Page 7

“Actually, I’m turned on by Raph’s brain, and sometimes I imagine it naked. All those neurons and glial cells. So hot!” I frown at Michael’s excitement. I love the sight of a brain, but I’ve never been attracted to one.

“Sure. Sure,” Lori agrees. “Gabe can be very sexy when he shows his knowledge and skills. The desk in his office has been seeing a lot of action because of that, the window wall too, any wall. The sofas, coffee table, book shelves, bathroom sink?—”

Ollie waves his hand to make him stop. “Ugh. We get it, you nympho!”

“Says the exhibitionist! If dogging was a sport, you’d get first place.” Lori and Ollie start bantering.

“Hunter can’t keep his hands off me when I talk hacking,” Rami lets me know.

Why is it so hard to find someone for me? Is it because of…Uri? But I already decided to move on from my eternal crush a few months ago, hence dating. It’s not that easy, though, when I see him every day since he’s my…foster brother.

“Is it Rague?” Rami asks Ollie who’s looking at his phone. “Are they coming?”

“Yeah. Hunter and Uri left already.”

Only hearing his name creates a warmth of excitement inside my belly. It’s not good.

“Are you sexting now? Kinky!” Lori taunts Ollie, earning a flipped finger.

“Butt out, perv Papa Lori!”

“Butt, eh!” Rami laughs, and I feel a strange lightheadedness as I giggle at his joke.

“Raph is coming too,” Michael declares, putting away his phone. Of course he is. He can’t stay too long away from his husband.

“Mademoiselle,” Lori calls the waitress. “Two more pitchers of mimosas please, and a few more glasses.”

“And a slice of each pie on the menu,” Rami orders.

“That sounds great. I couldn’t make up my mind,” I tell him happily.

“Oh, Sully is calling!” Ollie exclaims happily before answering his brother’s call.

“Beautiful.” Michael is looking down at Lori’s pink leather bag.

“My Chanel Hobo is gorgeous, right? Gabe’s gift. My men know how to keep me happy.” He suddenly jumps in his chair as he grabs my forearm. “What about the custom-made lingerie online shop I told you about?”

“Fly on Honey,” I say remembering the name.

“Yes! The owner is a sweetie. I chat with him from time to time. Did you check his pieces? They’re to die for.”

Lori grabs his phone from his bag and swiftly taps on the screen, moving closer to me to let Rami—who is seated on my other side—see as well.

“This blue corset with the garter belt looks amazing. Grizzly loves to look at my body in lace.”

“What about feeling the fabric and testing the drape?” I ask Lori. He’s dragged me to more than a few shops around Chicago with that statement in the past.

“Don’t go frugal, go big. You can buy from both physical and online shops.”

“He can sew your boo’s name on your ass! I mean that could earn you a pounding.” Rami gives me a suggestive look that makes my cheeks warm. The phraseblush like a virgincan be literal in my case. Twenty-five, and still I haven’t gone beyond third base.

The air surrounding me suddenly changes, charged with electricity. The doors open, and Uri walks in—followed by Hunter, Gabe, and Raph.

His eyes move around the room, I only let go of my breath when they find me, his stare always so intense. He starts prowling toward us—this is definitely the word for how he moves. Slowly, purposefully, and confidently. His tall build stands out, sculpted from constant swim training and very malicious intent. His long caramel dreads swing with every step he takes. His ears sport multiple piercings as do his lower lip and eyebrow. He’s wearing a blue shirt, the top two buttons undone, showing some smooth skin, an open cardigan, and a warm-looking sherpa denim jacket. The dark jeans covering his long legs look well-worn, in contrast with the pair of pristine black boots. Uri likes to follow fashion trends and make them his. As a result, he’s always cool, slick, and stylish.

He seems approachable due to his easy way of smiling—although it can turn terrifying in a heartbeat. But the truth is that he is the most closed-off person I know, and I’m including my brother Gabe in the list.

He’s been my best friend for seventeen years. I know everything about him. Or at least, I was sure I did. That thought brings a little lip tremor with it. Our relationship has always been a little too intense, without enough boundaries. My attachment to Uri is complex. It developed with time, creating layers of multiple kinds of love and need. I used to see him as someone to look up to, someone to go to when in need. That sentiment morphed into something different as we grew up. Which made me feel off balance and embarrassed, considering the fact that Uri never showed interest in me, not in the way I wanted. I’m special to him, like a precious possession would be—since a sociopath can’t feel love. There’s no attraction on his part, though.