"I still can't believe you made up some non-existent cousin," I remarked dryly.
Suz and I hung out in her kitchen—or our kitchen now since I'd officially moved in four months ago. The old apartment hadn't felt right anymore. Sofia and Angie had moved out as well and found a place just a few minutes away.
"I still can't believe you bought it either," Suz replied, carefully adjusting a horribly tacky bouquet of white-red roses.
I shook my head at her. Not that I was mad. How could I when all my friends had sat down together to discuss a way to help me? No wonder she had so much information prepared.
"It was a win-win," she continued. "Killian desperately needed something to do, and I desperately needed him to do something. It was the only reason I got him to agree to give you some space and we all agreed that was the right decision—obviously, I know you the best. Besides, I take free dishes any time of the day. I accept your thanks for keeping your boyfriend's sanity intact, by the way."
"Which is the only reason I'm doing this." This was trying to prank Killian. Although I still had no idea what that included.
She met my gaze. "Believe me when I say, he was driving me and Cody up the wall. I have at least fifty more pranks lined up before the score is evened out."
I'd heard a lot of complaints about my boyfriend's antics during the time we weren't talking.
Killian didn't even try to deny it either, so it was hard to argue with that. Then again, Suz probably just used it as an excuse to cause mischief.
"Why don't you try this on Nick?" I asked, eying the golden ribbon intertwining with the blooms. They reminded me of the flowers Chris had given me. I shuddered, trying to rid myself of that memory.
"Nick is too easy. He falls for everything."
"Yeah, and Killian doesn't fall for anything," I pointed out dryly. Which was true. Suz had pranked Nick, uploaded the video, and got nearly a million views in one week. She'd been trying to capture Killian falling for the same tricks, but somehow, he could always tell when something fishy was going on.
"I'm sure this one will work. He always gets so protective, so this is right up his alley."
"And what exactly is going to work?"
"These are for you," Suz proclaimed with a satisfied grin, pointing at the counter.
I scrunched my face, staring at the flowery arrangement. "For me?"
She gave an evil cackle and placed her phone against the cupboard in an upright position, the camera facing our way.
"Time to make him suffer." She held out her hand. "Phone."
"You're having too much fun playing with people," I replied handing it to her.
"He deserves it after ruining my first two attempts," Suz replied, unlocking the screen. Then she took a picture of the horribly kitsch bouquet.
Pranking Killian was like trying to understand quantum mechanics—just as you thought you were beginning to grasp its whole concept, something new popped up, completely defying all logic.
The first time she pretended I thought that he cheated on me, but got instantly defeated when he asked her to hand me my phone back with the words, "Nice try Suz. Go for something more realistic next time".
Two weeks later, she pretended I was with a guy. It sort of went like this.
BF: I pick you up at seven alright?
Me: Sorry man, she's busy.
BF: I know. Busy thinking about me.
Me: Not you she's thinking about right now.
BF: She dreaming about me then?
Me: I'm serious. Stay away from her.
BF: Physically impossible.
Me: Get lost. She's with me.
BF: That's great. I always wanted to kidnap her anyway.
Me: You clearly don't know her well.
BF: Lie. I'm her best friend. I know everything.
Me: BEST FRIEND???? I'M HERE BEST FRIEND.
BF: Knew it was you. Tell my best friend I'll be there at five.
After Suz raged about his audacity, he actually kidnapped me for a week after that. Alas, I didn't have any hopes for this one either. I almost felt bad for her. Because I was pretty sure this prank wouldn't work either.
"People say third time's the charm," Suz said, grinning in anticipation. She sent Killian a text with the picture thanking him for the flowers and then we waited.
Five minutes passed.
Ten.
Fifteen.
Nothing happened.
"Don't you guys chat all the time?" she asked with a huff. "How long does it take for him to reply to a text?"
"Not long. But maybe they're still training? Angie's with them today."
I was supposed to be there today as well, but training at the gym just wasn't my thing, even if it was for self-defense. As soon as I had the basics down, I'd found one convenient excuse after another not to attend. Angie, however, was on fire. She soaked up all the lessons like a sponge, even if she couldn't execute most of them yet.
"They better be done soon," Suz said.
Half an hour later there was no reply.
She paced up and down, biting on her lip. Her restlessness started to rub off on me. Killian always replied right away. Maybe he'd forgotten to charge his phone? But after that one time, it never happened again.
The doorbell rang a few minutes later. I couldn't help the sigh of relief as Killian strode in, carrying Angie's brand-new pink backpack over his shoulder. Like everyone else, he wore a comfy hoodie and sweats but somehow, he made them look...hot. A surge of anticipation coursed through me, quickening my heartbeat, yet at the same time, I was enveloped with a sense of calm. All my doubts and worries just evaporated. He always had that effect on me.
Within two seconds he was in front of me, and I stood on my tiptoes to meet his lips. Kissing him never got old.
I nearly forgot we had an audience until Suz groaned loudly and proclaimed, "Give me a break."
With a low chuckle that sent a flutter through my stomach, Killian stepped back and dropped Angie's bag on the table. Then he walked into the kitchen, pulling out a knife, vegetables, and a cutting board, completely ignoring the flowers glaring at everyone from the counter.
Suz shot me a pointed look, her eyes sliding to the bouquet that was right there. I shrugged at her. Wouldn't it be more obvious if I grazed the topic?
"Tay got flowers?" Angie—bless her—squealed, reading the small card stuck in the bouquet.
"Didn't take you for a flowers guy," Suz said to Killian. "I have to say your taste sucks."
He arched his brow at her. "Tay doesn't like flowers."
"Then why did you send her some?"
I had to hand it to her. Her acting was on point. She would've fooled me if I hadn't known about it beforehand. I quickly put on what I hoped to be a mildly concerned expression, but Killian's attention had already dropped back to the cutting board in front of him.
