Untitled

The lights of the grocery store hum overhead as you steer your cart down the cereal aisle when you see him.

He's standing in front of the oatmeal section, examining a box of plain, boring-looking flakes with an intensity usually reserved for crime scene investigation. He's tall, with messy hair that falls into his eyes and a grey sweatshirt that does absolutely nothing to hide the broad set of his shoulders. He's cute. Like, distractingly cute.

Your heart does a little pitter-pat. This is your chance.

You casually position yourself a few feet away, angling your phone just so. You hit record, making sure your face is in the frame before you pan over to him. You put on your brightest, most cheerful voice.

"Hey, Mom!" you whisper-shout into the phone, trying not to laugh. "Just wanted to give you an update on the grocery shopping. But also… I have someone for you to meet."

You slowly pan the camera over, zooming in slightly on the unsuspecting man. He's now comparing two different brands of oatmeal, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"This is him," you continue, your voice full of mock seriousness. "Your future son-in-law. I know, I know, he's a keeper. Look at that face."

He must hear you, because his head snaps up, his eyes widening in confusion as they land on you and your pointed phone. A faint blush creeps up his neck.

You double down, walking closer with the camera still rolling. "Say hi to your future mother-in-law, babe!" you say, turning the phone to fully capture his shocked expression.

He blinks, his mouth falling open slightly. "Uh… hi?" he manages, his voice deeper and raspier than you expected. He looks utterly bewildered, his eyes darting between your phone and your face.

You can't hold it in anymore. A giggle escapes, and you quickly lower your phone, ending the recording. "Oh my god, I am so sorry," you say, laughing. "It's this stupid TikTok trend. I couldn't resist. You were just so focused on the oatmeal, it was perfect."

A slow smile spreads across his face, replacing the confusion. He lets out a small, relieved laugh. "A TikTok trend? So I'm not actually meeting my future mother-in-law right now?"

"Not unless she's secretly hiding behind the Lucky Charms," you reply, grinning. "Again, sorry. I promise I'm not usually this weird."

"Don't worry about it," he says, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "It's the most interesting thing that's happened to me during grocery shopping, that's for sure." He glances down at the two boxes of oatmeal still in his hands. "Now I'm second-guessing my choice, though. Is this the oatmeal of a dependable future son-in-law, or should I go for the fancy organic one?"

You laugh, feeling a strange, bubbly warmth spread through your chest. "Definitely the organic one. Shows you have good taste and are willing to invest in your health. Very son-in-law material."

He puts the plain box back and grabs the organic one, tossing it into his basket with a decisive nod. "Well, when you put it that way." He hesitates for a moment, then extends a hand. "I'm Will, by the way. The man who apparently has good taste in oatmeal."

You shake his hand, his grip warm and firm. "I'm the woman who ambushes strangers in the cereal aisle for social media content. It's nice to meet you, Will."

"Nice to meet you too," he says, not letting go of your hand just yet. "So, does this mean I'm going to be TikTok famous?"

"Only to my mom and my eighty followers," you assure him. "But I can tag you if you want. What's your handle?"

He chuckles, finally releasing your hand. "I think I'll pass. I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of fame." He glances at your basket, which is still conspicuously empty except for a carton of milk. "So, are you actually here to buy groceries, or just to scout for future husbands?"

"Both, apparently," you reply, your cheeks heating up. "But I seem to have gotten distracted."

"Well, I'd offer to help you shop, but I'm not sure my oatmeal-picking skills translate to other food groups," he says with a playful grin. "But I could give you my number. You know, in case you need a second opinion on anything else. Or if you want to continue this conversation somewhere that doesn't have fluorescent lighting."

You raise an eyebrow, your smile widening. "Are you asking me out, Will the Oatmeal Connoisseur?"

"I am," he confirms, his expression softening slightly. "I'd be an idiot not to."

You recite your number, watching as he types it into his phone. When he looks up, there's a genuine warmth in his eyes that makes your stomach do a little flip.

"I'll text you," he promises. "And hey, if your mom asks, tell her I make a mean bowl of organic oatmeal."

part six

007. tacos and the kiss .

the bedroom door didn't click all the way shut, a tiny, jagged sliver of light remaining in the gap. you stayed entirely frozen in your chair, a single hot tear cutting a stinging path down your cheek as your breath hitched in your throat.

"oh so they like each other..."

the soft, stunned mumble from the doorway made your heart completely drop into your stomach. you snapped your head around, your vision blurry as you looked at the small opening. the door pushed inward another inch, and grace’s face appeared in the gap. she wasn't looking at the history textbook on your desk or your messy bed; her wide, brown eyes were locked entirely on your face, taking in the panic and the wet tracking on your cheeks. right behind her, leo’s tall frame blocked out the light of the hallway, his jaw slightly slack as he stared down at you.

they hadn't gone to the taco truck yet. they had been right outside.

"grace," you choked out, your voice cracking as you quickly swiped the back of your hand across your face, trying desperately to pull the detached mask back over your features. "i—i thought you guys left."

grace didn't answer right away. she stepped fully into the room, leaving leo to close the door quietly behind them. the silence in the small space was suddenly so heavy it felt like it was crushing your ribs. she walked over to the side of your desk, leaning her hip against it as she stared at you with a terrifying mixture of immense guilt and absolute disbelief.

"seven years?" she whispered, her voice incredibly small, almost fragile. "y/n... you've been sitting across from my brother at the kitchen table for seven years, watching him look at you like you hung the stars, and you didn't say a single word to me? while i was literally crying on your shoulder about leo back in boston?"

"it's not like that," you lied, your voice trembling as you stared down at your lap, your fingers twisting the fabric of your sweatpants until your knuckles turned white. "he doesn't—he thinks of me as a sister, grace. you heard him. i just... i had to settle it. i had to make sure things didn't get weird."

"he does not think of you as a sister, you absolute idiot," leo’s deep voice cut through the room from his spot by the door. you looked up, surprised by the lack of irritation in his tone. instead, your brother just looked tired, his eyes fixed on you with a strange sort of sad understanding. "smitty hasn't looked at you like a sister since we were sixteen years old where he spent three weeks of his allowance buying you that stupid signed jersey for your birthday. everyone knows it, y/n. except apparently the two of you."

