“I thought maybe we’d just skip right to dessert, if that’s okay with you two,” I say, carrying a tray of homemade pound cake and a carafe full of strawberry puree.

“Oh my God, Dylan,” Cate exclaims, eyes rolling back in anticipation.

I grin. I love that she’s stopped fighting good food and just lets herself enjoy it now.

“When the hell do you find time to do this stuff?” Jack asks. He looks comfortable, and I’m so happy for that. He’s doing remarkably well for someone who just lost his home.

No.

Whose house just burned down.

And now I can feel my cheeks start to hurt, my grin’s so big. Hearing him call this place, our place, “home” meant everything.

“I love watching the two of you eat my food,” I tell them sincerely, setting the tray down along with the cake. “Serve yourselves. Whipped cream?”

“Please,” Jack says, his eyes lighting up the way they used to when we were kids.

Cate just nods her head in excitement, and the look of anticipation on her face is sensual. Decadent. God, of course I like cooking for them. Their appreciation for it is like a drug I’ve become addicted to. I fetch the bowl of fresh whipped cream from the counter while they start prepping their own cakes, and put it down between us, taking the open seat between them at the head of the table.

It’s quiet for a while as we all polish off the cakes. And not to put too fine of a point on it, but even I have to admit that I really knocked this one out of the park. Got the balance of sweet to sour just right with the puree.

“This was exactly the thing I needed,” Jack says, putting his fork down after he’s made sure to chase every crumb, every dollop of whipped cream off his plate. “Dylan, you’re something else.”

And I’m smiling again, loving the fact that I got to take care of him a little. That I put that look on his face.

“Jack, are you sure you’re okay?” Cate asks, reaching for his hand. There’s a note of concern in her voice, and I get it. That fire scared us both. Badly. “I mean, you just lost everything—”

He laughs again, squeezing her hand before dropping it so he can reach into the nearly empty bowl of whipped cream and scrape the sides, getting it all on his index finger. I relax, because there isn’t a shade of concern in his voice.

“’Course I’m okay,” he says, waggling his index finger across the table at her. “I’m here, ain’t I? With you?”

He winks, then tries to smear some whipped cream on her.

“Stop that!” Cate squeaks, pushing her chair back, laughing. “I’ve had to get paint out of my clothes all week from the house painting, I don’t need to add whipped cream to my collection of stains.”

“Aw,” Jack teases, “Duchess don’t want even a little bitty taste?”

Cate narrows her eyes in good humor, then stands up, leaning over the table to take his finger in her mouth, sucking the cream right off. And that shuts Jack right up. Makes my pants suddenly feel a little tight, too, even though I can’t help but laugh at the scene. It’s so good to see them joking around so easily with each other.

Jack’s happy.

They both are.

And what that does to me… it’s all I need.

It’s probably the first time I’ve ever seen them this completely casual and playful around each other outside of the bedroom. They’re at peace and lighthearted, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted for the two of them. I have it all under one roof now, and I throw a smile up toward the ceiling. I think Sully would have been very, very happy with all of this.

“Jack!” Cate shrieks, as Jack rounds the table and grabs her up in his arms, spinning her around. The two of them laughing together is the happiest sound I’ve ever heard in my life.

“Alright, you two. It’s late, and we have a very early day tomorrow if we want to get the house painting finished up,” I remind them, my lips twitching.

“Aw, come on,” Cate whines, pouting.

“Yeah, buzzkill,” Jack says jokingly. “Don’t you wanna have a little fun with us?”

“If we have any fun at all,” I say, over-exaggerating the mock-stern tone of voice, “It’s going to be from the comfort of that big fat bed of ours. I don’t know about you two, but I’m fried.”

And right on cue, I let out a big, stretchy yawn to prove it.

Jack’s grin falters for a moment. “Hey, guys. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you opening the house up to me. I know I haven’t made this very easy.”

Cate shakes her head and gives him a gentle punch on the arm. “Don’t you get it yet?” she asks with a smile, and looks over to me. “One of these days, we’re really going to have to convince him that he belongs with us.”

I step over to Jack and drape an arm lazily over his shoulder, smiling. “Yeah,” I say to Cate, but keep looking at Jack. “We’ll get through to him eventually.”

Jack reaches up, and I think for a split second that he’s going to push my hand away, but instead I feel his fingers wrapping gently around my wrist, guiding my arm over his shoulder like teenagers at a movie.

“Hey, I’m a smart guy,” he says, and what I hear in his voice… damn. He winks at me. “I’ll get it sooner or later.”

And oh, shit. I’m thinking sooner might be now.

He grins, pointing upstairs with a cocky glint in his eye. “What do you two say: slumber party?”

Cate bites her lip, and I can see the telltale flush creeping over her cheekbones and the way her gorgeous breasts start rising and falling faster as she gets excited.

“Oh, can we please?” she asks, her voice coming out so breathy and eager that Jack and I groan as one.

Jack starts regaling Cate with stories about the two of us as we head up the stairs.

“Y’know, you missed out on a lot only being here during the summers, Duchess,” he says. “Dylan and I spent a lot of time together, year-round. Sleepovers, campouts, you name it.”

“Camping?” Cate says, laughing incredulously. “In Boston?”

“Heck, yeah,” Jack says, his enthusiasm making him sound fifteen again. “You can put sleeping bags on the roof, can’t you?”

And then he’s off, cracking us both up and bringing up some memories that I’d all but forgotten. We all get ready for bed together, playfully nudging each other at the double-sink in the master bath and stealing little touches, soapy kisses.

It’s heaven.

When we finally pull back the covers of the gigantic bed and slip right in, there’s a moment of tangled covers and jostling as we figure out who wants to be where, but eventually we settle in, Jack on one side of me, Cate on the other. I think we all expected to come up and have another replay of some of the hot times we’ve had together between these sheets, but the day catches up with us and both of them crash out almost immediately, Cate with her head on my bicep, and Jack with his arms behind his head, his hip pressed against mine.

My cock swells at their nearness, but no matter. I’m content just like this. In fact, it’s really nice how we all fit together, and my last thought before sleep takes me, too, is that I want to fall asleep just like this, with them, for the rest of my life.