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“Rose, are you seeing this?!” Dallas howled as her son roared and pulled out his best dance moves. I watched him with pride as the song finally ended, or rather, Dean scratched the record to put on some old school Michael Jackson.
No one seemed to tire as they danced through song after song. My sister and I shared a margarita on the couch while my parents howled in the kitchen with Paul. It seemed the party was in full swing at the Whittaker house. I sent up a prayer in thanks that I hadn’t missed it.
“I’ve got two bottles ready,” Dallas said in an attempt to justify her large sip of my alcohol.
“No judging,” I said, cradling the bottom of the mug and lifting it to encourage her to take a bigger sip.
“Maybe I should pump again first,” she said, moving to get up.
“Dallas, you’ve already drunk too much to try. Chill out, she’ll be fine.”
“Right, okay,” she said uneasily, sinking back into the couch, staring at the drink in my hand with a guilty look before she scanned the living room and her eyes fell on Jack.
“He’s been at it almost half an hour,” Dallas noted and turned to me with big eyes as her eyebrows did a double tap on her forehead. “Stamina.”
I rolled mine at her suggestion. “They’re growing up too fast,” I shot back, trying to change the subject. “Go make another one.”
“Have your own,” Dallas said in challenge. “This oven is closed.”
“Bullshit.”
I pushed my margarita toward her. “Nope, that’s all you,” she protested.
“I can’t drink another sip. I’m technically on call for another thirty minutes.”
“I think Mom and Dad are drunk,” Dallas said with a chuckle. “We caught them doing shots when we got here. They’re trying so hard to hide it. God, I love them,” Dallas said with a sigh before she turned to me. “You’re looking at him again.”
“Annabelle’s never really been fond of strangers,” I said, trying to evade the subject.
“Rose, he’s single.”
“Thanks for the report,” I snapped as I ripped the margarita from her hands before taking a mind-numbing gulp.
“He seems like good people.”
“Uh huh,” I agreed, watching Jack’s hip sway. He was a natural, all rhythm, and looked so damned good doing it. I was having a hard time taking my eyes away despite the fact that Dallas was watching me. Feminine instinct had kicked in and was taking over. Want coursed through me and I felt the urgent need to wrap myself around him.
Dallas pulled the drink away from me as Dean eyed her across the living room then nodded toward Grant, who was now holding himself up on the coffee table while his head began to droop with sleep. They shared a smile and Dallas moved to get up, but I stopped her.
“Poor baby,” I murmured as I shot out of my seat. Scooping Grant up, he didn’t protest at all as he buried his head in my shoulder and I rocked him back and forth. Dean changed the music to “Drive” by The Cars, one of my favorite ‘80s songs, and together Jack and I rocked the babies to sleep, eying each other. Dallas and Dean kept themselves busy in conversation while Jack and I had a silent one of our own. Suddenly jealous of my niece, I studied the strong arms that bulged as they held her and then let my eyes trail over the rest of him.
One by one, the babies fell asleep as Dean and Dallas left us to join my parents in the kitchen, who’d started to serve dinner. Jack and my eyes remained locked as we swayed in time with the music. Jack had never looked better with my beautiful niece resting against him. He was perfectly masculine as he held her. He rocked and gently stroked her back, his eyes roaming over my face and body as I held my nephew tightly to me, whispering the words to him in melody. Once I was sure they were both fast asleep, with a small jerk of my head, I motioned to Jack, and he followed me into my parents’ bedroom as we took turns laying the babies down and tucking them in.
“You handle her so well,” I said as I pulled a blanket over the two of them and patted Grant’s diaper-clad butt. He usually slept with his tail in the air and tonight was no exception. Jack and I shared a chuckle as I turned my attention to Annabelle.
“She’s easy to handle,” Jack whispered back.
“Uhhh… stick around,” I said, full of sarcasm. “The child is anything but.”
“I love a challenge,” Jack reassured as we made our way out of the bedroom into the dimly lit hall. I could hear my family talking animatedly in the distance and was surprised how easy it felt with Jack there. He surprised me a little every day.
A compliment ready on my lips, I turned to him as we started down the hall. “You’re a good dancer. Ha-oh!”
The air was knocked out of me as I was pushed against the wall. My hands were gripped by Jack’s and pinned to the sides of my head. My breathing picked up as I realized his intent, and he quickly let me know with his next words he would have his way.
“I have to fucking taste you right now. Don’t say no,” he said as he lingered only a beat before he leaned in slow and drew a breathless whimper from me. I waited for him, my eyes beckoning him as they had last weekend. Just as he closed the distance between us, I braced myself.
And it was pointless.
