He smiles, but it’s a bit forced.

I rack my brain for a way to cheer him up, but Hunter beats me to the punch.

“I have an idea that will cheer you up,” he says, stepping up beside me but looking at Jax.

Jax tears his gaze off me and looks at Hunter. “What?”

“Let’s have a slumber party,” Hunter replies with a grin.

Thinking he’s joking, I snort a laugh.

His eyes glitter with mischief as he looks back at me. “Laugh all you want, pretty Raven, but I’m being completely serious.”

I cock a brow at him. “You want to have a slumber party tonight?”

He gives an exaggerated nod. “Yep. We’re going to braid each other’s hair, do our nails, play truth or dare, and have pillow fights.”

I giggle. Yes, me, Ravenlee, actually freakin’ giggles, and Hunter grins, looking totally pleased with himself.

“Have you ever actually had a slumber party before?” I question, crossing my arms.

He shakes his head. “Nope. Have you?”

I shake my head. “Nope. I’m a virgin slumber partier.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, I internally cringe.

Hunter briefly smashes his lips together while Jax clears his throat a few times.

Can you say awkward?

“Well, so are Jax and I,” Hunter finally says, breaking the awkwardness, much to my relief. “So, I guess it’s going to be a first for all of us.”

I assess him closely. “Are you being serious right now?”

He nods. “I never kid about slumber parties. So, are you down?”

I shrug. “I guess so.”

Grinning, he glances at Jax. “What about you, man? Are you down for a little party fun tonight?”

I look at Jax and find him chewing on his lip ring with an undecided look on his face. Hunter is pressing him with a look, and I get the feeling that they’re having one of those silent conversations that I have seen them have a few times. This one probably has to do with Hunter basically begging Jax to agree to do this.

I’m about to tell Jax that he doesn’t have to when he looks at me.

“Only if I get to braid your hair,” he finally says to me.

I giggle for the second time in a minute, probably looking like a total dumbass. “You seriously want to braid my hair?”

He smiles, and it seems genuine. “I do. And I really want to hear you giggle like that again.”

“I second that,” Hunter intervenes. When I look at him with my brow raised, he shrugs. “You look absolutely adorable when you giggle.”

I shake my head and roll my eyes. “You’re the cheesiest guy I’ve ever met.”

“But you like it,” he insists with a smile.

I hold up my finger and thumb an inch apart. “Maybe just a little bit.”

Chuckling, he heads for the doorway. “Come on; let’s go get this party started.”

I turn to Jax, who’s looking right at me. “You really don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. It’s kind of weird, right?”