Luke leaned against the doorframe and took a sip of his beer. “Elyse Taylor,” he said. “It’s like I knew what you were to us even through the paintings.”

The fact that they liked my work before they liked me meant everything. Now I knew when they complimented it the words were real.

“Why sell them under a different name?”

“Elyse is my middle name,” I told him. “And Taylor is my mother’s maiden name.”

“That’s not why you do it, though.”

I shrugged, moving to the couch and groaning as I sank into it just like I thought I would. “I want people to buy my paintings because they love them. Not because I’m a Williams sister or it’s somehow related to Eva. I get enough attention as it is. I don’t need more.”

“How about this?” Rylan asked. It was a generic action movie. I think I’d seen it when it came out, and it had Dante in it, so I was sure it would be fun.

“Sounds good. Though I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’ll be able to focus on the movie when you all smell like this.”

Avery sat down on the couch next to me. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, the first of many questions.”

“Uh-oh,” I laughed. “The interrogation begins.”

His eyes sparkled with laughter. “Yes. But practical things first. Boundaries. Physical ones.”

Oh. Right. Because they’d all already hugged me, but Avery had asked permission to touch me. Luke hadn’t, but we’d both been so in the moment…

How much did I admit? It was embarrassing, but it wasn’t like they wouldn’t figure it out. “I’m pretty touch starved,” I finally said. “So touching is fine. And—” the fact that Wes was sitting in a discreet corner of the living room hearing me say this was burned in my brain. Thankfully, I knew he’d already been through a lot of this with Eva. “Kissing is fine, too. Great. Excellent.” None of the words sounded right and my mouth was suddenly dry. “Everything else let’s play by ear.”

“Perfect,” Avery said, pulling me across the short distance between us on the couch so we were pressed together. “Because I’ll say I know I’m not the only one having trouble keeping my hands off you.”

Luke sat on my other side, and suddenly I was drowning in warmth and perfect scent. “It’s a good thing I didn’t take the beer,” I whispered. “I’m going to be drunk on all of you in no time at all.”

Avery leaned closer. “I hope so, baby girl.”

My breath stilled in my chest, and I looked at him. I wasn’t completely sure why my whole body tingled when he said that, but I also knew it wouldn’t if it had been anyone else.