Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Sounds great, but get back here. That was a lousy kiss, baby.”
I beamed and snuck close again. “Lower your weapons, sweethearts.” I put a hand on Kaley’s little paws, but she and her sister had another idea. They wanted down again.
Okay, that was a better kiss. Kingsley should clearly be in charge of all of them.
He squeezed me to him too, as the girls stormed off to finish packing their pool toys.
To two three-year-olds, that was whatever they wanted to swim with.
“I missed you today,” he murmured. “I had lunch with Franklin and almost tore him a new one when he tried to steal the last of the quesadilla you made me.”
I laughed and nuzzled his neck. “He told me. He called and asked for advice on how to get back into your good graces as fast as humanly possible—his words—so that our playtime tomorrow doesn’t begin with a punishment.”
He snorted under his breath and pressed a kiss to my temple. “He can stew on that for a while. Lemme go change, and then I can eat that snack on the way to your parents’.”
It was a plan. I couldn’t wait to cool off.
Lucas Carter
“Nope, that’s enough. You need to eat, darlin’. C’mere.” Colt grabbed my hand and dragged me in from the patio. “The boys don’t need constant watchin’.”
I wasn’t so sure. Both Corey and Kit could be reckless around the pool. What would it look like if we returned Corey to Sloan and Greer with bruises all over? They’d think we’d punished him for something.
Colt did have a point, though. I could be too much of a worrier.
“They need to get out of the water soon,” I reminded Colt. “They have to shower before we drive out to Mclean.”
“I’ll handle it,” he assured me. He ushered me into the kitchen and pulled out a stool. “Sit.”
I sat. “Do you need help—”
He shut me up with a low growling sound and a look of warning.
I grinned.
He hauled out yesterday’s lasagna and placed a piece in the microwave.
“You do know we’re eating at the house in less than three hours,” I felt the need to say.
He nodded once. “I also know you barely touched lunch. I saw your plate in the sink.”
Yes, well… I loved Kit with all my heart—and Corey was such a precious boy, but…they should steer clear of the kitchen.
“You didn’t try it,” I replied. I’d started my vacation earlier this week. Colt was starting his today, after working late all month. In other words, he’d had takeout with his coworkers for lunch. I had eaten Kit and Corey’s pasta creation that included spaghetti, half a bottle of ketchup, crushed tomatoes, A.1. sauce, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, a very generous helping of salt, and, in Corey’s words, “We gotta add lemon, ’cause Archie says it’s an underrated ingredient.”
It’d been very…tomato-y.
They’d looked so proud. I hadn’t been able to show an ounce of honesty.
Colt winced. “Was it worse than the cookies after they mistook the salt for sugar?”
“Close,” I chuckled.
“Bless their hearts. But you could’ve eaten somethin’ else once they were done defilin’ the kitchen,” he pointed out. He rounded the kitchen island and walked toward me.
I smiled and shrugged. “I was okay, sweetheart. I had some grapes, I got lost in a good book, and I watched the boys goof off in the pool.”
It happened like clockwork every summer as we got closer to ninety-five degrees and 400% humidity—Corey tagged along with Greer to work and spent the day with Kit and sometimes the other brats in and around our pool. If they didn’t meet up in Mclean.
Meanwhile, if Winchester weren’t so far away, I would’ve preferred spending the summer in their natural pool, or whatever I was supposed to call it. They’d dug a fairly large swimming hole in the stream that ran through their property, with almost zero maintenance required. Clean, fresh water and at the perfect temperature in the summer. Corey loved that too, but as he said, he couldn’t do flips there. So the daredevil came to us.
Colt hummed and stopped in front of me, and I tugged him closer by his belt.
“It’s nice finally having you home,” I murmured. He’d had a busy year so far, with MadCo doing very well. “Two weeks of zero plans.”
He dipped down and kissed me. “Exactly what I need.” One of his hands came up to my jaw, and he brushed his thumb over the corner of my mouth. “No settin’ the alarm, no obligations.”
None whatsoever. “Well…” That wasn’t entirely true. “You do have a husband and a little boy with big appetites.”
He smiled faintly before he deepened the kiss. “I’ll take care of you both. Don’t you doubt that.”
I never had.
I was ready to get lost in the kiss right when his phone rang, which reminded me. That thing needed to be muted now that he was off work.