"it doesn't matter," you whispered, a sob finally breaking through your throat as you buried your face in your hands. the weight of the entire trip, the diner parking lot, the suffocating ride from the arena, and the cold look in will’s eyes just moments ago finally broke you completely. "don't you get it? look at what happened with the two of you last night. one spilled secret and the whole dynamic shattered. will is your best friend, leo. grace is my sister. if... if will and i tried anything and it went bad, it wouldn't just ruin us. it would burn the whole group down. i can't do that to our families."

grace let out a shaky breath, sitting down on the edge of the desk right next to you and pulling your hands away from your face. her fingers were warm, squeezing yours with a fierce, protective tightness.

"so you decided to just destroy yourself to keep us safe?" grace asked, her own eyes swelling with tears. "y/n, i am so sorry. god, i am so sorry. i've been so wrapped up in my own stupid drama with leo that i didn't even notice you were drowning right next to me."

"i'm fine," you sniffled, pulling your hands back to wipe your eyes, though the emptiness in your chest screamed otherwise. "i am. i just need everyone to drop it. i told him he's like a brother, and his face... he went so cold, grace. it's over. i killed it. let's just go get the tacos. please."

grace and leo exchanged another long, loaded look, but for the first time all weekend, they didn't push. they just nodded quietly, giving you the space to wash your face in the bathroom before forcing yourself out into the blinding california sun.

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the stadium lights of the sap center were dizzying, a massive sea of teal and white jerseys swirling all around you as the three of you took your seats just three rows back from the glass.

not to mention—the car ride over had been an absolute nightmare.

will had driven, fully dressed in his custom team suit, his hair parted. he looked every bit the professional nhl athlete—and he treated you like a complete stranger. he hadn't looked at you through the rearview mirror once. when you got out of the car, he didn't hold the door or linger back to walk next to you like he always did. he just walked ahead with leo, his broad shoulders stiff under his blazer, leaving a cold, unreadable distance in his wake.

now, the loud, booming music of the pre-game warmups vibrated through the concrete under your feet.

"he's coming out," grace murmured, leaning close to your ear over the noise of the crowd.

the sharks flooded onto the ice, the sharp scrape of skate blades against fresh ice echoing through the glass. your eyes instantly found number two. will skated out with his usual easy, powerful strides, circles forming as the team began their shooting drills.

usually, during warmups, will had a routine. the second he skated past your section, he would look up, find your face in the crowd, and give a specific, quick tap of his stick against the boards—a private little acknowledgment meant just for you.

you braced yourself as his circle brought him down your side of the rink. your heart hammered against your ribs, your eyes locking onto the dark tint of his visor as he glided closer.

will skated right past.

he didn't look up. he didn't tap his stick. his eyes remained locked strictly on the puck at his feet, his jaw set in a hard, expressionless line as he fired a shot into the net and skated away. he looked completely through you, as if the seat you were sitting in was entirely empty.

the absolute icy sting of it made you flinch, a physical ache blooming right in the center of your chest. you had gotten exactly what you asked for. you had built the wall, and will, with all his stubborn, bruised pride, had accepted it. he was treating you with the exact distant politeness you had given him in the kitchen, and it felt like a slow, agonizing death.

"okay, that's it," leo muttered from your left.

before you could even ask him what he meant, the buzzer sounded to end warmups, and the players filed back into the tunnel. leo stood up, his large frame towering over the stadium seats, his face set in a stubborn, unyielding expression that looked exactly like the one he wore when he was about to start a fight on the ice.

he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a heavy, laminated credential on a black lanyard—the family pass that allowed access to the lower locker room corridors after the game. he pressed it firmly into your hand, his fingers forcing yours closed around the plastic.

"leo, what are you doing?" you whispered, trying to push it back toward him. "i'm not going down there."

"yes, you are," your brother said, his voice entirely firm as he looked down at you. "smitty is going to play like he's got a dark cloud over his head, you look like you're about to faint, and grace and i are sick of watching the two of you ruin your lives for some stupid rule that doesn't even exist. he doesn't look at you like a sister, y/n. go down to the tunnel after the final horn and tell him the truth before he flies back to boston and never speaks to any of us again."

grace nodded fiercely next to him, pushing your shoulder gently toward the aisle. "go, y/n. we'll wait right here."

the plastic of the credential felt incredibly heavy against your palm as you stared down the long, concrete steps leading toward the underbelly of the arena. the game hadn't even started yet, but the countdown had officially begun, and you were completely terrified of what was going to happen when the glass finally shattered for good.

-----------------------------------------

the first two periods were nothing but a blurry smear of teal jerseys and the deafening, hollow roar of the arena crowd.

you sat between grace and leo, your thumb endlessly tracing the smooth, laminated edge of the pass in your lap. down on the ice, will was playing with reckless sort of aggression. he wasn't talking to his teammates on the bench; he wasn't doing his usual high-fives after a good shift. he was just hitting hard, skating too fast, and returning to the bench to stare blankly at the dark rubber matting between his skates.

by the time the third period buzzer finally echoed through the rafters, signaling a hard-fought win, your stomach had twisted itself into complete knots.

"go," leo said quietly, his hand coming down on your shoulder with a firm, grounding squeeze. "don't let him get on that team bus thinking you actually mean that 'brother' garbage."

grace gave you a small, encouraging push, her eyes soft with an apology that didn't need to be spoken anymore.

you stood up on trembling legs, separating yourself from the swarms of fans heading toward the exits, and made your way toward the security checkpoint near the lower bowl. the guard checked your laminated pass with a dull, practiced nod and unhooked the velvet rope, gesturing you down into the concrete underbelly of the sap center.

down there, the glamorous, bright energy completely vanished. it was all exposed pipes, grey concrete walls, the sharp, pungent scent of damp hockey gear, and the distant, rhythmic thud of heavy footsteps. you stood a few yards away from the heavy double doors of the visiting locker room, your back pressed against the cold wall, trying to breathe through the sheer panic suffocating your chest.

ten minutes passed. then twenty.

finally, the heavy metal doors groaned open. a few coaching staff members walked out first, talking in low, serious voices, followed by a couple of the older players carrying sleek rolling suitcases. and then came will.

he had showered, his hair still damp and curling slightly at the nape of his neck, but the sharp, immaculate lines of his suit looked like a suit of armor. his eyes were fixed entirely on the concrete floor in front of him, his large hand gripping the handle of his duffel bag so tightly the leather creaked.

as he neared your spot against the wall, his instinct must have kicked in. his eyes flicked up, adjusting to the shadow you were standing in. the second he recognized you, his entire stride hitched for a fraction of a second.

the cold, guarded wall you had forced him to build earlier that morning immediately slid over his features. he didn't stop walking. he just adjusted his bag on his shoulder and gave you a tiny, polite nod—the kind of nod you give a stranger you accidentally make eye contact with on the subway.

