“Children, let’s try to make it through one meal without fighting, okay?” Jagger said as he reached over Ronnie’s head to deposit a platter with more bacon than Mickie had ever seen in her life. Beside her, Ralph sighed like a damsel swooning over the prince.
She elbowed her best friend and whispered, “Straight, Ralphie. The man is straight.”
“The penis wants what the penis wants, hon.”
Mickie burst out laughing, nearly choking on her coffee. From her other side, Keith raised an eyebrow. She shook her head. “Nothing. Ralph is just lusting after Jagger. Again.”
“Well,” Keith said, “Jag’s not having much luck with the ladies these days, so maybe he’d be willing to give you a go, Ralph.” He stuffed a forkful of chocolate chip pancakes in his mouth.
The kitchen fell silent save for the sizzling of bacon on the stove.
Really? How much bacon did they need? Mickie glanced at the now empty platter. Apparently, a lot of bacon.
“Holy fucking shit,” JP burst out as they all gaped at Keith. “Did the grumpiest Benson brother just make a funny about Jagger’s sex life? Damn, Mickie, whatever you did to him last night, keep at it. He’s a new man.”
Her face heated, but before she had a chance to fire back, Keith flipped his brother off.
“Hey!” Jagger said from the stove. “No offense, Ralph, but I do just fine with the ladies, and I’m not jumping ship on pussy anytime soon.”
With a dramatic sigh, Ralph said, “A boy can always hope,” at the same time JP said, “Tell that to your apron, bro.”
Michaela bit her lip to keep from laughing as Jagger flipped JP off, too. The poor guy was going to get a complex at this point. Though with the shit he talked, he probably deserved it and more. Giving the finger in this family was akin to hugging in others.
Jagger pointed his spatula at JP. “Don’t knock the apron, man. It’s a classic.”
A laugh bubbled out of Mickie as Ronnie snorted. The apron in question had cartoon images of a cow, pig, chicken, and deer standing in a row. Beneath the pictures, it read, “I want your meat.”
Ralph giggled as well. “Despite the homoerotic apron, if we’re getting technical here, Michaela is the one who should really be with Jagger.”
Keith stiffened, so she rubbed his back as she rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Ralph?”
“Ohhh, now we’re talking.” Jagger winked her way, causing Keith to growl.
This possessive side of him gave her a secret thrill, not that she’d admit that to anyone.
“Not that I’m arguing your incredible insight, but why me?” Jagger asked as he added the second round of bacon to the empty platter.
“Uhh, it’s so obvious.” Ralph paused, seeming to love the way they all hung on his words. “Mick and Jagger, duh!”
There was a five-second pause before JP, Ronnie, and Jagger all burst out laughing.
“Oh, my God,” Ronnie said between hoots. “That’s perfect. How did we not notice that?”
“I noticed,” Keith grumbled. “Just didn’t think it needed a fucking discussion.” He stabbed a pancake with his fork then plopped it on his plate.
That only set his siblings on another round of hysterics. This time Ralph joined in, nudging her arm. “I love them all,” he whispered once he caught his breath.
Her smile grew so big her cheeks ached. As she glanced around her recently renovated kitchen at the faces of her new friends and best friend enjoying each other, she began to well up from the multitude of emotions.
“Hey.” Keith stared at her with concern in his gaze. His hand went to her lower back. Warmth radiated through her body at the caring gesture. “You all right?”
“Yeah,” she whispered back, though no one seemed to be paying attention to them. They were too busy praising Ralph for his discovery. “It’s just…” Her face heated. “This might be the most perfect morning I’ve ever had.” It had started by waking with Keith’s strong arms anchored around her in her bed. Never before had she wanted to be touched while sleeping. Now she cuddled up to him like a small kitten in need of warmth. If he was near, she wanted contact, whether awake or not.
Keith’s face softened. He captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger then pressed the sweetest kiss she’d ever experienced to her lips. “Makes sense,” he said. “A follow-up to the most perfect night.”
Yes. The night had been perfect if hours of hot, dirty sex and multiple orgasms defined perfection. And it did. After their bathroom adventure, they’d pigged out on ice cream with Ralph before retiring to her room, where they split the rest of the night between short dozes and intense reconnection.
“Hey, think you two can stop making goo-goo eyes at each other for like one minute?” Ronnie asked.
A balled-up napkin hit Mickie on the side of the head, jerking her out of her lov—uh, lust bubble. Not love. Lust and a lot of like, but not love. That’d be insane.