Chapter 9
Curtis
“You should bringFinn and Jesse out,” Draco said, raising his voice to be heard over the music blaring through the outdoor speakers. “He doesn’t need his own dirt bike. The kids all take turns on the ones available. Everybody shares.”
“I’ll ask him,” Teddy replied. “He’s never ridden before, so it might take a little coaxing. Jesse will definitely be interested, though. That kid has never met a challenge they weren’t up for.”
She was curled up on my lap, her legs thrown over mine. When it started cooling off, I’d grabbed a flannel out of my saddlebag, and it covered her all the way to her thighs, which gave the impression that she didn’t have anything on underneath.
It was fucking with my head.
“We loved it when we were kids,” Kara said, making me laugh.
“We practically had to force you to come riding,” I argued.
“That’s not true!”
“She wanted to stay home and read books,” Draco informed Teddy.
“I could ride as well as the rest of you,” Kara said, shoving his shoulder.
“Didn’t say you couldn’t,” he replied, wrapping his arms around hers to hold them in place as he kissed her neck. “You just preferred not to.”
He laughed as Kara elbowed him in the gut. They wrestled around as Kara gasped with laughter.
“I used to love riding with my brothers,” Teddy told me, turning her face so that we were practically nose to nose. “The dirt bike we had was so tall, Royce had to start it and then help Cooper and me on. Once we were moving, it didn’t matter, though.”
“Until you had to stop,” I replied, smiling.
“Yeah. That part could get a little rough.” She wrinkled her nose. “But it was worth the ride.”
“Always is,” I agreed. She shifted in my lap, and I held back a groan.
“This has been fun,” she said with a sigh. “You’re sure the kids are good back at the house?”
“Dylan let me know when they got home,” I confirmed. “He and Jesse are nearly grown, plus Rose is with the girls right down the street. Didn’t you ever have Jess babysit Finn before?”
“Not really,” she replied. “I mean, once in a while, but not at night.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t have anywhere to go,” she blurted, then laughed a little under her breath. “I wasn’t exactly out partying.”
“It’s fun, right?” I asked, gesturing to the people around us. The music shifted from an old rock song to a newer, slower love song, and Draco pulled Kara to her feet. He pulled her to the edge of the darkness and wrapped his arms around her, swaying to the music.
“They’re sweet,” Teddy said as we watched them. “They’ve been together a long time, huh?”
“Since we were kids,” I replied. “The five of us—Charlie, Kara, Rebel, Draco and me—were inseparable when we were young, but it shifted for Kara and Draco when we were teenagers.”
“You can tell that there’s a long history with all of you,” she said, laying her head on my shoulder. Her forehead fit perfectlyin the crook of my neck, and I pulled her closer against my chest. She was quiet for a moment. “You’re cute with Rebel.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know…just sweet. You can tell that she adores you.”
“More than Draco?” I asked jokingly.
“Too close to call,” Teddy mused with mock seriousness.