"hey," he said, his voice dropping into that scratchy, formal tone that felt like a bucket of ice water over your head. "leo and grace outside?"

he was going to walk right past you.

"will, stop," you choked out, the words slipping from your lips before your brain could even process the sheer terror of it.

he halted. he didn't turn around completely, just pausing two paces ahead of you, his broad back rigid under the tailored fabric of his blazer. the silence between you in that gray concrete hallway felt so heavy it was deafening.

"i'm tired, y/n," he muttered, his voice dropped incredibly quiet, rough around the edges from the three periods of hockey and whatever hell he’d been putting his own head through. "if you're here to tell me about midterms or schoolwork again, i really just... i want to get to the hotel."

"i lied," you whispered to his back.

the words seemed to hang in the chilly arena air. slowly but deliberately, will turned around. his eyes searched your face, completely unreadable, his jaw tight. "you lied about what?"

"everything," you said, taking one small, hesitant step forward until you were standing in the light, right in front of him. your hands were shaking, so you shoved them into the pockets of your jacket. "this morning... in the bedroom. when I told you that you were like a brother to me. it was a lie. the biggest, stupidest lie i've ever told in my life."

will didn't move. he didn't look relieved or angry; he just stood there like a statue, his eyes tracking the slight tremble in your lower lip. "why would you say something like that then?"

"because i was terrified," you breathed, a tear finally breaking free and slipping down your cheek, though you didn't even care to wipe it away this time. "i looked at grace and leo, and i saw how seven years of secrets almost broke them in a single night. and i got so scared, smitty. because my secret isn't like theirs. my secret is seven years of watching the clock until you come home for summer break. it's seven years of keeping every single hat you've ever left at my house. it's seven years of blushing in the dark because you looked at me for two seconds too long by the fridge."

will’s breath caught. you could see the sharp rise and fall of his chest beneath his suit jacket, the muscle in his jaw twitching.

"i thought if i told you that we were just family, the circle would stay safe," you continued, your voice cracking completely as you looked up into his intense gaze. "i thought i could just force myself to get over it. but then you skated past the glass tonight during warmups, and you didn't even look at me... and i realized i'd rather burn the whole world down than have you look through me like i don't exist."

will dropped his duffel bag.

the heavy canvas hit the concrete floor with a loud, dull thud, but neither of you flinched. in two massive, sweeping strides, he closed the remaining distance between you, completely invading your space until his intoxicating scent of vanilla soap and the cold ice rink air filled your lungs.

his large hands came up, his palms burying themselves into the sides of your face, his fingers sliding into your hair with a desperate roughness that made your breath hitch. his thumbs wiped the tears from your cheeks, his touch burning hot against your skin.

"you absolute idiot," will rumbled, his voice thick with an emotion that was raw and painful it made your heart ache. he leaned down, his forehead pressing firmly against yours, his eyes wide and searching as they locked onto yours from inches away. "you think you're the only one who's been suffocating for seven years? you think i want to be your brother, y/n? i have spent half my life trying not to look at your mouth because leo is my best friend and i didn't think i was allowed to have you."

"will..." you whispered against his lips, the proximity making your brain completely melt.

"no, listen to me," he commanded softly, his grip tightening just a fraction on your face, keeping you anchored right there against him. "don't you ever say that to me again. don't you ever look me in the eye and pretend i'm just the boy next door. i don't care about the circle. i don't care if leo throws me into a wall. if you're burning it down, you're burning it down with me."

and before you could even draw in another breath, will tilted his head and closed the distance, his lips pressing against yours in a kiss that felt less like a beginning and more like a dam finally bursting after seven years of pressure.

it was a heavy mix of frantic, and slightly messy, his mouth moving against yours with a desperate sort of hunger that told you everything his quiet, guarded shell had been hiding since you were thirteen years old. you let out a soft, shaky sigh into the kiss, your hands flying out of your pockets to grip the fabric of his blazer, pulling him closer until there wasn't a single inch of cold arena air left between your bodies.

when he finally pulled back just a fraction, his lips lingered against your mouth, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps. he didn't let go of your face. his thumbs just stroked your cheekbones, a slow, breathtakingly beautiful smile finally breaking through the hardened exterior of his face.

"so," a loud, familiar voice echoed from the end of the concrete hallway.

you both froze, your eyes widening as you slowly looked past will’s broad shoulder.

leo was standing near the security rope, his arms crossed over his chest, a massive, smug grin splitting his face, while grace stood right next to him, practically vibrating with excitement as she held up her phone.

"does this mean i don't have to eat my tacos in complete silence on the ride home?" leo called out, his deep voice bouncing off the concrete walls.

will let out a low laugh against your forehead, his shoulders finally losing every single ounce of the tension they’d been carrying all week. he didn't drop his hands from your face. he just turned his head slightly, throwing a lazy, victorious smirk back at your brother.

"shut up, leo," will called back, his fingers gently tangling in your hair as he pulled you right back in. "go buy the extra hot sauce. we're gonna be a while."

now that the weather in michigan is finally starting to warm up, you and your friends have started hanging out outside more than inside.

you guys like to hang out at the beach well after dark. it's not blazing hot, sometimes the wind has a nice chill. and it's just so pretty at night.

it's a friday night, and this plan has been set in stone for the entire week since the weather is supposed to be good for the entire weekend. no rain or even clouds scheduled in the forecast.

it's bonfire night.

you'd all gotten together and built a bonfire at your group's spot on the beach; the one you go to every weekend if possible. there's camp chairs scattered around, coolers with beer and seltzers, towels on the ground for people to lay on.

one of the guys (you think it might've been will vote) even brought a portable grill and was making hamburgers and hot dogs for everybody. there's s'mores going. it's gonna be a great night.

you'd gotten here early to help a couple of your friends set up for the night. and in your quick haste to leave, you ended up only leaving the house in a pair of denim shorts and a cropped tank top, forgetting your sweater. and the heat has dropped off now and the air has a bit of a chill to it.

