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“You have a look on your face.”
He shook it off. “I’m fine.” He walked to the sofa and took a seat close to her.
She scooted a few inches away, but he closed the distance again, laying his arm along the back of the sofa behind her. She eyed him.
He leaned close and nuzzled her ear then whispered, “If anyone comes in, we have to look like newlyweds, like we’re madly in love and can’t stay away from each other.”
She shivered as he rubbed his nose against her neck, and his lips brushed softly against the skin there.
“Gus,” she warned.
He chuckled and pulled away. There was a mix of annoyance, anger, and something he couldn’t read in her eyes, and he enjoyed the deep pink color he’d brought to her cheeks.
“At least hold my hand,” he whispered.
She did as he asked, but he pushed his luck by running the fingers of his opposite hand up and down the back of her hand, his thumb brushing the inside of her wrist.
“Nobody’s watching,” she said through gritted teeth.
“We need to practice our PDA.”
“I think we’ve got the handholding down.”
He leaned closer, angling into her, and her eyes widened.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t you think we should practice kissing?”
“No. We can just say I’m not comfortable with public displays of affection.”
He kissed her on the cheek. “Prude.”
“Cad.”
His eyebrow raised. “I’m not a cad anymore. I’m a respectable married man, remember?”
“If you say so.”
The sound of the door opening caught his attention, and Skylar rushed through the house and into the family room, leaving a trail of winter garments in her wake.
“You’re here!” She dropped her things onto the nearest chair and rounded the sofa to get to her brother.
Gus jumped up and gave her a bear hug.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said.
“Same,” Gus replied.
Skylar’s long chestnut hair made a crackling sound from the static as she pulled her knit hat off, and she attempted to smooth the flyaways. “I wanted to be here when you arrived, but I couldn’t get away from the office.” Her eyes turned to the woman seated on the sofa. “You must be Merritt.”
Merritt stood. “It’s so nice to meet you, Skylar.” She extended a hand, but Skylar was having none of that and hugged her instead.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you,” Skylar said. “We were all quite surprised to hear about the wedding.”
“I know it was sort of sudden.” Merritt’s eyes met Gus’s, and she wound her arm through his. “But we couldn’t wait to be married.”
He turned, moving her arm around behind his waist, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She tensed up for a second before settling into him, and he held her like that while they talked with Skylar.