Page 122 of Second Chance

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Denton arrives around dinnertime with a pizza and beer.

“You can’t bring me fucking Coors. I distribute Giant Brewery Beer. That’s our competition,” Jax admonishes, and Denton looks to me for support as the room falls silent. Then I hit Jax on the back of the head, and Jordan laughs.

“He wishes Coors was his competitor,” Jordan snorts. He took an offered beer and thirstily drinks before pulling free of the bottle with an exaggerated ah.

“If you weren’t my twin, I’d disown you for that,” Jax pouts as if betrayed by his brother.

“If you weren’t my twin, I wouldn’t have to always save your ass,” Jordan teases.

The two of them remind me of Chris and Denton as kids. I slowly smile at Denton, stepping forward to give him a hesitant kiss in front of my boys. “Welcome to my world.”

“I’m happy to be here,” he says.

After a rousing hour of my boys nagging each other, they excuse themselves and leave me to my boxes. Denton sits beside me on the couch.

“Is it weird?” he asks, and I look around me. It is a bit nostalgic, but I’ve let the guilt go. It’s been over a year. I have a new job coming. I have Denton staying. I’m ready to step forward.

“It’s going to be different.” I laugh.

“So, I talked to Magnolia.”

“And?” I hesitate. I wanted him to ask Magnolia’s permission, not just assume it was acceptable for me to stay in her home with him.

“She says she has no problem with you moving in, but we can’t share a room.”

“What?” I shriek.

“House rules, no person of the opposite sex in our bedrooms, especially as overnight guests.”

I pout as I take a final pull of my beer. I don’t want to be separated from him any more than I have to be. Commuting to and from the college will be enough of a distance and some nights I’ll be staying there instead of coming back to Blue Ridge.

Suddenly, Denton laughs. My brow furrows deeper.

“You should see your face. I got you so good.” He leans forward, slapping his knee like he pulled one over on me. I set my beer down with the empty pizza box and finished beer bottles on the coffee table.

“You…” I hiss, pressing at him on the shoulder. He catches my wrist and pulls me down on top of him. We shift until we line up. His legs spread, and I slip between them. Our upper bodies press against one another. I swipe a hand over his temple. “You are so bad, rockstar.”

“Hmmm…actually I’m so good, especially when I’m with you.”

His mouth takes mine, and I have to admit he’s right. He is so good for me.