Page 80 of Curvy Cabin Fever

“You arenotcalling us a family,” Rhett mutters.

“Too late. I already ordered us matching pajamas.”

Aria giggles, and I swear it hits me harder than anything I felt outside.

I take a seat next to Rhett, who nudges a coffee toward me without looking up.

The silence is companionable now. We sip coffee and tea like this is normal. It’s not normal, but it’s ours.

And I’ll be damned if I’m not starting to want this more than I ever thought possible.

Morgan finally slides into the seat on the other side of Aria and kisses her cheek.

“You are the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“Hardly,” Aria mumbles, and we all shoot her a look. “Oops.”

“None of that shit on our watch,” I state. “Or I’ll put you over my knee.”

Rhett snorts softly, and I feel it—how far we’ve come from the first few days. The tension is still there, sure, but it’s different now. It’s tied to something deeper than ego or jealousy.

Aria leans back in her chair and stretches with a satisfied sigh. “I need sleep now. Maybe I’ll read some smut before I nod off.”

“What if we’re the smut?” Morgan teases.

She glances at him over the rim of her mug. “Then I expect good dialogue and multiple orgasms.”

My coffee nearly chokes me.

Morgan grins like it’s the best compliment he’s ever received.

Rhett mutters, “Jesus Christ,” but I catch the corner of his mouth twitching.

Aria disappears into my bedroom with a book and a blanket. Rhett yawns, and Morgan starts clearing plates.

I linger, my hand on the back of her empty chair.

Morgan glances up, eyebrow raised. “You good?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

He studies me for a second, then shrugs. “She loves you, you know.”

I stiffen. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he confirms simply, rinsing a plate. “She looks at you like you’re her favorite place to land.”

I nod once, then turn away.

And for the first time since this whole thing started, I don’t feel like I’m on the outside.

I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be.

29

ARIA

It’s almost five days later before we can go to town, and Damien insists on a date.