'hey.' you heard a voice say as you were just about to text one of your friends to bring you a hoodie on her way.

it's will. your will. will smith. the us program's resident golden boy. the girl everyone wants. who happens to be your best friend. and well, you're not immune to his charm like some might think. you really are like the other girls who are head over heels for him.

'hey, yourself.' you said, pocketing your phone.

you shuffled over on the log bench you were sitting on, making room for him to sit next to you.

you reached over for the cooler. 'you want a drink?' you asked.

'just water.' he said, holding up his keys. the ones to his new bronco you hadn't had a ride in yet.

you handed him one, shaking off the ice from the cooler that sent another chill through you, making you shiver. will noticed.

'are you cold?' he asked, already pulling his hoodie over his head and handing it to you.

'thank you.' you said, putting it on and inhaling the familiar scent of him. it's big on you, but it's will's, so that doesn't even bother you. 'stupid me forgot my sweater. almost left the house in my slippers, too.' you joked, wiggling your toes in your slides.

will shuffled a bit closer. someone's turned music on now. he wants to be able to hear you better. his arm slid behind you, but not around you. just to the other side of the bench.

'you drinking tonight?' he asked. you nodded, holding up your can. although, you've been drinking the same one since you got here, so it probably won't be a lot. 'i'll drive you home.'

you nodded. he's too close for you to speak. your eyes flicked down to his lips for just one second, and you swear he did the same thing to yours.

but you pulled away. you needed to go use the bathroom. and calm your racing heart down before you do something you might regret in the morning. and forever.

'i'll be right back.' you said, squeezing his shoulder as you walked by, taking deep breaths to calm yourself down.

by the time you came back, will wasn't where you left him. you grabbed another drink from the cooler, having finished your first one just before you went to the bathroom.

'y/n!' you heard him calling for you from some of the camp chairs on the other side of the bonfire.

you made your way over, seeing he's in the middle with ryan and gabe on either side of him. nowhere for you to sit. you could see ryan grinning behind his solo cup. he planned this, didn't he?

'c'mere.' will said, holding an arm out. you can sit on his lap. he doesn't mind.

you hesitated, but he reached out and grabbed you by the waist, pulling you down onto him. you squealed in surprise, some of your cooler spilling down from the can and onto his hoodie, but he paid no mind to that as he adjusted in the chair so you both would be comfortable.

you wrapped an arm around the back of his neck to stabilize yourself as you extended your legs out over his lap where you ended up on his thigh.

you swear he could feel how nervous you were. could probably hear how fast your heart was beating right next to him. and he did.

'your heart's beating really fast. are you okay?' he asked, looking up at you. you had a bit of a height advantage from the way you were sitting on him.

'yeah, just... alcohol.' you said, awkwardly, holding up your can and downing about half of it. you tend to drink faster the more you have.

will took the can from your hand, placing it into the cup holder on the chair. 'slow down. no need to be getting drunk off of two drinks.' he said, tightening his grip around your waist so that your sides were flush together.

'you're so pretty.' he said, causing you to blush.

'stop.' you said, looking away from him and towards the fire where some of your friends were throwing the coloured powder into it to see if it'll change colour.

'i'm serious.' will said, patting your hip, hooking his thumb in your belt loop on your shorts.

'yeah, okay.' you said, reaching past him to the cup holder for your drink.

your knee brushed him when you moved, and he inhaled sharply. you grabbed your drink and immediately settled back. oh. you blushed even more. we're gonna forget about that.

eventually, gabe made it less awkward by handing out s'mores to you guys. but you're kind of feeling like a mess right now, so of course you end up with chocolate and gooey marshmallow on the side of your mouth.

'you got a little...' will gestured to your mouth.

your tongue darted out, licking around and trying to get it. you didn't.

'let me.' will said, reaching up and brushing it away with his thumb, lingering on your bottom lip for longer than he should've, eyes trained on your lips.

you looked away, heart beginning to race and butterflies picking up their wings again. and then you were downing the rest of your drink in one go.

will smiled to himself. of course. 'let's get out of here. i'm gonna take you home.' he said, lifting you up off of his lap and onto your feet in the sand.

he grabbed your hand, intertwining your fingers as you waved goodbye to everyone and he led you up to the parking lot where he'd parked his bronco.

he opened the passenger door for you, helping you up into it and making sure you didn't fall. he waited until you had your seatbelt buckled in before he closed the door, making his way over to the driver's side.

you had the music turned on before he even turned the key in the ignition. some kind of cheesy pop song that you love and he also really does, too.

then you were rolling your window all the way down and leaning your head on your arms as you looked out of it. the wind had picked up now, so it was blowing as will was driving to your house, making your hair flow in the wind. the moonlight reflected on your face, making you glow.

will had to remind himself to keep his eyes on the road. he just wanted to stare at you the entire time. he thinks you're so beautiful.

eventually, he pulled up at your house. the lights were off and the house was dark. your family must all already be in bed and asleep.

you turned to will, going to thank him for bringing you home, but you found him already looking at you. and there's something different in the way he's looking at you. it's the same way he's been looking at you all night, but that's even different than the way he normally does.

the butterflies picked up again and your heart raced. maybe it's the alcohol in your system talking, but you couldn't help from shuffling closer towards him, the console still in between the two of you.

'will...' you whispered, eyes darting down to glance at his lips.

'yeah.' he said, reaching over to cup your face, brushing his thumb across your cheekbone so tenderly like he did with your lips earlier.

then before you knew it, you were both leaning across the console and your lips met. people always say they feel butterflies or fireworks, and yes, you felt that, too; but mainly you just felt content. like coming home. like this is where you're supposed to be.

'wow.' you said when you pulled away, your lashes fluttering against your face where you blinked slowly.

'yeah.' will said again, still brushing his thumb over your cheekbone.

you both leaned in for another quick and sweet kiss, emotions coming through it all.

you kept your foreheads pressed against each other after this one, noses brushing and eyes closed. you sighed softly, content and happy. and a little bit tipsy.

will kissed the tip of your nose, still brushing his thumb. 'text me when you get upstairs.' he told you. you nodded against him. 'and in the morning when you wake up.'

you nodded again, a tiny, tipsy giggle falling from your lips. 'yes, will.' you said, kissing him again just because you couldn't help it.

then you actually had to go inside. 'goodnight, y/n.' he said when you pulled away and went to go get out of his bronco.

