Con sighed. “We all know. Autumn.”
“She’s a fucking contagious disease.” Griff growled. “I should fire her.”
The two massive dogs sprinted back towards us, kicking sand everywhere as they went. Jones and Caroline were right behind them, while Grace struggled to keep up. Autumn scooped Grace into her arms as she ran, and they all laughed when the dogs changed direction in a split second and left them all stumbling over each other.
“Okay, I get it. She batted those damned lashes at you and you were suckered into getting a dog, but two? What the fuck were you thinking?”
Griff shook his head. “I don’t even know. It was like a dream. She took us to a shelter to visit the dogs and then I was filling out an application for them and now we’re here. I blinked and everything exploded.”
“You let her take the kids to a shelter? And you didn’t think you’d be leaving with dogs?”
He scowled. “She didn’t exactly tell me she was doing it. Not that I would’ve stopped her. She’d just spent five hours with Stacy, so I felt like I owed her. She could’ve asked for a house and I would’ve felt obligated.”
I grimaced. “I’m sure that went well.”
“She got me in trouble.” Griff couldn’t hide his smile. “She didn’t like the way Stacy was treating the kids and she blew up on the guy supervising the visits. I got a call this morning letting me know that if our nanny came back, she’d need to be nicer.”
I barked out a laugh and turned to watch Autumn running through the water. “She’s something else.”
“She’s verbally bitch slapped me multiple times.” Rubbing his neck, Griff chuckled. “I returned the favor by kissing the shit out of her. So, I think I’m winning.”
I scoffed. “No fucking way. You kissed her? When?”
He had the nerve to look cocky. “Yesterday.”
“Well, I slept with her before I left for work. So, I win.” I turned to watch her again and tried to resist the urge to punch my brother. “And I plan on continuing to win.”
“You slept with her?” Con punched me in the arm. “Are you shitting me?”
I punched him back. “No, I’m not shitting you. It was the best sex I can remember having, and I’m not finished with her.”
“I’m not, either.” Griff shrugged when I gave him a wide-eyed look. “I don’t care that she slept with you. That kiss... I want more.”
“Hey, I won. End of story. You two can back off now.”
“Fine. You can take my money, but I’m not backing down.” Griff was certainly feeling defiant.
“So, what? A new bet, then? Whoever she chooses wins? How about we up the stakes?” I was feeling out of sorts, caught off guard by my brothers not admitting defeat and leaving me to my spoils. “Whoever she chooses by the end of the summer gets the six million we already agreed upon and another...fourteen?”
Griff raised his brows. “Twenty million?”
Con shrugged. “Twenty million.”
Growling, Griff shook his head. “Like I said, I’m not backing down. She’ll pick me.”
“I’m not backing down, either.” Con stood up and dusted his pants off. “You two can sit here and argue, but I’m going to be with her.”
I grabbed his legs and took him down. “You sit here with Griff like you were doing before I came. I’m going to hang out with her.”
Griff shoved off the ground and tried to get away from us, but Con caught his ankle and tripped him. We quickly made a dog pile of cheap shots and dirty tricks. It was the first time we’d resorted to fighting like boys in longer than I could remember. It didn’t take long for the dog pile to become literal, with the two dogs climbing in and licking us halfway to death. Kids showed up next, and then Autumn, all laughing and panting from their own play.
I managed to crawl away and stopped next to Autumn’s legs. Grabbing her leg, I looked up and pretended to gasp. “Ma’am! I’ve been injured in battle. A kiss would surely heal me, though.”
One of the awful dogs chose that moment to get in my face and lick from my chin to my forehead. Autumn laughed and backed away. “I think your prayers have been answered, good sir.”
I groaned and gently pushed the dog away. “This sucks.”
Griff grunted as he took a knee to the chest. He fell backward in the sand and just laid there. “My life is no longer my own, is it?”
