AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Family?" Both Michael and Sinclair ask at the same time, twin expressions of consternation on both of their faces.
"You guys are bros-in-law. Did you forget?" JJ drawls.
"Trying my best not to dwell on that, ol’ chap," Sinclair finally says.
"Do you have to keep reminding us of it?" Michael scowls.
I sense the mirth roll off of JJ, and it’s such a refreshing change. I like seeing him like this—more relaxed than he’s ever been before. Of course, it could also be due to the sex we had recently. I squeeze my thighs together, and his grip on my shoulder tightens.
"We’d best be off." There’s an urgency to his tone, and I know he’s thinking of how we left things earlier in my bed. Truthfully, I can’t wait to be alone with him, either.
"Take care of yourself, Karma." I lean over and kiss Karma’s cheek.
"I’m here to make sure she does," Summer says grimly.
I glance in Michael’s direction to find his gaze fixed on Karma’s features. There’s so much love, mixed with a tinge of anger, but also, helplessness. Gosh, he knows he doesn’t have a choice but to bend to Karma’s will in this regard. Is that what happens to alphaholes when they meet the right woman? Do they fall so completely that they become helpless in front of their other half’s resolve? Is that how JJ will be?
We drive in silence, JJ at the wheel. Come to think of it, he also drove from the hospital to my place during the earlier trip.
"Where’s your chauffeur?"
"I told him I’d call him when I need him."
I frown. "Thought you preferred it if he drove the car?"
"I prefer to be alone with you."
"We had privacy with the window pulled up between the front and back compartments of the car."
"I wanted to drive you.”
"Oh." Not sure what I should say to that. Maybe best to be silent? I glance out the window. When we turn toward Hyde Park, I realize we’re headed to his place. He didn’t tell me he was taking me there. He didn’t ask me if I’d prefer to go to his place over the house I’ve been staying in for the last week. Admittedly, I prefer his place; it feels more like home. As we take the road that skirts around the park and turn into his driveway, a calmness envelops me. How weird. I take in the tree line on either side, the rows of wildflowers which crowd the center of the slope on one side, the duck pond on the other. He drives around the fountain and we come to a stop in front of the three-story Victorian building. He switches off the engine, and we sit there in silence.
I glance out the window on my side at the turrets on the south side. That’s where Isaac has his studio.
"He’s moved out," JJ murmurs as if he’s read my mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could. The man has an uncanny way of always knowing what I’m thinking. "Got a place of his own in one of those hipster-ish new areas, which I’m not sure even qualifies as London."
"If you mean Dalston, it very muchisin London." I glance at him sideways. "Your age is showing."
He narrows his gaze on me. "In this case, I don’t mind. I’d love to have him stay longer with us, but I’m not unhappy that he moved out."
"No?" I tilt my head.
"I want to have time with you, to get to know you. To make you laugh. To find out what you like to do. To cook your favorite dishes. Play your favorite music. Take you to the movies on a date."
"You mean, you’ll take me to an actual movie in a cinema instead of watching it in that big-ass cinema room you have in the basement?" I tease.
He winces. "That’s the only civilized way to watch a movie, but I thought you’d appreciate a real date."
"And you’ll take me to Mickey D’s for dinner?"
His expression morphs into one of horror, before he composes his features. "If that’s what you want."
I burst out laughing. "Relax, I’m not cruel enough to put you through that. Besides, we don’t have to do every single activity together, do we?"
"For you, I’ll go to a McDonald’s, or better still, have a chef come home and prepare you the exact same burgers using the same recipe."
I blink. "Isn’t their recipe a secret?"
