Tech groaned. “Don’t do it, Dusty. They’ll drag you into nothing but trouble.”
The buzzer on the oven shrilled, and I quickly turned to take the first batch of cookies out.
“Smells like heaven in here.” Gun had appeared with Lucas and West. The kitchen was big, but it was starting to get crowded.
“Drop the muffins, big man, and step out of the pantry.” Eve stood at the mouth of the pantry.
My eyes widened, and I stalked around the counter to the pantry entrance and gaped. “Are you shitting me, Quake? I had half a dozen in that container, and there’s only three left.” I snatched the container of muffins out of his hand and turned.
I stilled when I looked up into Country’s amused gaze. He reached in and took a muffin before winking and stalking out the kitchen.
“You’ll make more, right?” Quake asked.
Glaring over my shoulder, I placed the container on the counter. Gun and Tech quickly grabbed the last two. I huffed. “I’ll make more. Just none for you, Quake.”
“Dusty, I’m a growin’ man. I need all the food I can get.”
Eve snorted. “You stopped growin’ ages ago.” She shoved in beside her brother again and curled her arm around his waist.
“Back to Eve’s question,” Courtney said as she eyed the cooling cookies. “Mom’s having Crispin for the night. It means I can drink, since I pumped all the breast milk I could out of me, and I’ll do it again in the morning to get rid of any traces of alcohol.” She cupped her breasts, and I noted the men in the room quickly averted their eyes. “They’ll get tender, but it’ll be worth it. I haven’t been out for ages. Please tell me you can come, Dusty.”
Tech snorted. “Yeah, Dusty, can you come?” Eve elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to grunt. “I was kiddin’.” He smirked at me. “Or was I?”
I picked up the wooden spoon again, and he took a step back. I moved into him, and while the others talked about what a night out would entail, I whispered to Tech, “You had your one and only chance to get into my pants. It’s not happening again. We stay friends without benefits.”
He clutched his chest. “You wound me, Dusty. I asked Country to come tell you I was gonna be out of town. I don’t know why he didn’t, and I’m sorry I didn’t call or text, but shit got busy, and I had to focus.”
Why hadn’t Country said anything?
Thinning my lips, I shook my head. “Sorry, Tech, but I think it’s for the best. For now. No, I’m pretty sure it is.”
He tapped under my chin, and I brought my gaze up to his. “If you ever change your mind, I’ll leap at the chance, Dusty. But I get it also. We’re good friends.”
Smiling softly, I nodded. “We are.”
“You also cook for us, so I can’t risk you gettin’ too attached to me.”
Scoffing, I shook my head. “You’d be the one getting attached.”
He cocked a brow. “Babe.” He gestured to himself and smirked.
Groaning, I moved back to the counter where the cookies were now on a plate, and people were eating them. I’d have to make more.
“Eve, how do you put up with a brother who thinks so highly of himself?”
“I give him a mirror to entertain himself with, and then I don’t see him for hours.”
“Wench,” Tech coughed into his hand.
“Douche,” Eve said with a roll of her eyes. “Now, back to the night. Gun, West, and Lucas are in. You up for it, Dusty?”
“Actually, I have plans tonight to go to a club with my boss from the florist. Though, I do appreciate the offer.” I really did, because I thought highly of Eve and Courtney. They weren’t club girls. They didn’t owe me anything, since I was one, but they always seemed to be nice to me, and Eve wasn’t pleasant to many people. She told me once that she had a short fuse for stupid people. I was honored I wasn’t classed as an idiot like she obviously thought the other club girls were.
“That’s all right. You mind if we go to the same club?” Eve asked.
“Not at all, and I’m sure Henri would love to meet people in my life, since he thinks I don’t have one.”
“He doesn’t know you hang around here?” Gun asked.
“No. I don’t tell anyone anything about here. It’s none of their business.”
“Are you sure your boss will be all right if we go as well?” Lucas asked. He was such a sweetheart.
“He’ll love it.” I smiled.
“You do realize somethin’, right?” Quake asked around a mouthful of cinnamon roll.
“Quake,” I snapped and threw the spoon at him. His head rocked back, and he rubbed his forehead, glaring at me while others laughed. “They weren’t finished. I’m going to be here all night if you keep eating everything.”
Courtney patted my hand and smiled. “We’ll help you get some more stuff out to make sure you can make it.” I returned her smile, my chest suddenly warm.
“Thanks.”
“I’ll help by watching. I’m not the best cook.” Eve frowned.
“I’ll teach you if you want,” I offered. “I usually bake every Sunday. You can join me any time you want.”
“That’d be cool, Dusty, thanks.”
“Can we go back to what I was sayin’?” Quake said, licking his fingers clean.
“What?” West asked.
“How you guys aren’t realizin’ it won’t be just your group at the club.”
“What are you talking about?” Courtney asked.
He pointed at West, Lucas, and Gun. “If these three are goin’, you know their other halves aren’t gonna let them go solo.”
West shook his head. “I’m sure if I asked Adrik to stay home, he would.”
We all looked at him and laughed. West rolled his eyes but smiled softly, obviously thinking of his possessive Russian man.
The door swung open. “We’ll sit away. You won’t even know we’re there,” State said as he walked over to Courtney and wrapped his arms around the front of her. Wreck, Adrik, and even Saint also claimed their partners in some form of touch.
I wished I had that.
“Honey, you’re not going.” Courtney stamped her foot.
Tech slapped Quake’s back while they both chuckled. “Too bad we’ve got to work tonight. I’d have gone just for the show.”
“Wait, there’s a show where we’re going?” Lucas asked. We all stared at him before laughing. Though, his man wasn’t. Instead, he kissed the side of Lucas’s head.
“Tech just thinks there’ll be trouble they’ll miss tonight,” I said to Lucas.
“Oh.” He nodded his understanding.
Eve clapped. “All right, boys. Out of the kitchen, and the plan is to meet out front at seven. I’ll get the details off Dusty on where we’re going and send a group text. Now shoo.” It didn’t surprise me they all listened. No doubt they had things to do, but some might also be afraid to get a wooden spoon to the head.
Excitement unfurled in my belly. Suddenly I was looking forward to my night. I was glad Henri had suggested it, but also that Courtney and Eve had asked me about my plans.