Girls' Night Out by Lauren Dane Page A

like him. Good gracious she was going to end up like Polly in a few decades!
    “Whatever are you thinking?” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her temple, and she leaned into his touch.
    “Nothing bad. Don’t get that panicked face. I was thinking about how the boys were exactly like you and how I’d be like your mother by the time they grew up.”
    He wrinkled his nose. “Well if you wanted to throw ice water on my hard-on, mention my mother and that’s that. Thank God you’re a better driver and your hair isn’t nearly as big. But you’re a damned fine momma.”
    “Boy oh boy, you’re on a roll tonight. Keep that sexy to yourself or I’ll have to run them over with your momma’s car.”
    “You know how much I like it when you get all sassy.”
    She rolled her eyes as the kids barreled into the room, calling out for hugs. She happily gave them and a bunch of kisses goodbye before she headed out. They were going to spend the night with their grandparents, and she was a distant second place to sleeping bags in Grammy’s living room and Disney movies with all their cousins.
    She was due to pick up Cassie, probably dealing with the same reluctance at leaving her husband behind, in just a few minutes.
    Kyle pulled up in front of his brother Marc’s house and honked. He knew Liv was driving over to Lily’s party with Maggie so at least Marc wouldn’t be tangled up in his wife.
    For a change.
    Each of them had a beautiful wife and wonderful family, but the chemistry between his little brother and his wife was off the charts and the two had a hard time keeping their hands off each other.
    Which was probably why Kyle suspected there’d be at least one or two more babies from them. Funny how it was the Chase everyone had thought was the least responsible who’d settled down with a wife and a houseful of kids.
    It fit Marc. The ever larger family, the noisy house. He and Liv managed the chaos with humor and a lot of love.
    He smiled, thinking of his own three babies. He hadn’t just been flattering his way into Maggie’s underpants when he’d told her she was a wonderful mother. Given the dreadful example she’d grown up with, Maggie parented like it was easy, or natural, and neither was true.
    She was the foundation of their family, and it filled him up to near bursting that he had the life he did. And that his wife was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
    “Dude, why are you looking like you hit your head on something?” Marc slid into the passenger seat.
    “Just thinking about my lovely bride. You ready? I told Shane we’d pick him up at the station. Matt will meet us there too.”
    “Ready. Liv took the kids over to Mom and Daddy’s. She called me after to say their place was a madhouse of tiny Chases and Momma looked like she was in heaven.”
    “You’d think after getting rid of the four of us they’d be off traveling and enjoying their lives quietly.” Kyle snorted as he headed to the police station. “But no, they really do seem to love being grandparents. Which is good because there are times I’m pretty sure the kids like them better than us.”
    “Hell, I would too.”
    Shane and Matt waited on the sidewalk as Kyle pulled up.
    “Christ it’s cold out tonight.” Shane shivered as he pulled his seatbelt on.
    “I’m sure Cassie would have volunteered to warm you up if you’d asked.” Matt elbowed Shane. “Move over.”
    Shane elbowed him back. “I’m as over as I’m gonna get. Suck it up. As for my wife? I haven’t seen her all day, actually. I had an early call, which interrupted a pretty damned good start to the morning.” He sighed. “I couldn’t even escape for a nice lunch at home it was so busy. Sometimes I think the cold weather makes people act even worse than they do in full summer.”
    “Unlike you fools, I got some this morning so I’m nice and relaxed.” Matt sat back, Kyle was sure, with a big smile on his face.
    There was a muffled ouch, most likely from