I left them to it and went to my computer.
SEVEN
It was my birthday. Anyone who had a birthday so soon after Christmas and New Year knew how much it could suck, but not this year. While I didn’t have my dad, and we were in the middle of a shitstorm with my mother, I had the Four and my friends to celebrate with me.
My day began with being woken by soft kisses from Caiden, who was fully dressed already. “Happy Birthday.” He gave me a heart-stopping grin, and I melted.
“Morning. Don’t you want to start my day off with birthday sex?” I bit my lip, dragging the duvet down to expose my body.
He growled low in his throat. “Fuck, Snowflake. I’ve got a plan for today, but when you look like that…”
Suddenly he was pouncing on me, pulling the rest of the covers off my body and burying his head between my legs.
Oh. Yes. This was how all birthdays should start, in my opinion. I gripped his hair, holding his head in place as he worked magic with his tongue and fingers, until I was crying out his name and completely spent.
“Go and shower, then join us for breakfast,” he commanded, raising his head and licking his lips, a satisfied grin on his face.
“Don’t you want me to take care of you?” I sat up, running my hand over the bulge in his jeans.
A low hiss escaped his lips, and he crawled up my body to kiss me. “Fuck. You’re impossible to resist. Not yet. We have plans.”
He tore himself away, his eyes darkened with lust as he stared at me. “Go and shower now, before I change my mind.”
“Aren’t you going to join me?”
He shook his head, reluctance written all over his face. “I can’t. Be quick. Come and find me downstairs.” He disappeared out of the room, leaving me staring after him. What was up with his behaviour? No sex, and he never turned down a chance to shower with me.
After a massive breakfast with all of the Four, Weston pushed a large box across the kitchen island to me.
“This is from all of us. We all chipped in. Happy Birthday, sis.” I tore open the wrapping paper to find a very expensive-looking laptop in a sleek white box.
I clapped a hand over my mouth in shock, clearing my throat to try and remove the sudden lump. “What? I wasn’t expecting this. Seriously, I can’t thank you guys enough.” Hopping down from my stool, I went around the island, hugging them all in turn, before returning to my seat.
“We thought it would be useful. I couldn’t stand seeing you use that old piece of junk you called a laptop anymore.” Weston grinned at me, then reeled off a list of specifications that flew over my head, but I appreciated the sentiment. So much. I still couldn’t believe they’d bought me such a generous gift.
The birthday surprises kept coming when I was picked up by Lena and Kinslee. Apparently, we were going to a spa—Kinslee’s gift to me, and she’d wanted Lena to come along. They’d hit it off at the New Year’s Eve party, and the three of us were having a great time hanging out together.
As we drove, we talked about the upcoming party and the plan to talk to James. “You know, he isn’t so bad,” Lena said, gripping the steering wheel lightly as she manoeuvred her car onto the main road. “I know we have a rivalry thing with him, but he’s been a good friend to me.”
“I didn’t realise you even knew him.” I stared at her profile.
She nodded. “Yeah. I had a…guy problem once, and he helped me out. We hang out sometimes, and he’s always been good to me.”
“What sort of problem?” Kinslee leaned forwards from the back seat, her voice full of concern. Were her thoughts going in the same direction as mine?
“It was when I was younger—fourteen. I had some hassle, nothing major, but there was one time where these guys cornered me, and let’s just say James was in the right place at the right time.” She briefly glanced over at me. “Honestly, it was nothing huge, but James was there for me.” A grin curved over her lips as she added, “No guy would mess with me, now. Ever since it happened, I’ve been honing my skills. I can handle whatever comes my way.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Just don’t take any unnecessary risks, okay?” She had an air of fearlessness about her, but I couldn’t help feeling like she could actually get into serious trouble if she wasn’t careful.
“I won’t. Oh, don’t tell my brother about any of it—about James helping me, or the fact we hang out sometimes. He doesn’t know.”
“More secrets,” I muttered.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Why don’t you want to tell him?”
“He’s so overprotective. He’d probably make me wear a tracker or something, and check in with him every five minutes.”