“So you just went and crawled under his covers?” Ava asks incredulously with a teasing smirk.
“Yup. I feel safe with him. He'd never do anything to me without permission. Besides, he didn't even wake up.”
Looks are exchanged amongst them as if they're wondering whether or not to believe me.
“Did you get a peek at him in nothing but that towel this morning after his steamy shower? Girl, the beads of water on his skin were…” Jane sighs. I get it. They were good, and I got more than a peek.
“Nope, he was dressed when I woke up. You're telling me that man was naked in the room with me, and I missed it?!” I gasp in fake mockery as I hold my hand to my chest. Jane thinks she got the first peek. I'll let her have it.
Ava eyes me warily but doesn’t say anything. Her lawyer’s bullshit radar is on point. She lifts her mug of coffee and looks out the window down toward the lake.
“Ava, did your talk go okay last night?” Brynleigh asks before peeking over at me. I let it pass like nothing happened, curious to know what Mark said.
“Yeah, it did.”
“Okay, I'm no longer going to bed early,” Sydney mumbles.
“Ava got ballsy and blurted out she wants a baby,” Jane announces. Sydney's eyes widen before she grins.
“AND?” Sydney asks the question all of us are dying to know.
“I'm coming off my birth control.” Ava smiles softly behind her mug as Jane crushes her in a hug, spilling the hot brew all down Ava's pajama top.
“Ooh hot!”
“Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I guess I got a smidge excited there.”
Brynleigh slides off her stool to grab a hand towel to help wipe up the mess. Ava grabs it with a mumbled thanks and dabs the tawny liquid up. Sydney sucks air in through her teeth–long enough that all eyes are on her.
“I'm good, just another liver kick. My Braxton Hicks contractions aren't helping any. I think these two are almost ready.”
Brynleigh reaches forward, rubbing Sydney’s bump.
“You two be nice to your momma.”
The sliding door whooshes open, and Trystan steps in with his shirt in his hand, wiping the sweat from his face and neck. Looks like he went on a run.
“Now, this appears vaguely familiar,” Jane mutters appreciatively as Trystan flashes her his dimples and reaches into the fridge for a bottle of water.
“Good morning, hens. Thanks for the ego boost.”
We all snicker as Brynleigh slides up next to him and pinches his butt, earning a sexy smirk that says game on. These two…
“Take that shit upstairs,” I tease.
Brynleigh spins on her heel toward me with raised brows before whispering not so quietly, “Don’t mind if I do!” She tosses a spicy wink over her shoulder at Trystan as he chokes on his water.
“Um, excuse me, ladies,” he mutters with a wicked grin before scooping Brynleigh up and tossing her over his shoulder, fireman-style. She giggles, and we all chuckle in unison as wewatch her blonde hair sway over his back with every step as she pinches his butt on the way out of the kitchen. The hearty laugh that ensues as we hear Bryn squeal with delight and a door slam is interrupted by another very shmexy specimen.
“What'd I miss?” Jaxon asks, setting his coffee mug into the dishwasher.
“Just Trys & Bryn shenanigans, except this time they don't have to hide it,” I answer. He cocks a brow and nods before heading for the stairs.
“Whatever you need up there might want to wait. I wouldn't go up for at least twenty minutes,” Sydney notes, pressing her lips together while avoiding eye contact.
Jaxon grins just as Garrett comes bopping through the door with Charlotte strapped in her carrier against his chest, as happy as can be. The whole dad vibe totally suits him.
“There’s our favorite little squish!” I announce, walking over to snatch her from her confinement. “That’s better. Mine,” I declare up at him as he smiles back. When I turn, Sydney’s giving me the puppy eyes. “Yours will be our favorite little people too, no worries. Charlie just so happens to be right here, right now. Ain't that right?” Charlie lets out a happy baby noise at me that has all of us fawning over her. Mark and Colin step inside with their poles.
