Spiked by Love (Bellevue Bullies 6)

“This is really nice,” I admit, and he sends me a quirky grin before lacing our fingers together. I take a deep breath and beg for a conversation topic to come to mind so I don’t jump him. “So, you told your sisters about me?”

He nods with a rueful grin. “Funny you ask. Apparently, everyone in my family knows but my mom.”

I’m confused. “I’m sorry?”

He rolls his eyes. “Aiden told my dad to get back at me for telling everyone about him and Shelli—”

I laugh. “Oh yeah, when you were trying to get your mom’s ring for Jasmine.”

Something shifts in his eyes, and for once, I don’t know what it is. “Yeah. And good for him, it was a nice burn.”

“Such a nice burn. You threw him to the wolves like a little crybaby.”

He holds up his palm. “Whoa, please spare my feelings. I was young and stupid.”

“It was like nine months ago. You’re still young and stupid.”

He squeezes my hand, and we laugh together. “Anyway,” he sings, and I grin. “Emery overheard my dad and Aiden’s conversation. I wasn’t going to tell them when I asked for their help today, but Emery doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut.”

“Oh no, that’s not her way of life.”

He nods. “It was interesting, to say the least.”

“I bet. Those two are a hoot.”

“That’s one way to put it. They’ve grown, like, a lot.”

“Yeah. That’s how I feel about Journey. One minute, he’s a snot-nosed brat, and now, he’s still a snot-nose, but he’s taller than me.”

He grins. “He’s a good kid.”

“Yeah,” I say softly. “The girls are wonderful too. They just demand attention.”

“God help the guys they trick into relationships.” He eyes me with a teasing gleam in those gray depths. “But I do tend to surround myself with women like that.”

I laugh as I reach for my glass. “Hey, don’t act like you don’t like that about me.”

He strokes his thumb along mine. “I’m not. Just stating facts.”

I side-eye him. “Sure.”

He grins as he looks down at our hands. “I think I need to go talk to your dad. With everyone knowing on my side, my mom will find out sooner rather than later, and she’ll tell your family. I don’t want Jakob to find out like that. I want to tell him.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“We can go together.”

I smile. “Okay. Or we can start making out and just call him into the room.”

He blinks. “I thought you liked me? Are you trying to get me murdered?”

I giggle, shaking my head as his face lights up across from me. Lord, he’s so beautiful. When his phone sounds, he makes an annoyed face before he pulls it out of his pocket. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

He reads the message and then rolls his eyes, tucking it back into his pocket. “Stella, being dumb.”

I bring in my brows. “Huh?”