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“I’ll just bet you are,” she murmured.
His gaze flicked down to her chest, lingering on her nipples as they poked out through her shirt. The car was almost hot, so there was no way she could pretend her reaction was anything other than what it was. He raised an eyebrow at her. “You telling me you don’t want to?”
Kia glanced at her chest and winced. “Shut up.” She crossed her arms over her breasts.
No chance he was letting her cover that up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her arm away from her chest and set it on her lap. “Me too, babe, me too.”
She shifted in her chair and looked in the backseat. “Okay Max, the second we get inside teeth brushed, pajamas on, off to bed.”
“Come on.” Max’s shoulders slumped. “Can I at least play a video game or something with Uncle Gonzo and Uncle Ryan?”
Since when did his friends become uncles? “Uncle?”
“Yeah, they said I could call them that.”
“They’ll be there in the morning for breakfast with you.” He had to admit as eager as he was to spend time with Max, the idea of getting Kia alone ASAP was incredibly appealing.
“But we have to play Mario Kart,” Max whined.
Kia fully turned in her seat to face her son. “Max, this isn’t up for discussion. It’s already 10:00 o’clock. It’s way past your bedtime. Let’s get you ready for bed and then tomorrow you’ll spend the day with the guys while I get some work done. You’ve got a whole boys’ day planned, but if you don’t get some sleep, you’re not going to do it because you’re going to need a nap.”
“Fine.” Max crossed his little arms across his chest.
As he pulled the car into the driveway of their suburban rental, it surprised him how much he loved the feeling of bringing his family home. Three months ago, he hadn’t even known Max existed and now he couldn’t imagine his life without him. Or Kia. When they’d started this thing, it had been a physical craving. Now the last thing he wanted was anything casual with her. He wanted it all. The picket fence. Them moving into his house. The woman beside him in the crook of his arm while he slept. A home with Max and Kia in it.
Everything between them was perfect. There were no issues, yet she was still super skittish. As he looked at her, she glanced over at him, and a warm smile spread across her face. Maybe she wasn’t as skittish as she used to be. He turned off the truck and hopped out. He pulled open Max’s door. “Alright bud, let’s get you inside and get to bed so we can have some fun tomorrow.”
The trio trudged their way into the house. The second the front door opened hoots and hollers sounded from the couch in the living room.
“Maxie,” Gonzo yelled.
“Don’t get him riled up, guys. He’s heading to bed,” Jeff told his friends.
A resounding chorus of groans echoed from the living room.
“Don’t start,” Jeff hollered back.
“You’re no fun, Smitty.
He could always count on Gonzo to be ready to rock n’roll. But he knew his friends would respect the rules.
He smiled to himself as he watched Max make the rounds of his friends, giving hugs and high-fives to each of them. When Jeff first found out about Max, he’d been worried things with his friends would change. But they’d embraced Max like their own.
Max stood in the middle of the living room and eyed the gaming system longingly. He sighed with his whole body. “Mom says I have to go right to bed.”
The kid had the whole ‘woe is me’ thing down to an art already.
Gonzo sat up in the chair and looked like he was about to say something. The last thing the kid needed was help from his honorary uncles. Jeff pinned Gonzo with a look, daring him to argue about the bedtime rule. Gonzo held up his hands.
“Actually, it’s almost my bedtime, too. I plan on kicking some ass at go-karts tomorrow, since I lost last time, and I want to look all fresh and pretty for my photo op in the winner’s circle.” Gonzo winked at the little boy, making Max giggle.
“Why do you want to look pretty? You’re a boy, Uncle Gonzo.”
“Boys can be pretty,” Gonzo said. “Have you seen what I look like on TV?”
“Doesn’t get much prettier than him,” Pete agreed, his lips twitched with suppressed amusement.
“Thank you.” Gonzo licked his thumbs and dragged them across his eyebrows, making Max burst into a fit of giggles again.