The world outside the window is a chaotic symphony of wind and lashing rain. The monsoon season has hit Chicago with a vengeance and for the past hour, you've been curled up on the couch with Connor, listening to the storm rage. The lights flicker once, twice and then with a final, decisive buzz, the entire house plunges into darkness.

"Well, that's that," Connor's voice says calmly from beside you. You can hear the smile in his tone.

"Guess we're stuck in the dark," you reply, a slight pout in your voice.

"Not for long," he says and you hear him get up. A moment later, you hear the strike of a match and a small flame flickers to life, illuminating his handsome face.

He moves methodically through the room, lighting candle after candle until the bedroom is bathed in a soft, warm glow. The dancing flames cast long shadows on the walls, creating an intimate, almost sacred atmosphere. When he's finished, he turns to you, his eyes dark and intense in the flickering light.

"Better?" he asks, his voice soft.

You nod, your heart swelling with affection for this boy. For the way he takes care of you, for the quiet strength he possesses that belies his age.

He crosses the room to you, his movements fluid and graceful. He takes your hand in his, his thumb stroking your knuckles gently.

"I love you," he says, his voice barely a whisper.

"I love you too," you reply, your voice thick with emotion.

He leans in then, capturing your lips in a slow, tender kiss. It's a kiss of deep, abiding affection, a promise of what's to come. His hands cup your face, his fingers tangling in your hair as he deepens the kiss, his tongue tracing the seam of your lips.

You part for him willingly, your arms wrapping around his neck as you pull him closer. The kiss deepens, becoming more urgent, more demanding, but still imbued with a tenderness that takes your breath away. He's always so gentle with you, so careful, as if you're something precious to be cherished.

He walks you backward towards the bed, his lips never leaving yours. When the back of your knees hit the mattress, he lowers you down gently, his body covering yours. The candlelight flickers across his face, highlighting the strong line of his jaw, the intense focus in his eyes.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs, his hands roaming over your body. "So fucking beautiful."

You can feel the heat building between you, the slow, steady burn of desire that's been simmering just beneath the surface all evening. His hands slide under your shirt, his touch sending sparks of pleasure straight to your core.

"Connor," you gasp, your back arching as his fingers find your nipples, teasing them into hard peaks.

"Shhh," he murmurs, his lips trailing a path down your neck. "Just feel."

He takes his time, exploring your body with a reverence that never fails to amaze you. He's in no hurry, content to savor every moment, every touch, every taste. His mouth is everywhere, on your breasts, your stomach, your thighs, his touch a brand that claims you as his own.

When he finally settles between your legs, his breath warm against your most sensitive skin, you can feel the tension coiling in your belly, the pressure building to an almost unbearable degree.

"Look at me," he commands softly, his eyes meeting yours. "I want to see you when I make you come."

His tongue finds your clit then and you cry out, your hands tangling in his hair as he laps at your folds, his tongue delving deep inside you. The pleasure is overwhelming, a slow, steady build that threatens to consume you entirely.

"Connor," you gasp, your hips bucking against his mouth. "Please…"

"Not yet, baby," he murmurs, his fingers replacing his tongue as he circles your clit with practiced precision.

He brings you to the edge again and again, each time pulling back just before you can fall, until you're a writhing, whimpering mess beneath him.

"Please," you beg, your voice barely audible. "Please, Connor. I need to come."

With a low growl, he obeys, his tongue flicking against your clit one final time. You shatter, your body convulsing with pleasure as waves of ecstasy wash over you. You cry out his name, your fingers tightening in his hair as you ride out the intensity of your orgasm.

He kisses his way back up your body, his mouth claiming yours in a deep, passionate kiss. You can taste yourself on his lips, a heady, intoxicating flavor that makes you want him all the more.

"Are you ready for me?" he asks, his voice thick with need.

You can only nod, your body still trembling with the aftershocks of your orgasm.

He enters you then, a slow, deliberate push that steals your breath. The stretch is amazing, his thick length filling you completely as he seats himself fully within you. He stays still for a moment, allowing your body to adjust to his size, his eyes never leaving yours.

"You feel so good," he groans, his hips beginning to move. "So tight. So perfect."

He sets a slow, steady rhythm, his strokes deep and purposeful. Each movement is a declaration of his love, a testament to the connection you share. The candlelight flickers across his face, highlighting the raw emotion in his eyes, the love that shines so brightly it takes your breath away.

"I love you," he murmurs, his lips brushing against yours. "So much."

"I love you too," you reply, your voice thick with emotion.

He picks up the pace then, his movements becoming more erratic, more demanding. You can feel the tension building again, the pressure coiling in your belly as he brings you closer to the edge.

"Come with me," he gasps, his hand sliding down to rub your clit. "Come with me, baby."

With a final, deep thrust, you shatter, your body convulsing with pleasure as waves of ecstasy wash over you. He follows moments later, his hot cum flooding your insides as he groans your name.

He collapses beside you, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. You snuggle closer, your head resting on his chest, your body still humming with pleasure.

"That was…" you trail off, unable to find the words.

"Perfect," he finishes, his arms tightening around you. "It's always perfect with you."

You smile, pressing a soft kiss to his chest. "I love you, Connor."

it is a very good thing your roommate has decided to go out of town this weekend. by some crazy coincidence; the bruins, sharks, and blackhawks had all gotten the weekend off from games.

that means that fraser, macklin, and connor are all coming to you. they're gonna spend the entire weekend with you in your dorm. it's a good thing your parents splurged for a dorm with soundproof walls. they claimed it was to help you study better. but you're glad for an entirely different reason.

they'd all flown in at different times, but stayed at the airport until all three of them had arrived so that they could make their way over to your university together. it'll be so much better if they can all see you at once.

you'd known they were coming, and you knew exactly what you were in for after you and macklin had put on a show for connor and fraser when you guys were on facetime a few weeks ago. you're getting punished tonight.

but you were still going to try to be a little bit of a tease. you'd treated yourself. you'd gone to the mall and picked out some new lingerie just for tonight. it's going to end up on the floor anyways, but you still wanna look all pretty for them.

your phone buzzed with a text from connor. the cab they're in is pulling up outside of your dorm building. they're going to be up the stairs and at your door any second now.

you took a deep breath, adjusting the silk robe you wore over your new lacy black set and ran your fingers through your hair, giving it an effortlessly tussled look.

then the knock came.

you were at the door before you had even really realized that you were moving. you swung the door open to reveal the three boys you'd been expecting, their travel bags in their arms.

