Page 13 of Spark

“Do you think we should rescue him?” Lucy said from the kitchen door, looking down the hall into the living room.

Shay was standing beside her sister in-law, biting back a grin. “I think he’s fine.”

Darcey, who had just joined them, tilted her head to the side. “Christ, what is it with these Colton men? Dex is huge.”

Hattie couldn’t stay back another moment and walked over to see what they were looking at. Dex was sitting on the floor, his back to one of the couches, long legs stretched out in front of him. He’d sat down there earlier when all the seats had been taken. Now there were kids crawling all over him and Dex looked a little, well, horrified, like he didn’t know what the hell to do.

Hugh, Joe, and Adam didn’t seem to notice. They were glued to the game and were giving him no help whatsoever.

The women all watched as Brody kind of climbed him like a little crab, then after standing on Dex’s stomach, straddled his chest, grabbed his face, and pressed his nose to Dex’s.

Shay chuckled. “Oh man, my baby knows how to get someone’s attention. He does not like to be ignored.”

They all laughed, but Hattie’s got stuck in her throat when Dex grinned suddenly, flashing his straight white teeth—utterly gorgeous—picked Brody up, and blew a raspberry on his belly. The little boy dissolved into fits of laughter.

“See, he’s fine,” Lucy said, green eyes sparkling. “I knew he’d warm up to us eventually.”

“You guys aren’t close?” Hattie asked.

Dex had said a little at the bar, but she suddenly wanted to know more, everything about the big man sitting on the floor, chuckling as all the kids tried to wrestle with him at once.

“Hugh, Joe, and I didn’t even know we had a cousin until close to a year ago,” Lucy said. “Dex knew about us, though. He’d listed Hugh as his contact person with the Navy. Said he didn’t have anyone else. He was injured overseas, and they got in touch with Hugh. Long story short, there was a family feud, our asshole father stopped talking to Dex’s asshole father, and the rest is history.”

“What made him move here?” Hattie asked, pushing for a little more.

“Basically, we harassed him until he did. He mentioned that the cold caused his injuries to play up—he has a steel rod in his thigh—and Hugh needed a new mechanic. Since Dex is overqualified and knows his shit around any type of engine, Hugh asked him to join the fold. He surprised us all by saying yes.”

Hattie glanced back over at Dex.

He wasn’t playing with the kids anymore. He was looking at her.

Chapter 5

“Oh no. Really?” Shay said, her disappointment clear. “I mean, you have to do it. I can’t bear to think of this woman and her daughter stranded. I just wish you didn’t have to leave.”

Hugh leaned in and kissed his wife. “Be as quick as I can, princess.”

Dex was standing opposite, leaning against the kitchen counter. “I’ll do it.”

A woman had called from the garage, using the after-hours number. Her car was making a knocking sound and she still had a way to travel home.

“You sure?” Hugh said.

Dex shrugged. “Yeah. No problem.” He’d moved back into the garage apartment over a week ago, so there was no need for Hugh to leave his family.

His cousin looked relieved, but not as much as his wife. Shay touched Dex’s forearm. “Thank you for doing that.”

“All good, Shay.”

It was already late. He’d planned on leaving soon anyway. “Thanks for inviting me. It was a good day.” And, surprisingly, it had been. Though being so close to Hattie and having to keep his hands to himself hadn’t been easy, not at all.

Speaking of the temptress in a red dress, she walked into the kitchen, carrying empty platters and bowls, and passed them to Joe, who was loading the dishwasher.

Dex knew he should say nothing. He should leave, do the job, go to bed, and try and forget all about Hattie Sutton. But the garage was close to her apartment. It’d be rude not to ask her if she wanted a ride home, right?

And you could torture yourself some more.

“You could give Hattie a ride home?” Shay said before he could open his mouth. She smiled up at him—no, grinned—and there was a wicked glint in her green eyes.