“I feel like I’m not even hurt.”JP laughed.Then he turned to Ian and Peter.“Come on, Peter.You have to come in with me.It’s wonderful.”
“Go, Petey.”Tori waved him off.“Go.Go.Go.”
Petey gave Ian a look and he nodded.Then his son turned and went over to JP and Mike, leaving him with Tori.
“Okay, Daddy!Let’s GO!”
Ian took her, letting her swim and kick and wear herself out.
She managed not to drown herself, having the time of her life.
Every time he peeked over toward JP, the man was smiling, and Petey seemed to be having fun in the water too.
Tori was focused, little body moving furiously, legs kicking so hard.
“Are you having fun, honey?”
“I winning, Daddy!”
“You’re winning?Go team you.”How did someone win at swimming?Staying alive?
“Yay!”She pulled herself out of the pool, then turned around and leapt back in, water splashing everywhere.
He shook his head and followed her, glancing over to see JP helping Peter ‘swim’, and suddenly his mouth went dry.
JP was built like a Greek god, muscles defined still, the big, beautiful body stealing his breath.
And that smile as he cheered Peter on… was it any wonder he’d fallen in love with the man?
“Daddy!Jump in with me!”
He nodded and sat down on the edge of the coping before sliding into the water.
She cheered and swam right up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and laughing.
He hugged her neck and danced her around in the water.“I love you, ladybug.”
“Love you, Daddy!”She kicked with her legs, hitting his thigh and narrowly missing the family jewels.
“Careful girlie.If you do that with Dad, you could really hurt him.All right?”He thought that might get in her brain.
“Okay, Daddy.I no swim us – you swim us.Go, go Daddy!”
“Go, go Daddy!”He was so going to have a pre-supper nap.
By the time Tori was showing any signs of being tired, Mike, JP and Peter were no longer in the pool area, and Ian was exhausted.
“Come on.Time to change, baby girl.Dad needs a snack.”Maybe by the time they got home, the guys would be done with the stair lift.
Once they were changed and back in the foyer, they found JP, Peter and Mike waiting for them, JP sitting, looking tired but happy.
“Hey, guys.Let’s go home.”
“I want ice cream,” Tori said, and he smiled, the expression feeling tight around his lips.
“There’s ice cream at home.I bought some.”
“Good deal.And I was thinking we could order supper tonight, Chou.Today was fun but it was a lot.”