'hi, baby.' fraser greeted you, stepping into your dorm room first and cupping your face to press a kiss to your forehead.

'hi, pretty girl. you get all dressed up just for us?' connor asked, stepping in and around you, eyeing you up and down. even reaching over and snapping the bra strap against your skin where the robe had slipped off of your shoulder.

macklin's breath hitched as he took in the sight of you. clad in black but shining in the light. you look absolutely stunning.

'hi.' you said, stepping into his space and wrapping your arms around his neck, standing up on your tip toes to press a kiss to his lips, nose brushing his.

connor and fraser let the two of you be before they were circling you like vultures stalk their prey. they have plans for tonight. big plans.

fraser pulled you away from macklin and back towards himself by your hips, pulling them flush back against his pelvis. you can already feel the outline of his hard cock.

connor did the same thing to macklin, grabbing him by the throat and forcing him to look over at where you were caged in fraser's arms.

'you two put on quite the show the other night, didn't you?' connor started. 'tried to show off and teach us a lesson, huh?'

'but actions have consequences, baby.' fraser said. 'you gotta be punished.'

'what are you gonna do?' you asked in a breath as fraser leaned down and began to kiss your neck.

'well, you two seemed to do such a fine job over the phone without us, we figured you two could decide that.' connor said, pushing macklin over to your bed which is going to be way too small for all four of you.

fraser followed by guiding you over and settling you down on the mattress next to macklin.

'go on.' he said. 'you punish him. he punishes you.' he told you. 'let's see how this goes.'

he slid the robe down your shoulders, large palms brushing over your covered breasts as he did so, making you inhale sharply. then he was pushing you back onto the bed so macklin could do what he wanted to you.

then him and connor were leaning against your desk and sitting in your desk chair as macklin moved you further back onto your pillows and reached for the waistband of your panties, sliding them off carefully so he wouldn't rip the new lace.

then he was hooking your thighs up over his shoulders and wasting absolutely no time in diving in and eating you out with a fervor. his tongue flattened against your clit, lapping up your wetness from how aroused you were already.

'oh, fuck.' you cursed out, not having expected him to jump straight into it already. you thought he would at least try to tease you a little bit first. but no.

his fingertips dug into your thighs as he pulled you as close as possible and buried his face into your cunt.

connor and fraser weren't even touching themselves. they just had their eyes trained right on you and macklin on your bed, unblinking and not looking away.

macklin sucked your clit into his mouth, drawing circles with his tongue on your sensitive bundle of nerves. he spread your legs further apart up on his shoulders as he cupped underneath your ass with one hand and slipped the other one in between your legs to slide two fingers through your folds and into your pussy.

he felt your walls clench down around his fingers and the heat of your clit pulsing against his tongue. your thighs tightened where they were resting his shoulders around his head, squeezing his ears. you're close.

'you asshole!' you cried out when he pulled away just before you could come, wiping at his lips that were shiny with your juices with the back of his hand.

'good boy.' fraser told him, and macklin let out an appreciative and whiny moan at the praise.

'your turn.' connor told you, staring you down.

you were still recovering from your lack of an orgasm after being so close. you had to take a minute to calm your beating heart down and think of how you're gonna get macklin back.

you had it figured out within seconds. you'd been close. you could make yourself come before he even gets close to it.

you pushed him backwards onto his back on your sheets, his head almost hanging off the end. you didn't care about getting him fully naked, you just wanted his cock out. so, you didn't take his hoodie off of his body.

you pulled the waistbands of both his sweatpants and boxers down, tapping his hip to make him lift to help you out with sliding them down. you didn't push them down to his ankles, only enough to free his cock, making it spring up against his clenched stomach.

you positioned your knees on either side of his hips, bracketing him in as you gripped his base and lined yourself up with his tip, slowly sinking down onto him until he was buried in you to the hilt.

macklin gasped out loud at the sensation of you being so warm and tight around him and his hands flew to cup your hips. you barely even gave him any time to recover before you were beginning to bounce.

your hips rocked over his in a way that him, and even connor and fraser had never seen before. you're desperate to come, and it's clear that you're not stopping until you get to.

'that's it, baby. take what you need.' fraser cooed over at you, making your head tilt back as you moved over macklin frantically.

'doing so good.' connor said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

you reached a hand out for him, using your other to stabilize yourself against macklin's shoulder as you rocked and rolled your hips, clit brushing against his pelvis. that stimulation wasn't enough, and that's why you wanted connor.

'connie, please...' you whined and begged.

'oh, baby. you need my help?' he asked, standing up anyways and walking over to your dorm bed.

his hand slipped in between you and macklin, taking a second to fondle at macklin's balls and make him cry out before the pads of his fingers made their way to your clit, pressing in lightly and beginning to rub circles.

you cried out, your head falling onto connor's shoulder as that tiny little touch made your orgasm crash over you. your legs shook against macklin, your pace faltering.

connor grabbed your hips to keep you from falling any further onto macklin, pulling you off of the younger boy who made a broken crying out sound at the loss of the stimulation and that he hadn't come yet.

fraser stepped over now. they think you and macklin have punished and edged each other enough for one night.

'you'll think twice before teasing us like that again, huh?' fraser asked as he knelt next to you on one side and connor on the other side of you.

fraser pulled the front of your bra that you were still wearing down, exposing your tits to the cool but charged air of the room and to them all.

connor began to kiss your neck as fraser nibbled on the shell of your ear, looking over at macklin, who was now looking at the three of you with unshed tears in his eyes. he's so overstimulated and pent up.

'you gave us an idea.' connor whispered against your skin. 'when we were on facetime.'

'you really think your sweet pussy can take both of us at the same time?' fraser questioned you.

'yeah, i do.' a little bit of defiance and your brat personality coming through.

connor and fraser's eyes darkened as they looked down at you. macklin's eyes widened across the bed. they're actually going to do it.

'oh, baby. you have no idea what you just started.' connor whispered, darkly.

It didn’t matter whether it was a birthday present hidden in the back of the closet or a surprise dinner reservation he had made weeks in advance. The moment you looked at him for longer than a few seconds, his smile would become suspiciously wide, his cheeks would turn pink, and whatever he was hiding would come spilling out.

But somehow, he had kept this one to himself for years.

You were sitting on the floor of your shared apartment, surrounded by half-packed cardboard boxes and pieces of your life scattered across the living room. Will had been traded a few weeks earlier, and although you had both known that moving was always a possibility, it still felt strange to see your home disappearing one box at a time.

