Eric raised a tawny brow. "You think so?"
He poured himself a cup of coffee, hoping the answer he got matched his own. "Yeah. I want to marry her. Don't you?"
How had they not talked about this? He'd just assumed they wanted the same thing. They'd talked endlessly about getting her in bed, moving her into their home, having a future with her. What the hell was he going to do if that future didn't include marriage for Eric?
"Of course I do," Eric shot back. "And I think we should do it fairly quickly because she deserves to know the men she gave herself to want to marry her. She waited a very long time. She should never question that we love her."
Love. Wow. Tate had never believed he would find it. He'd basically been programmed that love was detrimental to one's ambitions. But he had no doubt now that he'd totally fallen in love.
"This is what my mom and dad warned me about," Tate admitted. "I can't think straight around her. I think love is turning me into a Disney character. Damn it. I always thought I'd be someone interesting out of a Star Trek episode, but I kind of want to break into song a little. Just a little."
Eric stared at him. "I've heard you sing. Please don't."
Belting out a chorus of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" might be fun, but it would probably scare Belle away. "I'll hold it in."
"Yeah." Eric nodded. "Shove it down, dude. Way down."
The door opened, and Belle dashed in. His damn heart skipped a beat because he knew they were meant to be. He'd spent many an awkward morning with a woman who didn't mind him in bed, but completely ignored him out of it, preferring Eric's company after sex. Belle wouldn't be that way. She didn't mind his quirks. He could be himself around her, and it felt totally freeing.
She blinked up at them before her gaze skittered away. Obviously, she felt a little bashful.
"Morning, guys." She stole another glance at him. He loved the way she sighed. It made all that time at the gym worthwhile. "You … um, look good this morning. I mean you look well rested. You slept okay? I didn't kick or snore or anything?"
With a laugh, Tate scooped her up in his arms, enjoying her squeal as he hauled her against his chest. "Last night, I slept better than ever. You are the perfect body pillow."
She relaxed in his arms. "I was so warm in between you and Eric."
Eric grinned, looking happier than Tate could remember. He took Belle's hand in his and kissed her fingers. Even her hands were small and adorable.
"We were very happy to keep you warm, baby," Eric murmured. "Now, we have to talk about those interns from the law office because they are not returning to this house today."
Belle frowned. "I've been thinking about that … I know they're an inconvenience and I didn't want them here last night, but I really don't have time to do the inventory."
Tate was with Eric on this one. "Then I'll help you. I can take the weekend and get it done."
"It'll be fine. I doubt any of them wrote in pig's blood on my bedroom wall. Why would they have a beef to pick with me? I don't know them."
"You don't know anyone in this town, but that doesn't matter. Someone is out to disturb you-at least. At worst … " He shrugged. "I'm not taking chances. In fact, we're going to vet everyone who walks in this house, including that douchebag electrician who stares at your ass."
She huffed. "He does not."
"Oh, he does." Eric opened the fridge and pulled out the eggs. "And when you're not looking, he's staring at your boobs, too. Next time he does it, I'm going to kick his ass. God, I hope he has a record. Maybe he's on the lam. Then we could kill him and claim self-defense."
Belle looked horrified.
"He's teasing, baby. At least kind of." Tate settled himself on one of the kitchen table chairs and looked at the mess of computer equipment, legal files, and writing implements all over the table. He couldn't see a single inch of the antique cherry surface anymore. Frowning, he made a mental note to clear off the dining room table and relocate the office elsewhere so they could all sit down and eat together. Kellan was right. They needed to behave like a family.
It would just be so much easier if they were back home, in their recently constructed suburban paradise, instead of this never-ending home improvement project.
"You can't kill Mike. I need him." Belle rested her head on his shoulder. "I have to get the electricity working properly. Have you noticed that power works selectively in certain rooms? And some spots are just weirdly cold."
"That last problem is HVAC. The vents are probably screwed up, baby." Eric put a cup of coffee in front of her. "It's one more hassle and expense to add to the list that you don't need."