Page 104 of My Three Hometown Alphas

Time and place… Right.

“You win this one… I guess,” Miles says, playfully nudging Lyla’s shoulder. She rolls her eyes but smiles at him.

“So, what did you guys want to talk to me about?” I ask.

I don’t know why I’m nervous. Will told me it was a good thing. Plus, they flew halfway across the country to be here. That has to be a good sign.

Right?

It’s going to be fine.

“Before we get to that, there’s something we wanted you to know,” Will says from where he sat down beside me.

“Okay,” I say. My voice is breathy and barely audible.

Will stares into my soul when he says, “I love you, Avery.”

The breath I’m taking stutters to a stop. It isn’t that this is absurd information; I’ve seen it in his eyes over and over again these last few weeks. It’s just different hearing the words fall from his perfect lips.

“I love you, too,” I tell him.

He leans over, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

“I love you, too,” Lyla says louder than is necessary for how close we’re all sitting.

“I love you back, Lyles.”

“Really?” she asks. Her eyes light up, big and wide.

“Of course I love you. How could anyone not love you?” I ask.

She bolts toward me, sitting in my lap and wrapping her arms around my neck. The graduation cap falls back from the motion, tumbling to the grass. I laugh, holding her just as tightly.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to follow that, but I love you, too, gorgeous,” Miles says.

I smile at him over Lyla’s shoulder. Grabbing her waist, I lift her onto Will’s lap. Then I crawl over until I’m kneeling right in front of Miles.

“Well… that’s good because I kind of love you,” I tell him.

“Kind of?” His forehead scrunches together, like he’s offended by my word choice.

“No, not kind of. I definitely love you... a whole bunch.”

“Good,” he says, moving onto his knees in front of me, so he’s several inches taller than me.

His hands move to both sides of my face. He kisses the tip of my nose and then my lips. He leans in and whispers in my ear, so only I can hear him.

“I want to see you crawl to me like that again sometime when you’re naked and aching for me.”

“Mmm…” I lean in closer to his ear. “Good thing I’m always aching for you.”

He growls against my neck, making shivers race up my spine. “You can’t say shit like that when Lyla’s around, and I have to behave.”

My forehead lands on his shoulder as I start to laugh.

“I really wish I knew what they were laughing about,” I hear Lyla groan from behind us. Will quietly mumbles something to her, but I can’t make it out.

I’m still laughing and too focused on the man I’m leaning against. Miles pulls back, giving me one last kiss.