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Harper smiled. “My dad’s version of that particular talk was teaching me all about artificial insemination, saying I should stay away from boys because if I kissed one I’d grow fangs.”
Larkin snickered.
A Hispanic woman inched into the room. “Would either of you like something to eat or drink?” she asked both Larkin and Teague.
“Thanks, Meg, a soda would be great,” Larkin told her.
“I’m good, thanks,” he told the woman.
With a smile, Meg nodded and then disappeared.
Once Harper and Knox were ready to leave, she cupped Asher’s chin and said, “Now, you be good for Larkin and Teague. Okay?”
The kid gave her a dimply smile. “ ’Kay.”
She dropped a kiss on his head. “That’s my good boy.”
Asher disappeared in a roar of flames, only to reappear in front of Knox. “I want a hug,” he told his father.
Knox lifted him, gave him a tight squeeze, and kissed his temple. “You know what to do if you need me or your mom, don’t you?”
Asher gave a curt nod. “I ’path you and say hey, get your butts home.”
Humor lit Knox’s eyes. “Something like that.”
A loud, high-pitched toot filled the air, and then Asher dissolved into a fit of giggles.
Knox sighed. “That was why you wanted a hug, wasn’t it? So you could fart on my arm?”
Asher didn’t respond, too busy laughing.
Harper snatched him from his father with a playful growl, tickled him mercilessly, and then set him down on the sofa. “You are trouble in its purest form.” She grabbed her purse from the table. “Thanks so much for this, guys, we appreciate it,” she said to Larkin and Teague.
“Contact us if you have any problems,” Knox told them, slipping his arm around his mate’s waist.
“We will,” Larkin assured him.
“Bye!” Asher yelled, bouncing on the sofa.
“Dammit, kid, stop jumping on the couch,” groused Harper.
He only giggled again.
Then the Primes were gone. Meg entered the room mere moments later, handed Larkin her soda, and then once more vanished.
Larkin took a swig of her drink as she turned to Asher. “So, what do you want to do while we wait for your mom and dad to get back?”
He scuttled off the couch and dashed to Teague. “I wanna ride the horsey.”
Uh, yeah, no. He hoisted the kid up. “How about we just do this instead?”
“Do what?” asked Asher.
In answer, Teague dangled him upside down by one ankle. Asher squealed in delight, kicking his free leg.
“I have an idea,” said Larkin. “How about we go play in the backyard?”
“Yes!” agreed Asher. “The horsey can take me outside!”
“I’ll give you a piggyback ride—that’s the best deal you’re getting,” Teague told him.
The kid dedicated a good ten minutes into trying to change Teague’s mind. When it didn’t work, he agreed to the piggyback ride.
After placing her soda on the coffee table, Larkin led the way as they walked out of the room and through the mansion.
“I like the blue-tinted windows,” said Teague.
“They’re bulletproof,” she told him, confirming his suspicion. “Despite the shield encompassing the estate, Knox has extra security measures for the mansion. He takes no chances.”
As they walked out of the rear patio doors, he felt his brows lift. “Some backyard.” There was a BBQ area, an outdoor bar, a massive cabana complete with a widescreen TV, and a currently covered swimming pool.
Various smells scented the air. Chlorine, sun-warmed stone, stagnant pond water, and all the freshly mown grass that sat between the patio area and a large playground.
As soon as Teague stepped foot on the playground’s spongy rubber flooring, Asher pyroported from his back to the floor. Then he raced off.
“Sweet little play area he’s got here.” There were swings, a slide, a tube maze, a sandbox, a see-saw, a jungle gym, monkey bars, and a rock climbing wall. Like the rubber flooring, the equipment was brightly colored.
Larkin nodded. “His parents don’t do anything by halves.”
“Teague, come push me,” Asher urged, perching his butt on a swing.
“Not too high,” Larkin said to Teague. “Go easy.”
He smiled. “Well, obviously.”
Larkin spent the next hour with her heart in her throat. Why? Because Teague didn’t know the meaning of go easy. He was as much of a daredevil as Asher.
So during the time the two dudes made full use of the playground, there was one moment after another where she was sure the kid would fall and split his head open. But Teague would be at his side superfast, steadying him in an instant. Which was the only reason she didn’t put a stop to it and instead hovered close just in case she was needed.
When Asher finally settled down in the sandbox to play with the toys there, Teague sidled up to her and said, “That boy is a whirlwind of energy.”
“You’re good with kids,” she noted.
He shrugged. “I like them. Sort of.”
“Sort of?” she asked with a chuckle.
