Graduation and Gifts (Untouchable Book 8) by Heather Long (best books to read for beginners TXT) 📕

“Who you are is someone I love, very much. Hank knows that. If he doesn’t accept you…I don’t care what your last name is, you come first. All of you.”

Nothing would change that. Not high school bitches. Not bullies. Not where I came from or who I came from and certainly not him.

“Especially since I think Grandpa Ted is the bomb,” I continued, and Archie’s grin grew wider and relief flickered in his dark eyes.

“I love you, babe,” he whispered in that lower register that was almost a croon. The cup of his fingers against my jaw beckoned me forward, and he feathered a kiss over my lips. The fact Ian slid his hand over my free one and interlaced our fingers as Archie kissed me slow and sweet just made my heart swell.

Even as Archie released me, a smile still in his eyes, he slid his arm through mine and then captured my other hand. I leaned to rest my head against his shoulder and then stroked my thumb along the side of Ian’s hand. A woman across the way just sort of stared at me, lips tight, frown firm, and an almost prudish look of distaste in her expression.

Coop cut off my view as he appeared with coffee and a grin. His smile faded as he looked at me, and before I could say anything, he twisted around and the woman who’d been scowling found somewhere else to stare.

“Yeah, I’d look somewhere else too. Your expression is gonna get stuck like that.” He was not quiet about it, and Jake pivoted.

“Nope,” I said with some vehemence as I straightened. “Don’t…”

“Eh, she’s not worth it,” Jake said without raising his voice. He winked at me as he handed Ian his coffee. Coop passed me my own, and Archie took his. We had to unlock from each other to take them. Or I did at least. They settled into the seats opposite us, and Coop grumbled but Jake elbowed him. “Yo, I’m the hothead. Get back in your lane.”

“Former hothead,” Ian reminded him. “You’re trying to turn over a new leaf.”

“Yeah,” Jake said slowly. “Not working for me so far. Not if our Zen master is going to take the leap off the deep end.”

“You don’t think you can handle being Zen if you swap?” I challenged, and Coop flashed me a quick grin.

Jake snorted. “If Coop wants hothead, then I want Bubba’s.”

Heat swept my face.

Ian just shook his head. “You couldn’t handle my job without Coop’s Zen mastery.”

“Ha,” Coop retorted. “Besides, I’d make a better Archie. I’m very good at spoiling our girl.”

Archie smirked. “She only needs one of me. Besides, do you want me to be the Zen master?”

“Maybe,” Coop said. “If you were after Bubba’s job too. Give you a little flex room. Bubba could tackle hothead.”

“But what happens to Bubba’s job?” Archie challenged.

They were going to kill me with this.

“If—note I said if—I take hothead, Archie gets Zen, and you get Archie’s daddy dom…”

Had he really just said…?

“That still leaves Jake with mine, and you said he wasn’t ready for it.”

Coop’s whole expression fell.

“And you aren’t ready for daddy dom,” Ian continued, and I swore my face had to be the shade of my red Converse at the moment.

“Daddy dom?” Archie said. “Really? I just thought sexy multi-billionaire genius sex god worked fine.”

“Except you’re not really a multi-billionaire.” Ian didn’t argue the other points, and I was torn between embarrassment and laughter. Maybe both. Or none of the above?

“Yet.” The confidence in Archie’s voice couldn’t be denied.

This whole conversation. I stared at Coop.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Coop said. “Not my fault. Blame Jake, he told me to get back in my lane, and apparently, we have lanes…”

“Hey…” Jake protested.

“Nor did I bring up someone else’s dick in the shower.” He did not.

Fuck me, he did.

To say it devolved from there… Well, I focused on my phone and sending texts to Rachel. She was less than helpful.

Rachel: You could have had all this, but you went for four of them. Just saying. You gotta take the bad with the good.

I laughed.

Me: Bitch.

Rachel: Yep and you love me for it.

I ended up sitting next to Ian, and he didn’t press me for an answer. But for the sake of my ass, I gave him one anyway. A faint murmur in his ear about the piercing and the fact I had admitted I had no idea what one would feel like earned me a long, studying look and him stroking his lower lip with his thumb.

A shiver went through me.

Fine, if I got spanked, at least it would be for what I said directly. Besides, we were going to Disney World, I didn’t think I’d be sitting long enough for a sore bottom to give me issues. “It was metaphorical,” I promised him.

“But you are curious,” he murmured almost to himself.

“I’m curious about a lot of things,” I reminded him and caught his hand so I could kiss him lightly.

He chuckled. “Fair.”

Jake twisted to look over the seat at us and he grinned wide. “So that’s two out of four, but I think you’re gonna have to make it up to all of us.”

“Oh, that’s fine. I’m only going to be sleeping with three of you, so I’ll have plenty of time.”

Archie’s soft laughter drifted up from behind me, followed by Coop’s muffled oath. Ian’s grin widened, and even Jake looked amused.

I wasn’t going to be the only one groveling on this trip. Though, I resisted Archie’s suggestion of the mile-high club and prepayment. Just barely.

As soon as we landed though, I kind of forgot all about the teasing. They did too. I was practically buzzing as we grabbed our luggage and then out to meet the car Archie had waiting for us. I didn’t even question it, nor was I surprised. Not really.

The minute we were inside, however, I squealed and then climbed over to be closest to the big windows and twisted to look out