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"What?"

"You keep peering aroundit" Her eyes narrowed "What's going on?"

Shit Caught "It's nice!" he said, a bit too cheery for everyone's tastes Mike grabbed a bottle of red wine he'd brought and began to uncork it, pretending not to pay attention to the interaction between the other two

"Nice" Uh, oh There was no way to come out of this one on top, was there? He had to fess up

"It's reallypink"

"Too pink?"

"Just right pink"

Mike interrupted "Laura, where are your wine glasses?"

She pointed to an upper cupboard "Up there The not pink ones," she added dryly Now he knew this was just a game Two could play

So could three "Next ti a rosé," Mike muttered

Dylan and Laura both did double takes All three burst into laughter "It is quite pink Josie helped me decorate," Laura explained, her smile so deep itand her eyes lighting up Dylan loved that s mouys set the table, Laura put the finishing touches on thein "No dessert," she announced

You can be our sweet ending, he almost said The rice noodles were perfect, flavored with the right touch of fish sauce and so with crushed peanuts, chicken and shrimp It was pad Thai like he'd never had – fresh and flavorful, without that bogged-down, MSG feeling He ate three plates full, giving Mike a run for hisat his appetite

"It's so good!" he groaned

Mike nodded, working a bit slower through his food "It could use a nice white, though," he pointed out, referring to his wine glass "I'll bring sorinned "Rosé would be fine I have a feeling you'll learn to enjoy o wide Mike bit his lips Laura seemed to realize her double entendre and everyone avoided eye contact for a few seconds until Mike let out a little snicker He poured the last of the wine into their glasses, giving each a few final ounces, before peals of laughter and an uncontrollable foldingwith les

Now that was the kind of pink he could get behind Ernow he lost it, too, until all three huddled on the ground in a cluster of jovial hilarity Laura wiped her eyes and resulefest whenever she looked at either of the and tried to shake it off Long ago, Dylan had given in, abs aching frohter, but from a place of truth And noas the test as he slid his hand up her back to her neck, the touch decidedly sensual and a coe in tone from where they all were, ensconced in chuckles that belied the underlying tone of sex and hope and desire in her innocent joke Dylan would be the one to reveal it, because Dylan was the only one in this breath who could cut through the worries and the hesitancy and the what-ifs and get to the heart of what they all really wanted

The only sound they heard was Mike's deep breath as he watched, enraptured, his eyes on Dylan's hand as Laura arched her neck just so, responding to the intensity of this searching caress Would she? Would she not? Hers to answer, the question hung in the air like a fourth partner, needing to be included and welcomed, answered and accepted