Page 168 of Pretty Broken Wings

“Would you… hold still?” I try to hold Buddy down to wrestle her into the costume I’ve prepared for her. She tries to bite at the cardboard pieces I’ve glued to a harness.

“No!” I giggle, only getting one side on before I hear someone at the door. I jump up, pretending like I’m messing with the food on the counter.

It’s Gage and Axel’s birthday today. I’ve spent the day decorating and preparing, nervously bustling from one task to another. They’re going to think it’s so stupid.

“Honey, I’m home,” Axel yells from the front door. There’s a silence, and then he stalks into the kitchen. “Hey, little bird. What have you been doing?”

I keep mixing the salad, and he comes up behind me, putting his chin on my shoulder.

“Happy birthday,” I say.

There’s a pause, then Axel bites my neck gently. “Thank you.”

While he and I aren’t the sappy types, we’re both getting far more comfortable with expressing emotion around each other.

The front door opens again, and I hear Gage walk in. I glance over to see Buddy dancing at his feet, her costume half falling off.

“What’s this?” Gage looks confused, then laughs at the dog.

I groan, slapping my hands over my cheeks. “That wasn’t the whole thing. She wouldn’t let me get the costume on.”

“It looks… good!” Gage says, a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth. He stalks up to me in dark slacks and a button-up, turning my face to his and planting a kiss there.

“She’s supposed to be a rhinorse,” I mutter.

Gage’s mouth parts, then his gaze softens. “Raven… that’s…”

“Stupid, I know.” I turn back to the salad.

“Really sweet,” Gage finishes, turning my face again to kiss me. His kiss is soft at first. Almost reverent. Then, he kisses me harder, gripping my face and pulling me into him. It leaves me breathless, and I pull away, cheeks heating. “Dinner is ready if you guys want to eat.”

“Dinner?” Axel sounds excited.

“Pizza.” I motion at the dining room, then look at Gage. “And steak. Although I’m not sure if I did it right.”

“Oh my god.” Gage is grinning.

“Sit down,” I hustle him to the dining room. As long as I can stay busy serving them, the burning flush on my cheeks will stay down.

Both boys settle in, and I notice they’ve worn the same outfit today. Fitted black shirts with dark slacks and dark glasses. The dark colors bring out their pale features in a way that makes them look frosted over. They look hot. Like they always do. I do have to do a double-take, ensuring they both sat in their respective spots.

If possible, the men have only gotten hotter over the last few months. They’ve both been getting to know me in their own ways, fighting over which nights are theirs to take me on dates and, sometimes, taking me out together. They both also help with my future bookstore. Axel assists with the business and sales aspects, while Gage handles the legal and accounting matters. I’m going to call it Buddy’s Books. It’s stressful as fuck. There are all kinds of things that go into owning a business that I had no idea about. Even today, it was tough to pull myself away to make this dinner.

The boys motion for me to sit between them, as has become our custom. Axel on the left, Gage on the right. I’m sure they decided to do that so they could both feel me up while we eat, as they both do. Often.

As the boys load up their plates, I notice the subtle attention both of them are paying me. The way their bodies lean toward me and how when I reach for a slice of pizza, their heads follow the movement.

They dig in, and I take a few bites, but I was grazing as I cooked. This meal is about them, not me.

I eye the steak. It looks dark. Did I cook it too long?

“Gonna eat that?”

I glance up to see both of them still eyeing me.

“Oh, yeah.” I wave them off, then pick up the pizza and take a bite. It’s mostly to appease them. I wonder if the paperwork I filed earlier went through. I haven’t heard back from the state at all. I find that the stress the business brings makes me less interested in food and more interested in solving every problem right as it pops up. This is my first time being self-sufficient. It means I don’t have to rely on anyone financially, even though the boys would never let me suffer. But I want this for myself.

Gage reaches out and shoves my plate towards me. I blink. I must have zoned out.