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That was new. I’d ask him about it later.

“Looks like the gang’s…mostly here,” Daniel said.

Evie shrugged out of Lucas’s arms and practically danced over to us. “The ladies are going to…” She thought for a second. “Make sure all the side dishes are ready. Jude, why don’t you go rebuild the fire?”

“You know they’re ready, Evie.” Lena laughed into her wineglass. “Everything is ready—or will be once the turkey comes out.”

“Play along,” Evie murmured through closed lips.

I leaned down and kissed Lena on her hair. “I’ll rebuild the fire.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she let Evie guide her to the other side of the room where the women were gathering.

I played my part, examining the fire. It could stand to be built up a bit, and the men drifted in my direction, not wanting to disturb the sacrament of girl time.

“Take the piss out of me now,” I said. “Spare Lena. We all know I’m the one who let it go on for so long.”

“Oh,” Liam said. “We will. But don’t think it will end now.”

Daniel sat down heavily. “Someday, Liam, you’re going to be in the same position. I hope you’re ready to take everything you’ve dished out over the years.”

The younger man grinned. “Bet your ass. Don’t give what you can’t take.”

I took my time working on the fire so it would last all night, glancing over at Lena more than once. Even from here, the joy on her face was clear. She was luminescent.

“You’ve got it bad,” Lucas said.

“Was there any doubt?”

He raised his glass in answer. No, there wasn’t any doubt.

Noah sat down on the coffee table next to me, glancing back at the girls. Kate was on the edges of the group, but she was still there. “She okay?”

“She likes them.” He held out his hands to warm them with the flames. “Still a little gun-shy. They can be overwhelming.”

At that moment, Evie threw an arm around Kate’s shoulder and yanked her into the group. Both of us laughed. “I think she’ll be okay.”

“I’d like to know how you’re doing,” he asked in a low voice. “If it’s not too invasive.”

Given the conversations we’d already had, invasive had long passed. “I’m happy. So fucking happy, it doesn’t feel real.”

“I’m glad,” he said. “But that’s not what I asked.”

I tossed the last log onto the top of the pyramid I’d built. Noah was a little like Daniel in that way. He knew how to get to the heart of things. “I’m tired,” I admitted. “I took her home the night of the raid, and it was…incredible. But I didn’t sleep. I’ve barely slept since. Stolen naps here and there. I know I can’t do it forever.”

“No,” he said. “You can’t. She knows?”

“She does. But her knowing I might hurt her doesn’t make the possibility easier.”

Noah nodded. “Have you talked to her about the other thing?”

“Not yet. Planning to later tonight. The night of the raid, I didn’t care. And since then…” I didn’t want to get into the details of what we’d done together and my journey to learn what Lena liked and loved before I took her to bed properly again. It wasn’t time wasted. Any amount of time listening to her moan and learning the taste of her skin was time fucking well spent.

“After this long, I thought you both would want to move faster.” He looked surprised.

I smiled at that. “After I make sure we’re both on the same page, I’ll speed up. We’re getting there.”

“No matter what they say or how much they tease, we’re all happy for you. I hope you know that.”