Reality || L.H.

Chapter 51

"You wanna hit the hot tub?" Calum asks after the movie we turned on when we got home plays the ending credits.

We're spread out across the couches, Michael's arm slung across Liv's shoulders and Luke's arms wrapped around my stomach, my back against his chest. Calum and Ashton mocked us by cuddling too, making the best out of being the only ones without a significant other.

I shift in Luke's arms to look over at Cal. "Sure."

Luke frowns, tightening his grip around my waist. His hair is messed up from our make out session back at the restaurant and from lying weirdly on it. "But I want to cuddle," he whines, pouting down at me.

"We'll cuddle after the hot tub," I promise, squeezing his hand. "You have me the entire night, remember? We have plenty of time."

"And I better not hear you two getting it on from all the way down the hall," Michael warns, pointing a finger in our direction. "I'm done with overhearing you guys."

"You secretly like it, Clifford, c'mon," Luke teases with a smirk, moving me up to sit all the way on his lap instead of between his legs.

Michael rolls his eyes as he gets to his feet, looking between all of us. "Are we going in the hot tub or not? Let's move it people."

I smile as I stand up, turning to Luke, dragging him off the couch. He lets me pull him up. His frown changes into a grin as he scoops me up off my feet and throws me over his shoulder. I let out a surprised shriek, laughing as he carries me up the stairs, clinging to him tightly.

He kicks the door to our room shut, depositing me on the bed. I push myself into a sitting position, still laughing. "You're such a romantic," I tease with a smile.

Luke places his hands on the bed on either side of my hips, leaning to give me a quick kiss. "What can I say? You bring out the best in me."

My smile doesn't fade as I reach for my bikini, throwing Luke his swim trunks. I try not to watch him as we both strip down and change, not worried about the other seeing anything because they've already seen it. There are no secrets between the two of us.

Luke tosses his clothes onto his bag, setting his hands on my hips to drag me towards him. "You're so beautiful," he murmurs, his blue eyes trailing over my body before he leans in to kiss my lips. It's a slow, sweet kiss. Nothing like the ones we exchanged in the restaurant which were desperate and heated. This one is like a simple, endearing promise - I love you. I've always loved you and I always will.

He pulls away, motioning towards the door with his head. "We should probably go downstairs and check out this hot tub."

I nod, slipping my hand into his as we walk down the hallway.

Calum is already in the hot tub, winking at Ashton as he sets a couple towels down on the table on the back porch. "C'mere, Ash," Cal says in a low voice, patting the empty space next to him. "I bet I can make you feel warmer than the hot tub."

Ashton blushes as he climbs in the hot tub, rolling his eyes at Cal. "Something's wrong with you," he grumbles as he sits next to Calum.

It's a tight squeeze to fit all seven of us in the hot tub, but we make it work. I sit on Luke's lap and he rests his head against my shoulder, leaving gentle kisses on my skin. Liv turns scarlet when Michael offers her a spot on his lap, although she takes it to make room for everyone else.

"You can sit on my lap, Ash," Calum teases, patting his thigh. "I don't bite." He pauses and then adds with a smirk, "Well, maybe a little, but it's nothing you won't like."

"In your dreams, Hood," Ashton mumbles.

April lowers the sunglasses she still has on, smirking widely. "If this is you two reguarly, people better watch out when you're on your honeymoon."

I blush when I notice that she's talking about the hickeys across my collarbones and Luke's chest. "Oh shut up," I mumble, still blushing furiously.

Liv bites her lip as she leans back against Michael, who wraps his arms around her waist. "Have you decided who you want as your best man yet, Luke?" she asks gently.

I picked Mali-Koa to be my maid of honor, but Luke has had a harder time deciding a best man. Between his two brothers and his three best friends, it's difficult.

I feel Luke tense up against me and squeeze his hand reassuringly.

"Ben doesn't even know if he's coming to the wedding," he murmurs, ducking his head. Ben travels a lot for his work, but that doesn't mean that Luke doesn't take his absence personally. "And Jack did go behind my back with my girlfriend. But he's been super supportive of whatever I've wanted to do."

Liv nods. "He's still your brother, no matter what bad decisions he may have made."

Luke smiles softly, biting his lip as he buries his head in my shoulder.

I shift on his lap so I'm sideways, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Hey, it's ok, you don't have to make a decision right now."

"I have to eventually," he murmurs. His blue eyes look back and forth between Ashton, Michael and Calum. "And whoever I choose, I'm going to end up hurting someone's feelings."