Your books had been packed away. His collection of hoodies had been reduced to the three he refused to put in a suitcase. Framed photographs had been taken off the walls, leaving pale rectangles behind where the sunlight hadn’t reached.

Will sat beside you with his back against the couch, turning an old photograph between his fingers.

You leaned closer, immediately recognizing it “Oh my God.” Will laughed quietly. “I forgot we had this.”

It had been taken the night you met.

You were standing beside him at a crowded college party, your expression caught somewhere between amused and irritated while Will smiled at the camera like he had just won something. His arm wasn’t quite around you, but his hand hovered close to your waist, as if even then he had been looking for an excuse to touch you “You spilled your drink on me five minutes before that picture,” you reminded him.

“You bumped into me.”

“You walked backwards without looking.”

“Because I was talking to you.”

“You weren’t talking to me. You were trying to impress me.”

Will’s mouth lifted into a grin. “Did it work?” You looked at the photograph again “No.”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

“You told me you played hockey.”

“I did play hockey.”

“You said it like you expected me to be impressed.”

“I was eighteen.”

“You were unbearable.”

“And yet, you gave me your number.” You rested your head against his shoulder. “You followed me around for almost an hour.”

“I was being persistent.”

“You were being annoying.”

“You liked me.”

“I tolerated you.”

Will turned his head and pressed a kiss against your hair “You smiled every time I talked to you.”

“I was laughing at you.”

“You still do that.”

“Because you’re still ridiculous.”

His laughter vibrated through his chest beneath your cheek. For a moment, the apartment didn’t feel empty or temporary. It still felt like home because he was sitting beside you.

Will placed the photograph carefully on top of the open box in front of him “I knew I was going to marry you the day we met.” you lifted your head so quickly that you nearly knocked your forehead against his chin “What?”

His smile softened, but there wasn’t any embarrassment in his expression. No teasing glint in his eyes. He looked completely serious “I knew I was going to marry you the day we met,” he repeated.

You stared at him “Will, you asked me what my name was three times.”

“The music was loud.”

“You called me the wrong name the second time.”

“I was nervous.”

“You tried to convince me that you knew how to dance.”

“I do know how to dance.”

“You almost knocked over a lamp.”

“That lamp was badly placed.” A laugh escaped you, but Will continued looking at you with that same quiet certainty “I’m serious,” he said, your smile slowly faded into something softer “How could you possibly know that?”

Will looked down at the photograph again.

He was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts. It was rare for him to struggle with words around you. Usually, he could talk his way through anything, filling silence with jokes and rambling explanations until you forgot what the original conversation had been about.

But this time, he chose each word carefully “I didn’t know anything about you,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what your favorite food was or what kind of music you listened to. I didn’t know that you cried during every dog movie or that you hated when people left cabinet doors open.”

“You still leave them open.”

“I’m working on it.”

“You’ve been working on it for years.”

Will smiled briefly before continuing “I didn’t know that you would become my best friend. I didn’t know you would be there for every bad game, every injury, every move, every time I doubted myself.” His fingers found yours, intertwining them. “But I looked at you that night and thought, there you are.”

Your chest tightened, Will rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand “It felt like I had been waiting for you without realizing I was waiting for anyone.”

You blinked rapidly, suddenly grateful that most of the apartment had already been packed and there were no mirrors nearby to show you how emotional you looked “You never told me that.”

“I didn’t want you to think I was crazy.”

“I already think you’re crazy.”

“Exactly. I didn’t need to give you more evidence.” You laughed, wiping beneath your eye with your free hand, Will shifted closer, his knee pressing against yours “I remember going home that night and telling my roommate that I had met the girl I was going to marry.”

Your eyes widened. “You did not.”

“I did.”

“What did he say?”

“He told me I had known you for two hours.”

“He had a point.”

“I told him it didn’t matter.” You searched his face, waiting for him to laugh and admit that he was exaggerating. But Will only watched you with that familiar tenderness that still made your stomach flutter, no matter how many years you had been together “And then what?” you asked quietly.

“And then I spent the next six months trying to convince you to date me.”

“It was not six months.”

“It felt like six months.”

“It was three weeks.”

“Longest three weeks of my life.”

“You were seeing someone else when we met.”

“I stopped talking to her the next morning.”

You stared at him again “What?” Will’s expression changed immediately “Wait. You didn’t know that?”

“No.”

“I thought I told you.”

“You absolutely did not.”

He rubbed the back of his neck “Well, there wasn’t much to tell, we had gone out twice. It wasn’t serious.”

“But you stopped seeing her because of me?”

Will looked almost confused by the question “Of course.”

“After knowing me for one night?”

“I told you. I knew.” Your heart felt painfully full, the move had been stressful. There had been contracts, meetings, phone calls, rushed decisions, and quiet conversations late at night about whether you were truly prepared to start over somewhere new.

You had never doubted that you would go with him.

Still, you had worried about leaving the life you had built together. The familiar coffee shop downstairs, your favorite grocery store, the friends who lived only a few minutes away. The apartment where Will had first asked you to move in with him. The kitchen where he had proposed while dinner burned in the oven because he had been too nervous to remember the timer.

But looking at him now, you understood something you should have known all along, home had never been the apartment, it had always been Will “You really knew?” you whispered, he nodded

“Immediately?”

“Immediately.”

“You didn’t even know whether I liked you.”

“I knew you would eventually.” you shoved his shoulder lightly. “That confidence almost ruined everything.”

“But it didn’t.”

“Barely.” Will caught your wrist before you could pull away and brought your hand to his mouth, kissing the ring on your finger, his ring, the one he had chosen after weeks of secretly asking your friends for advice. The one he had nearly dropped behind the stove during his proposal. The one that still made him smile whenever he saw it on your hand “I would’ve waited,” he said.

“For how long?”

“As long as it took.” your throat tightened again, Will’s eyes moved around the nearly empty apartment “You know I’m sorry about all this.”

“You don’t have to be sorry.”

“I know you loved it here.”

“I did.”

“And you’re leaving your job and your friends and everything that’s familiar because of me.” You shifted until you were facing him fully “I’m not leaving everything because of you,” you said. “I’m going somewhere new with you.”

“That’s different?”

“Completely.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly, you cupped his face between your hands, smiling when his cheeks squished beneath your palms “I knew too.”

