And I do, really well, sucking them dry.
Worth groans. “If you do that a second longer, I'm going to shove my cock back inside, baby.”
“Your five minutes are up,” I say, swatting him away, even though I don’t really want them to be.
He laughs. “Then I guess I’m out of time.” He kisses me once more, quickly, before we slip out of the pantry, and it leaves my knees a little weak. I smooth down my skirt, trying to look composed, but I know my lips are swollen, cheeks flushed, and that I don’t look remotely innocent.
And of course, that’s exactly when Brianna rounds the corner.
She stops dead in her tracks, a soda can in her hand, blinking between us. “What were you two doing in the pantry?”
I freeze like a guilty teenager caught sneaking in after curfew. Worth, on the other hand, looks very unbothered. His mouth twitches like he’s fighting a grin.
“I—uh—we were just—” I stammer, searching for words that don’t exist.
Brianna’s face twists as realization dawns. “Oh myGod.” She points at us with the drama of someone announcing a scandal. “Ew. Gross. Get a room. And preferablynot in this house.”
She makes a gagging sound and spins on her heel, muttering something about needing therapy.
Worth loses it. He laughs, a deep, unrestrained sound that makes my face heat even more.
“It’s not funny!” I smack his arm, mortified.
“It’s hilarious.You should see your face.”
I huff and elbow him in the ribs before stalking out of the kitchen, doing everything in my power not to smile. “I hope youget sawdust in your eyes!” I shout and that finally wipes the grin off his face.Win.
Just then, the doorbell rings.
In minutes, the house transforms into a blur of teenage shrieks. Glitter-covered gift bags pile by the door, pop music spills from the speaker, and Brianna’s face lights up brighter than the candles that’ll be decorating her cake.
Tiana is in full event-planner mode. She somehow manages to keep the spa stations running smoothly while joking with the girls and snapping photos for her Instagram story.
Brianna giggles as one of the aestheticians paints her nails a shade of metallic blue.
My heart jumps to my throat when the doorbell rings again. When I open it, my mother nearly knocks the air from my lungs with a hug.
“Mya.” She cups my face, as if needing proof I’m real. Devon stands behind her, next to Jackson, carrying a brightly wrapped gift bag, his expression soft.
“You made it,” I say, laughing shakily.
“You think we’d miss meeting our son–in–law and the girl who stole your heart?” Mom scoffs.
Worth appears beside me like he’s been summoned, offering a warm but cautious smile.
“Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” he says, extending a hand to my mother first. “Thank you for coming.” he places a kiss on her knuckles and she blushes.
“Devon,” Worth says, greeting my stepdad with a brief nod before turning to my little brother, giving him a pat on the back. “Jackson. I’ve heard a lot about that mean left throw of yours. You’ll have to show me your ways one day.”
My mom exchanges a smile with Devon before her eyes drift past us, softening when they land on Brianna across the room.
“That must be the birthday girl.”
Brianna joins us, smiling brightly with glitter on her face. “Hi.”
My mom melts instantly. “Happy birthday, Sunshine.”
After the last introductions are made, we all gather to eat from the food table Tiana managed to have catered from Willow’s. Then comes the cake: pink frosting, gold candles, and Brianna’s name piped across the top.