,” Katherine said from my shoulder as she leaned in with me to watch. I would have almost called her tone wistful. I mean, if not for the monotone.
It was my turn to scan, my gaze sweeping up and down the street, looking for a car or a set of twins too gorgeous to be human.
And then it was my turn to pout.
I ducked back in the door, followed by Sam and Val.
“Should we have a drink while we wait?” Court asked, already heading for the cabinet where we kept the booze.
“I guess,” I sulked.
“Don’t look so glum,” Val said, bumping my hip. “He’ll be here any minute.”
“Ugh, I’m the worst,” I muttered. “I can’t be away from him for even a couple hours without whining about it.”
“Hey, we know the feeling,” Sam said with a wink and a smile.
Katherine made a face at all of us. “Brain chemicals are so bizarre.”
Rin chuckled. “How so?”
“Well,” she started, accepting the first drink from Court, “think about it. You meet a person, and your biology tells you whether or not you like them almost immediately, like a knee-jerk. It’s not love at first sight. It’s love at first smell. One brain sends chemosignals in the way of pheromones, and the other brain either accepts or rejects them. Insta-lust. Then attraction. Then attachment. Sex hormones, then dopamine, then oxytocin. And your brain gets addicted to those chemicals, and there’s only one person who can give them to you. You guys are living proof.”
“How romantic,” Court deadpanned.
“Who needs romance when you have science?” Katherine shrugged and took a sip of her drink.
The doorbell rang, and I squealed, charging for the door. I whipped it open and practically launched myself at Tommy.
It felt like I hadn’t seen him in a day. Stupid brain chemicals.
I jumped, and he bent to catch me, my arms hooking around his neck and my lips on his. His shirt collar was crisp under my hands, the satin back of his vest cool and slick under my fingers.
When he set me down and the kiss broke, he pressed another to my hair, just over my ear. “Missed you, too,” he whispered.
I leaned around him. “Hey, Theo,” I said with an immovable smile, my hand lost somewhere in Tommy’s.
“Heya, Melia.” He was gorgeous, too, his hair slick and shining, hands in the pockets of his slacks. Both he and Tommy wore tailored shirts cuffed above their identical sexual elbows.
Hot bastards.
“Come on in and meet everybody,” I said, tugging Tommy into the house.
The collection of my favorite people in the world, dressed up in timeless clothes and brilliant smiles, set my heart fluttering. Sam leaning against the island, long and lean, his arm resting on the counter, hand hooked on Val’s hip to keep her close. Court and Rin behind the island, drinks in their hands as they leaned into each other. Katherine on a stool, her legs crossed and smile dry and quirked with amusement.
I realized then that we wore matching expressions. As much as I admired all of them, they seemed to be assessing Tommy and me with the same love and sentimentality.
“Boys, meet Tommy and his brother, Theo.”
Sam kicked off the island, extending his hand to Tommy. “Good to finally meet you. I’m Sam, and that’s Court. We’ve heard all the good things.”
Tommy smirked. “Lies, all of them. The only good thing I have going for me is Melia.”
Sam’s understanding and appreciation shone on his face, punctuated by the tilt of his lips.
Court nodded. “Need a drink?” Which was Court’s way of saying, You’re in, but watch your ass.
Tommy seemed to pick up on