started splashing the boys. An all-out war erupted, and Bryn suddenly forgot all about Roberto and Carmelita’s nipple.
CHAPTER Seven
E LI DROVE behind Bryn’s minivan, unable to keep the grin off his face. Today had been a great day. Beyond great. The kids had played, and the adults, too, laughing nonstop. It had been a long, long time since he’d had a day like that.
And Bryn. Watching her smile, run around, the sun glistening on her skin. The way her body moved, the water cascading down plump mounds of cleavage. There’d been a few moments he’d really had to rein himself in and curb his horniness. No guy wants to explain a protrusion in his shorts, especially with how clingy the water had made them. Her hair was messy and her makeup nonexistent, but she’d never looked more beautiful.
Now they were on their way to her place for a cookout. The perfect ending to an amazing day.
Tending the grill, Eli threw on a hot dog for each kid and a steak for each adult. He seasoned them with a little salt and pepper and tossed the ears of corn on, too, still in their husks. Bryn worked some magic in the kitchen, and by the time the steaks were a perfect medium-rare, everything else was ready. They sat at her patio table, two adults and five kids squished around it, but it felt good. Like a family. Something he hadn’t experienced in years.
The kids ran off before either Eli or Bryn could insist they help with cleanup, but they were playing so nicely together it was hard to interrupt. So the adults cleaned up, laughing and joking, making it fun, like a married couple would. He tried not to get carried away, but he couldn’t help imagining the rest of his life with Bryn.
“Glass of wine?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She scrunched her nose. “Ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am?”
He laughed. “Well, no. But it’s out of respect. Habit I guess, from work.”
“Ah.” Bryn pulled a bottle of chardonnay from the fridge and poured two glasses, handing one to him. “Let’s head outside.”
He followed her through the open sliding glass door, admiring the sway of her hips. She’d changed out of the sundress, opting for cotton shorts and a tank top. But still, she was just as sexy.
Bryn stopped at the edge of the patio, the setting sun in the distance, as the kids played some form of tag kickball. She stood there watching them, the biggest smile he’d ever seen on her face. Was she thinking the same things he’d been? That it had been great to act like a family, even if only for the day?
He took a chance and stepped behind her, the breeze blowing a few strands of hair at him, tickling his neck. Keeping his glass in his left hand, he wrapped his right around her waist. “It’s a nice picture isn’t it?”
Her body stiffened at his touch. Just relax, baby.
“Yeah. The kids play so well together.”
“I had a great day with you,” he said, his lips barely an inch away from her ear.
Her body softened and Bryn relaxed into him. She even put her free hand on top of his. Damn, this was nice. A happy family enjoying a great day together. This was what life was about. This was what he so badly wanted. For him and Bryn. Hopefully this had been a step toward getting that and her forgetting the awkwardness of the other night.
“Uh-oh. Did you feel that?” she asked.
“What?”
“A drop.”
And just as Eli answered, “Nope,” a raindrop hit him on the nose. “Oh. There it is.”
The droplets came faster. The kids didn’t seem to notice, or if they did, didn’t care.
“Guys, come on. It’s raining,” Bryn called as she stepped toward the patio table. She set her glass down and cranked the umbrella shut.
All five kids came running. “Can we watch a movie?” one of them asked. Eli wasn’t sure which.
“Yeah. Go on in and pick one. Together. No arguing.”
“Okay,” several said in unison, and they trudged into the house.
Ten minutes later, Bryn had them in the den on the floor with
CHAPTER Seven
E LI DROVE behind Bryn’s minivan, unable to keep the grin off his face. Today had been a great day. Beyond great. The kids had played, and the adults, too, laughing nonstop. It had been a long, long time since he’d had a day like that.
And Bryn. Watching her smile, run around, the sun glistening on her skin. The way her body moved, the water cascading down plump mounds of cleavage. There’d been a few moments he’d really had to rein himself in and curb his horniness. No guy wants to explain a protrusion in his shorts, especially with how clingy the water had made them. Her hair was messy and her makeup nonexistent, but she’d never looked more beautiful.
Now they were on their way to her place for a cookout. The perfect ending to an amazing day.
Tending the grill, Eli threw on a hot dog for each kid and a steak for each adult. He seasoned them with a little salt and pepper and tossed the ears of corn on, too, still in their husks. Bryn worked some magic in the kitchen, and by the time the steaks were a perfect medium-rare, everything else was ready. They sat at her patio table, two adults and five kids squished around it, but it felt good. Like a family. Something he hadn’t experienced in years.
The kids ran off before either Eli or Bryn could insist they help with cleanup, but they were playing so nicely together it was hard to interrupt. So the adults cleaned up, laughing and joking, making it fun, like a married couple would. He tried not to get carried away, but he couldn’t help imagining the rest of his life with Bryn.
“Glass of wine?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She scrunched her nose. “Ma’am? Do I look like a ma’am?”
He laughed. “Well, no. But it’s out of respect. Habit I guess, from work.”
“Ah.” Bryn pulled a bottle of chardonnay from the fridge and poured two glasses, handing one to him. “Let’s head outside.”
He followed her through the open sliding glass door, admiring the sway of her hips. She’d changed out of the sundress, opting for cotton shorts and a tank top. But still, she was just as sexy.
Bryn stopped at the edge of the patio, the setting sun in the distance, as the kids played some form of tag kickball. She stood there watching them, the biggest smile he’d ever seen on her face. Was she thinking the same things he’d been? That it had been great to act like a family, even if only for the day?
He took a chance and stepped behind her, the breeze blowing a few strands of hair at him, tickling his neck. Keeping his glass in his left hand, he wrapped his right around her waist. “It’s a nice picture isn’t it?”
Her body stiffened at his touch. Just relax, baby.
“Yeah. The kids play so well together.”
“I had a great day with you,” he said, his lips barely an inch away from her ear.
Her body softened and Bryn relaxed into him. She even put her free hand on top of his. Damn, this was nice. A happy family enjoying a great day together. This was what life was about. This was what he so badly wanted. For him and Bryn. Hopefully this had been a step toward getting that and her forgetting the awkwardness of the other night.
“Uh-oh. Did you feel that?” she asked.
“What?”
“A drop.”
And just as Eli answered, “Nope,” a raindrop hit him on the nose. “Oh. There it is.”
The droplets came faster. The kids didn’t seem to notice, or if they did, didn’t care.
“Guys, come on. It’s raining,” Bryn called as she stepped toward the patio table. She set her glass down and cranked the umbrella shut.
All five kids came running. “Can we watch a movie?” one of them asked. Eli wasn’t sure which.
“Yeah. Go on in and pick one. Together. No arguing.”
“Okay,” several said in unison, and they trudged into the house.
Ten minutes later, Bryn had them in the den on the floor with
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