"Not from me," he replied, sounding completely unbothered as the rhythmic sound of the knife filled the space.
I crossed my arms. He was too calm.
"Then who?" Angie asked innocently. "Is it the guy who asked for her number?"
This time Killian's head whipped up, glancing between us. "Who asked for her number?"
Nobody did. Was this another prank? A prank in a prank, so to speak?
Suz waved him off. "Some guy from class saw us together and asked about her. But don't worry. I gave him yours instead."
Killian bumped his fist against hers. "Good job."
"Duh," she said, rolling her eyes. "But about the flowers—"
"She can just stay with me from now on," he replied, calmly dropping the carrots, paprika, and cucumber sticks into a bowl. "Nobody's gonna send her flowers there."
"Why would she stay with you?" Suz gasped.
"Why wouldn't she stay with her future husband?"
I nearly choked.
"Husband?" Suz basically sputtered, staring at us wide-eyed.
Biting back a smile, I watched the chaos unfold. Angie came up next to me, and we exchanged a quick look, her cheeks bulging from trying to suppress her grin.
"Don't you call Nick that all the time? I just learned from you," Killian replied with a small smile.
"No, no. No! We just became roommates. You're not taking her away from me. In fact, we'll be roommates forever!"
"Is that so?" Killian drawled, but he watched my reaction now, looking clearly amused. His eyes slid back to Suz. "Seems like it's not safe for her here though."
"But she doesn't—" Suz abruptly stopped, squinting at him. With an exasperated groan, she spun to me. "Your boyfriend sucks," she snapped and turned back to him. "How did you find out? I waited three weeks after the last prank so you'd drop your guard. Three!"
Killian side-stepped her and reached for me, pulling me into his arms, my back to his chest. His palm flattened against my stomach. "With that first message. Tay would never thank me for flowers. If anything, she'd whack me over the head with them."
He wasn't wrong. Suz deflated.
"See? That's why I'm her best friend—"
In one swift motion, she picked up the bouquet as if she wanted to whack him herself, just to drop it into the bin with a huff.
With a tap on his hand, I said, "Look at her. You could've at least pretended, you know?"
He hummed, hugging me tighter. "This is more fun though. Besides, I was hoping to get you to myself again. Worked the last time, didn't it?"
Suz threw up her hands. "You guys are disgustingly cute, you know that? C'mon Angie. You can help me pick a new drama for tonight."
Now that Cody had switched over to the "dark side" as Killian would say, watching K-drama had become our Friday tradition. Jules joined half the time as well and today Cody went to pick up Killian's sister. Killian was the only one who refused to say he liked to watch the shows. Instead, he "suffered" through every episode by cuddling up to me on the couch, or finishing whatever assignment he had.
I couldn't help but laugh when Suz stormed out of the kitchen, taking Angie with her. I stepped out Killian's hold and filled up a pitcher with water and a few slices of cucumber. But busying myself couldn't distract me from the feeling of his gaze, following my every move.
"What?" I finally turned and asked.
With a shrug, he dropped into one of the kitchen chairs and opened his arms. "Come here."
"We still have to put the sweet potato fries into the oven."
"Later. I feel like I barely get you to myself."
"I slept over last night," I pointed out.
"Not enough," he grumbled, maneuvering me sideways onto his lap.
I sank into him, letting my hands roam over his shoulders, up his neck, and through his hair, feeling the softness of it.
Eyes closed, he reclined contentedly, just letting me touch him. My fingers followed the lines of his brows and down his jaw. Then my lips touched his neck, trailing along his jaw because he smelled fantastic, and was impossible to resist.
A strangled noise cut through our moment, and we broke apart. Killian shifted me so that my head rested against his shoulder.
"What?" he asked Suz, who stared down at us with an exasperated expression.
"There's a kid here, you know?"
"Yet you show her that weird-ass romance drama."
"Weird?" Suz sputtered. "You're the weird one since you're clearly the only one with no taste. The other two lovebirds are gonna be here any second by the way. So, if you—"
I stiffened. They only had their first date so far. Killian wasn't supposed to know about that.
"What did you say?" Killian asked sharply.
Suz paled. "I said," she started slowly. "The others are gonna be here any second so if you two lovebirds can—"
"That's not what you said," he countered, his gaze turning towards me. The atmosphere grew heavy as storm clouds seemed to gather behind him. With a doomsday tone, he uttered the question that hung in the air, "Cody and my sister?"
"No!" I blurted out, the words tumbling from my mouth in a rush. Just as the weight of the situation settled, the doorbell rang again, sending a jolt of panic through me. What impeccable timing.
"Liar." Killian rose to his feet, but I clung to him, wrapping my legs around his waist.
"Kel. Carry me to the living room."
He froze, halfway to the door, blinking at me.
I blinked back.
"You said you wanted time with me," I whispered softly, purposely lacing my words with a touch of vulnerability. "Or not?"
"Me and Cody need to have a talk," he said but his eyes dropped to my lips, and he sounded a bit less like he was about to murder his best friend.
"You're overreacting," I countered, pressing a kiss against the side of his mouth.
"Not the time, Princess," he breathed, his voice strained, but I sensed his control slipping.
I pouted even more, hoping to divert his attention away from the impending conversation.
"Later," Killian whispered into my ear.
"Okay, but you can't do this in front of your sister!"
"Fine..." He turned around and walked us into the living room to drop next to Angie on the couch. "But only because you asked me to."
I spent nearly all night perched on his lap and wrapped in his comforting embrace, while Cody squirmed under the weight of his penetrating gaze. It was honestly kind of hilarious.
And when we were finally alone, he picked up right where we left off.