AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As I slice oranges for the twins’ soccer game snack, I smile to myself. Everything worked out better than we’d hoped for.
Laughter from the three-year-old twins, Archer and Piper, has me glancing out the window and into the backyard. Dean is doubled over, having taken the soccer ball to the gut. Piper squeaks, “Daddy, are you okay?”
She runs at her dad, who picks her up and swings her around as she shrieks in chaotic joy.
“Come on, everybody, the match starts in 15 minutes.“
The adults outside gather up the rest of the kids, and everyone makes their way toward the house. The stampede inthe kitchen brings Mom and Dad in from the front porch. It’s their favorite spot to sit, watching over their newly adopted town.
Dad would never admit it, but it didn’t take him long to warm up to Dean. He did not one but two criminal background checks on Dean, Rhys, and Forrest each. The only thing that clinched it was seeing me happy.
“Papa, Grandma!” Archer calls out as my mom and dad round the corner into the kitchen. “Are you coming to me and Piper’s soccer game?”
Dad hoists both the twins up in his arms, and Piper immediately reaches for Grandma, who takes her gratefully.
“It’s ‘Piper and my game,’ not ‘me and Piper,’” Dad corrects his grandson. “And it’s a ‘match,’ not a ‘game.’”
Although retired from journalism, Dad’s still a stickler. Archer is not having any of it, though.
“No, it’s not. You are not playing, Papa. It’s just me and Piper. And Coach Rhys says it’s not important who wins or loses but how you play.”
Warm breath wafts against my neck as everyone laughs. Dean stands behind me, brushing my hair out of his way so he can kiss me right above my collarbone. “Happy anniversary, by the way. Come here, I have something to show you. “
I turn my head to smile at him. “It’s not our wedding anniversary. And we have to get the kids ready for the game.”
But even as I say this, the little ones are already donning their shin guards with the help of Rebel and Rhys.
My husband escorts me down the hallway to the primary bedroom at the back of the house and shuts the door. “It’s the five-year anniversary of the day we met, remember?”
He’s right. I do remember. But I always tease him that he does too much for me. That he should save the big presents forthe anniversary of our wedding instead of finding reasons to shower me with presents multiple times a year.
“What did you do, Dean?”
With a grin, Dean pulls out a small, wrapped box from the top drawer of our dresser. I sit on the bed and open it. Inside the box is a fur bra with leather straps.
“Is this…?“
“The same one.”
I double over with laughter. “Are you trying to tell me you want me to wear this in the bedroom?”
Dean shrugs. “Wear it whenever the heck you want. And I won’t be mad about it.”
Immediately, I tug my shirt off and reach backward to unlatch my bra.
When my breasts fall free—now less perky after having breastfed two little ones for two whole years—Dean lets out a growl that makes my spine tingle. “Look at you.”
Apparently after five years, I still got it.
I fit the bra on and twirl around for him. “Well?”
Dean crosses the room and circles his arms around my bare midriff, warming me to my core. He dips his head down to his spot at the base of my throat between my collarbones. And then he begins to work his way down to worship my breasts.
“Well, I think I shot myself in the foot, because you’re going to wear it to the soccer game just to torture me, aren’t you?” Dean asks.
“Something like that.” I smirk.
He groans, and we share a long kiss on the lips—sweet and deep and thorough. Just like my Dean.
“But when we get home, and after the kids are in bed, no maces or cudgels. Okay? I’m not into that.”
“It’s a deal.”
There’s a lot of things I’m not great at. I’m still not great at running the register at Love Games. But I’m good at making a sale. Yeah, we decided to keep the name. It gets people in the door, and then I do my thing.
Neither have my skills improved at playingTime Machine TreasureorCrypt Crawlers, or any of the other role-playing games that go on at the shop. But I’m damn good at being a wife, a mom, a friend, and just being me.
I’ve been on a roll for five years, and I feel like this lucky streak is going to be full of 20s.
THE END