Will blinked “You knew what?"

“That I was going to marry you.”

His eyebrows lifted. “The day we met?”

“No.” His smile dropped dramatically, you laughed. “Will.”

“When?”

“I don’t know. Maybe our third date.”

“Third?”

“You ate my fries without asking.”

“That made you want to marry me?”

“No. You ordered another plate because you realized I was annoyed, and then you pretended you had wanted them for yourself so I wouldn’t feel bad.”

Will’s expression softened “You remember that?”

“I remember everything.”

His hands settled on your waist, “So technically, I knew first.”

“You always have to win, don’t you?”

“It’s not my fault I recognized my future wife before she recognized her future husband.”

“You were still calling me the wrong name.”

“One time.”

“Twice.”

“The first one doesn’t count. The music was loud.” you leaned forward until your forehead rested against his “You’re impossible.”

“And you married me anyway.”

“I did.” Will kissed you slowly, one hand sliding to the back of your neck. The apartment around you might have been empty, but the kiss held every year you had spent filling it.

Every late-night dinner, every argument and apology, every celebration after a win and every quiet drive home after a loss, every version of yourselves that had existed between the night you met and the life you had now.

When you pulled away, Will kept you close “You know,” he murmured, “our new place has a bigger kitchen.”

“Are you planning another proposal?”

“No. I already got the answer I wanted.”

“You could try again. Maybe I’ll say no this time.”

Will tightened his arms around you “Too late. You’re stuck with me.”

You smiled against his mouth “Good.” across the room, the photograph remained on top of the box, showing two young strangers who had no idea how much their lives were about to change, or perhaps only one of them had no idea.

It didn’t matter if he had gone to bed at nine or two in the morning, if he had practice or an entire free day ahead of him—once he was comfortable, it took every ounce of strength he had to leave the warmth of the bed.

Usually, you found it endearing.

Today, however, you were supposed to be at brunch with some of his teammates and their girlfriends in less than an hour, and Will was currently wrapped around you like a human blanket.

His arm was heavy across your waist, one leg tangled between yours, his face buried against the back of your neck. Every slow breath tickled your skin, making it increasingly difficult to remember why getting up was so important.

You carefully lifted his wrist and tried to slide out from beneath him, Will immediately tightened his hold “Where are you going?” he mumbled, his voice rough and thick with sleep.

“To get ready.”

“No.”

You smiled despite yourself. “We have brunch.”

“Cancel it.”

“We can’t cancel. You’re the one who made the plans.”

“I was young and stupid when I made those plans.”

“You made them yesterday.”

“Exactly.”

You managed to free one leg and place your foot on the floor, but before you could stand, Will hooked an arm around your middle and pulled you backward, a surprised laugh escaped you as you landed against his chest.

“Will!”

“Come back to bed,” he murmured, pressing a lazy kiss against your shoulder. “Five more minutes.”

“You always say five more minutes.”

“And I always mean it.”

“You mean thirty.”

“Sometimes forty-five.”

You turned in his arms, finding his eyes still closed and his hair sticking up in every possible direction. He looked unfairly soft like this, without the usual energy and confidence he carried everywhere else, you brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead “We’re going to be late.”

“They expect that from me.”

“They don’t expect it from me.”

Will finally opened one eye, looking at you with the smallest sleepy smile “You’re dating me. They’ve adjusted their expectations.” you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t stop smiling. “You’re a terrible influence.”

“Maybe.”

His hand slipped beneath the hem of your shirt, resting warmly against your waist. There was nothing suggestive about it. He simply seemed to need the reassurance that you were still there.

That was what always made it difficult to leave him.

Will was affectionate at the best of times, constantly reaching for your hand or resting his chin on your shoulder. But in the mornings, when he was still halfway asleep, he became especially clingy. There was no embarrassment or hesitation. He loved you, and he wanted you close.

Simple as that “You know,” you whispered, “most adults can get out of bed without emotional support.”

“I’m not most adults.”

“You’re barely an adult.”

“That sounds like something someone older than me would say.”

“I’m six months older than you.”

“Ancient.” you lightly pushed his shoulder, but he only laughed and pulled you closer until your face was tucked beneath his chin.

“Five minutes,” he repeated.

You glanced toward the clock on the nightstand “We genuinely only have five minutes.”

“Perfect.”

“And then you’re getting up.”

“Absolutely.”

“You promise?”

Will hummed, already drifting back toward sleep, you narrowed your eyes. “Will.”

“I promise,” he mumbled.

You relaxed against him, letting your eyes close again. His fingers traced slow, absentminded circles along your side, and his heartbeat was steady beneath your cheek.

For a moment, the plans didn’t matter, the messages already waiting on your phone didn’t matter.

There was only the quiet bedroom, the pale morning light slipping through the curtains and Will holding you like there was nowhere else he would rather be.

Exactly five minutes later, your alarm sounded, Will groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow, you reached over him to silence it. “Time to get up.”

“No.”

“You promised.”

“I was asleep. That promise isn’t legally binding.”

You laughed as you sat up, pulling the blanket away from him, Will stared at you in betrayal “That’s cruel.”

“Get dressed.”

He caught your hand before you could step away and pressed a kiss to your knuckles “What if we stay here and order pancakes?”

“We’re meeting everyone for pancakes.”

“But these would be private pancakes.”

“Private pancakes?”

“Yeah.” His smile became more persuasive as he tugged you closer. “No teammates stealing food off my plate. No one making fun of me because you cut my pancakes for me.”

“I did that once.”

“And it was the happiest day of my life.”

“That’s dramatic.”

“I’m serious.” you leaned down and kissed him, intending for it to be quick. Will immediately placed a hand behind your neck, keeping you there for several seconds longer. When you pulled away, he was smiling triumphantly “You wasted two minutes,” you told him.

“Worth it.”

You pointed toward the bathroom. “Go.”

Will finally pushed himself upright, his hair somehow looking even worse than before. He wrapped his arms around your waist one last time, resting his forehead against your stomach “You’re coming back to bed with me after brunch.”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you get ready without complaining.”

He looked up at you “That seems unreasonable.”

“Then no post-brunch nap.”

Will stood immediately “I’ll be ready in ten minutes.”

You watched him hurry toward the bathroom and shook your head, laughing quietly “Five more minutes,” you called after him.

His head appeared around the doorway “Don’t joke about things like that.”