“Oh, Gigi is a million times worse about this stuff than you are.” At least my mom tried to come up with a plausible excuse for the “banana costumes.” Her red blotchy face gave away the fact that she was lying.
“That’s reassuring. As is the fact that the word-vomit gene seems to have passed you by.”
“Small mercies, I suppose.” I don’t know if I agree that the word-vomit gene passed me entirely, but I have more of a censor than she and Gigi do.
I give her a hug, and she tells me she loves me and that I’m her favorite daughter.
She disappears down the hall to her bedroom, and I head downstairs to meet River, feeling mildly bad about the two bananas tucked into my bag and the fact that Mom will probably notice the missing costumes and worry about what Maverick did with them.
I’ll return them tomorrow, and she’ll be none the wiser.
Predinner Snack Attack
Lavender
It’s already closing in on six by the time me and River hop in my car and make the drive to the Bowmans’ house on the next lake over. My cousin BJ’s place is only two doors down from Kodiak’s, and my other cousins Lovey and Lacey are just a few minutes away as well. It’s kind of cool that all our parents have retired up here in the lake district. It’s like living at an exceptionally nice cottage.
Kodiak’s brother and sister are going to friends’ places tonight, and all the young kids are staying at the Kingstons’ with a babysitter.
Kodiak throws the door open as soon as I have the car in park and comes down the stairs wearing a pair of flip flops, despite the fact that it’s cold as hell outside and we can all see our breath bursting out of us in little puffs that hang in the air.
“Where’s Mav?” he asks when River gets out of the car and circles around to the trunk.
River and I exchange a look before I turn back to Kodiak, who is now right in front of my face, bending down to give me a chaste peck on the lips. Or as chaste as he’s capable of, anyway. It’s not like we haven’t seen each other every single day over the holiday break. But he still can’t seem to get in enough alone time with me. I blame it on the fact that we haven’t been able to sleep beside each other for most of the holidays. Not that I would want the awkwardness of sleeping in the same room with him when his parents or my parents are just down the hall.
“We thought you might know. River said he went back to Chicago this afternoon.”
Kodiak’s gaze flicks to my twin, who adds, “He said he needed to get some early reading done.”
Kodiak snorts a laugh until he realizes that River isn’t joking. “Maybe he had to pick up a shift at the gym?”
“New Year’s Eve gym classes?” I ask. “Sounds unlikely, and if that’s what it was for, why would he give a lame-ass excuse like he needs to get early reading done?”
Kodiak meets River around the back of the car and shoulders my overnight bag. Then he picks up all the grocery bags in one hand before either of us can step in to help. When he tries to add my Tupperware cupcake container to his already full arms, I elbow him out of the way. “I’ve got this.”
River closes the trunk, and we trudge across the snowy driveway.
“Maybe he’s seeing someone?” I ask the question both River and I pondered earlier, and follow Kodiak up the front steps, opening the door for him.
“Maybe? I don’t know. I mean, he was late coming up here for the holidays, and he’s been . . . off while he’s been here? Distracted?”
“He’s taken over my role as the emo brother,” River says as we all kick off our shoes, leaving them in a heap on the mat.
Except for Kodiak, who uses his toe to arrange them neatly before carrying the groceries to the kitchen. He sets my overnight bag on a chair and puts the groceries on the counter, immediately emptying the bags. “Damn, Lav, you really went all out, didn’t you?”
I shrug. I figured it would be fun to make those charcuterie boards my mom and her friends are always so fond of. Besides, it’s no fun getting super wasted and only having bags of chips to snack on. And I wanted us to have a real dinner, not some takeout crap that doesn’t arrive until nine and everyone’s already sloshed.
So I went ahead and made three different kinds of lasagna: a vegan, non-dairy option for me and Lovey and Lacey, an all-meat version for the guys, and a butter chicken one just to keep it interesting. I also have all the makings for Caesar salad, garlic bread, and of course, dessert in the form of Lucky Charms-inspired cupcakes, because they’re my fave. And I brought two boxes of cereal for breakfast in the morning. And bacon and eggs, in case I’m feeling ambitious.
The guys go about unpacking all the food, and Kodiak turns on the oven so we can reheat the lasagna. I assemble two charcuterie boards; one full of candy and one with meat and cheese and crackers and nuts, because these guys are always hungry.
Once all the grocery stuff is taken care of, Kodiak and I make the short trek out to the pool house to drop off my bag. Yes, the Bowmans have a pool, even though we’re on a lake and the water is amazing. But sometimes in the summer it gets busy and noisy with boats, so the pool is a nice, quieter change of pace.
As soon as we’re inside the pool house, Kodiak takes my face between his palms and brings his mouth to mine. His lips are soft at first, and then a deep groan vibrates through him and he strokes inside, tongue finding mine.
I sink into the kiss for several long, drawn-out seconds before I clamp my teeth together so he can’t put his tongue back in my mouth. After two pokes against my teeth, he pulls back with a frown. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.” I grin up at him. “But our friends are in the house, and we’re out here, and our phones are blowing up with messages.”
His frown deepens when he hears the telling buzz, buzz, buzz coming from the bag at my feet. “They can wait fifteen minutes.”
I arch a brow.
“Fine, half an hour.”
“You know as well as I do that there is zero chance of BJ letting us get away with disappearing before dinner for a half an hour. Besides, the lasagnas are in the oven, and I still have to put together the Caesar salad.”
“I could go down on you real quick,” he offers. “Just like five minutes? Ten at the most. Get you off?” He bites his lip. How he manages to look all sweet when he’s asking to eat me out is beyond me, but it makes it hard to say no to him. “Please, babe? I promise I’ll be super fast.”
“Why am I entertaining this?” I mutter, more to myself than him. But I know my boyfriend. He’s basically addicted to my vagina.
“Because you love me. And because you know I’m going to drive you insane all night if you don’t give in now and let me bathe my face in your pussy juice.”
I grimace. “That’s gross.”
“No, it’s not. It’s sexy. I fucking love the way you taste. And the fact that we never, ever need lube.”
I cross my arms. It’s frustrating that just talking about this makes my panties unreasonably damp. “It’s genetic.”
“It’s hot as fuck.” He steps into my personal space and takes my face in his warm, rough palms again. “Pleeease, Lavender. Just let me make you come once before we have to go out there and be somewhat appropriate for the next few hours.”