AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The magnetic pull would have been too great if he had held me any longer. I would have crushed my mouth against his, forgetting myself in front of my family and Tucker’s.
What the hell is happening to me?
I amnotthat girl!
“Thank you for the helicopter ride home. I had a wonderful time meeting your family.” And don’t I sound all formal like we haven’t been intimate?
Tucker leans closer and whispers in my ear. “Thank you for a wonderful time in the music studio this morning and a wonderful time in my bedroom yesterday. I’ll be replaying all that wonderful over and over.”
Cheeky bugger.
I cross my arms, kicking my hip out, but Tucker doesn’t step away, preferring to stay in my personal space. “Stop that! I don’t want your sisters getting any more invested than they already are,” I whisper-hiss. My face heating, knowing they are close. “You are making fun of me?”
“Never.” He smirks. “I want to do more wonderful things with you the next time we see each other, so I wouldn’t dare to make fun of you, Shagspeare.”
“Are you going to stop sayingwonderful?” Damn the consequences; I’m about to exaggerate rolling my—
“Ophelia!” Alice’s excitement is unmistakable. Her head has popped up beside her brother’s. “Can I please see the goats?”
Tucker groans, dropping his head playfully onto my shoulder, murmuring, “Alice, your timing is—”
“WONDERFUL,” I shout, ducking out from under his head, taking several hurried steps backward, away from Tucker.
He shakes his head, laughing at me because I wasn’t subtle.
I don’t know why I feel weird about him acting blatantly familiar with me in front of his family and mine. After all, I know Chance and Aubrey won’t have missed it. Maybe I don’t trust myself to want more now that I’ve let Tucker in.
No strings we agreed on, so there is no need to get close to him, no matter if my heart is sending me signals.
Alice follows my movement, looking eager to move on to why she came along for the joy ride. I promised her ten minutes to see the animals, not wanting to hold them up any longer than necessary to get them back to Redondo Beach for their long flight to Alaska.
“Hold your horses there, sis.” Tucker looks at Alice with amusement. “Might be polite to introduce ourselves to Ophelia’s family before meeting the animals.”
“Oh, yeah. That would be nice. Sorry. I’m excited.”Awww, Sweet Alice is too damn loveable.“Then can we see the goats and Pearl?”
“Yes. The animals are going to love to meet you!” I stick my elbow out for Alice to hook her arm through it, holding Bronwyn Bear in my other hand. “Now, we are ready for me to introduce you to my cousin and his family, andthenyou can meet the Mini-Ms, Pixy, and Pearl.”
“Okay.” She nods, grinning.
I look around to see Tucker has walked off, and he’s with Teagan shaking hands with Chance and Aubrey. “Nice to see you all again.” Tucker wiggles his fingers at CJ, who responds with a baby giggle.
“Let’s go join them, Alice.”
Pixy is back on his feet. He’s become a pet model for Teagan, who is crouched down taking a selfie with the little guy who’s wearing a patterned green and red Christmas-themed bandana around his neck.
I am rooted to the spot, watching the four of them make small talk about the helicopter. They all act like they’ve known each other longer than they have. There’s a comfortable vibe between them all.
Aubrey gives me a not-so-subtle thumbs-up.
Oh, boy. She looks like she’s in a naughty mood to stir me up.
Here’s hoping Chance and Aubrey behave themselves.
My cousin introduces himself, “Hi, Alice, I’m Ophelia’s cousin, Chance, and this is my beautiful wife, Aubrey, and this little guy is our son, CJ.”
“Hello, Chance and CJ and Aubrey.” Alice is a little shy. “Ophelia is my friend,” she says proudly.
“Yes, I am.” I give Alice a gentle side-hug and then divert the conversation onto safer ground because Alice is Tucker’s secret weapon the way he is beaming a grin my way, all sure of himself. “Teagan, I see you’ve already met my cocky cousin.” She comically fans herself behind his back in front of Aubrey, giving her a wink to show she is just playing about.
