Page 89 of Luci’s Lullaby

Walker bumps me with his elbow. “You heard him, sometimes even the best of us need to be reminded.”

I rub my hand over my face. “I’ve got to get it all figured out.”

“You will, don’t doubt.” Aksel holds his fist out, and I bump it.

“I need to head home. The Penningtons are growing weary. I feel it in my bones,” Walker says with a smile.

I shake his hand. “I appreciate ya. I need to get to my girls.”

They side-eye each other. “My girls,” saying in unison as they chide me.

“Assholes.”

I climb into my truck and debate sending her a text. After a minute, I decide not to send one. “I’ll surprise them.”

The drive home, I reflect on the last few months and how I feel about Charlee. I’m still not convinced it’s love; sometimes I think people are so in love with the idea of it that they don’t grab the context of it.

The place is dark when I pull up. Charlee’s car is here, so I know they’re home. I open the front door to find nothing. There’s no sign of them in the kitchen or Luci’s room.

I check the extra bathroom but still don’t find them. I tap the bedroom door before walking in, in case she’s changing. “Charlee?”

As I scan the room, I see the bathroom door is ajar. “Charlee?”

“Hello?” There’s a pause. “Alden?” she calls from the bathroom.

I walk in like usual but nothing is as it seems. One damn thing’s for sure—Charlee is one helluva beautiful woman.

“Hey, you two.” Charlee looks like a deer caught in headlights as she sits in the tub with Luci on her chest.

“Oh my god, what’re you doing?” she yells, jerking the curtain closed. Never in my right mind did I think she’d be in the tub… naked.

I throw my hands up. “I thought you were bathing Luci.”

“I am, but I wanted one too,” she says through the curtain.

“I see that.” Damn, if I didn’t see that.

“Ass!” she huffs.

I chuckle. “No, I didn’t see that.”

“No, but you have before.” Okay, see here she thinks she’s getting me, but she’s not.

“I sure the hell have and I might add, it’s a damn fine ass.” No, really. That’s what I said.

“Get out!” She hisses.

I lean against the sink. “Don’t mind me, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“Starting things we’re not going to finish is a bad idea,” she mutters.

My cock grows at the thought of being between her legs. “Oh, honey. I’d damn well finish and so would you.”

She peeks from behind the curtain. “Are you leaving or am I going to get out and give you blue balls to deal with?”

“I’ll take my chances.”

Her eyes narrow. “Go!”

“I’ll just grab Luci for ya.” I take a step toward her.

Her eyes widen. “Alden!” I grin and walk out. “Dork.”

“You like it!” I yell as I’m pressed against the door.

“Kinda.” She giggles, putting a really big smile on my face and a hard cock in my pants.