The Boys are Back in Town

The Boys are Back in Town: Seventeen

I woke up before my alarm went off, my mind already racing. I experienced a moment of déjà vu and recalled that this was more or less what occurred two years ago when Alek and I first got together.

Chest clenching. Fingers tingling. Cheeks smiling. I was incredibly aware of everything I felt.

I jumped out of bed and padded downstairs to make enough coffee for a full house. The boys would be over soon. We traded enough mornings before to know each others' routines.

I liked having everything back the way it was before they left. I didn't want to go back to the first morning they left. The emptiness, the lack. Every morning since they've been back felt twice as sweet because now I knew what it was like to have something different.

While I prepped for breakfast, I heard a car outside and a minute later the front door was unlocked as the boys let themselves in. Andre trudged in first, eyes still bleary with sleep. I poured a mug of coffee for him and he muttered a "Bless you, sweet child" with a kiss on my cheek before settling down on the kitchen island. Adrian gave me a quick hug and took over making the eggs.

"Your coffee's getting cold," he said, waving me away with a spatula.

Alek came it at last, hair still wet from a shower. He smiled, picked up my coffee mug from the counter and took a slow sip. I tracked the movement of his throat as he swallowed and bit my lip to suppress a smile.

"Good?" I asked.

"The best," he said, and so quickly I almost didn't see it, he caught a stray drop on the lip of my mug with his tongue.

I pressed a knuckle to my mouth and glanced at his brothers to check if they'd noticed the exchange between us. Andre had his head down on the counter and Adrian had his back to us, facing the stove.

Stop, I mouthed. His eyes were lit with mischief. He tilted his head to the front door, and I spared another glance towards Adrian before following him outside.

"We drove your car here," he said, loud enough for his brothers to hear. "I'm not sure where you park it anymore. Your dad's car is in the lot."

As soon as we were outside, he pulled me to the lot and wrapped his arms around me in an embrace that was a little too close to be friendly. His nose grazed my neck and I felt him take a deep breath.

"Stop sniffing me, you hound," I teased, but my heart was racing. I squeezed him in return, burying my face in the crook of his neck, cashmere sweater soft against my cheek.

"Just checking," he said.

"Checking what?"

"That I didn't dream up last night."

"That would've been some dream."

"It's happened before," he said quietly. "But the real thing is better."

"Oh?"

"So much better," he affirmed, before his lips pressed into mine. He tasted like coffee and...chocolate oranges?

"You've been snacking, mister," I said, slightly breathless. He caught my lower lip between his lips in response.

"I woke up with a craving," he said, pressing one last kiss to my lips before pulling back.

"Oh, did you?" I arched a brow.

"The chocolate oranges helped tide it over," he grinned.

When we went back inside, Andre was upright and they were already devouring the eggs while bacon fried on the stove unsupervised. My parents were still upstairs but I realized, too late, that Alek and I never even touched the car. They should have heard it outside.

Alek and I sat down next to Andre and Adrian pushed a plate towards us. "Hungry?" he asked.

I nudged Alek with my knee, and he nudged me back.

"So did you guys figure out where to park Clair's car?" he asked.

I cleared my throat. "I figured Andre and I were taking it to school, so it would be pointless to park it inside."

"Uh-huh," Adrian nodded. "So we're not going to talk about this at all?"

"Talk about what?" Andre asked.

Alek tensed beside me, and I realized why a moment later. Adrian's room had a view of Elba. It was right next to Alek's and we'd completely forgotten about it last night. I knew that one look from me and Adrian would drop the matter, but I also knew that I didn't want to keep this a secret from them. They were Alek's brothers, but they were also my best friends. I didn't keep it a secret two years ago, and I didn't want to now.

I threaded my fingers with Alek's under the counter and held it up for them to see. Andre dropped the bacon he was holding and Adrian scratched the back of his neck. Alek was looking at me with a little smile on his face, as if he knew what I was thinking.

"Oh no," Andre groaned. "Cupcake, I can't believe you're doing this to me."

"What?" I asked.

"You realize I'm going to have to punch my own brother if he breaks your heart, right?" he pressed a palm against his forehead and shook his head.

"I can't tell if you're joking or not," I said.

"He's not," Adrian sighed.

I looked back and forth between the two of them. Alek's hand tightened on mine and I realized I wasn't worried.

"You won't have to punch him," I told Andre.

He and Adrian exchanged a glance, and after a moment they broke out into identical smiles. Andre got off his stool and squeezed in between me and Alek, laying his arms on each of our shoulders.

"Well, then, congratulations," he said, before turning to Alek. "You lucky son of a gun."