Until Ashlyn
Page 48
Dragging my eyes from them, I look at Dillon. “What do you mean you canceled my room?” I ask, and he grins.
“I canceled my extra room the day I told you I needed you to come with me.”
“You did?” I breathe, and he runs his fingers across my stomach. “Were you planning on seducing me?”
“You refused to see there was something between us, so I was going to convince you there was, one way or another.”
“And you think I’m a nut.” I run my fingers along his jaw, watching his grin turn into a soft smile.
“It worked out in the end.”
“Yeah, but you still could have asked me out like a normal guy,” I mutter, and he wraps the front of my sweater in his fist and forces me closer.
“If I was normal, we wouldn’t be together.”
“You don’t know that.” I frown, and he pulls me even closer.
“Don’t forget, I’ve seen what you’ve done to normal men, baby.”
“Whatever.” I narrow my eyes on his when he chuckles.
“We’re gonna go on in and get to bed early,” Parker says suddenly. I turn to look at him, and then hide my smile when Cara ducks her head.
“Sure. Night, guys.”
“Night,” Cara replies quickly as Parker propels her into the house in front of him.
“I’m surprised he didn’t just pick her up and throw her over his shoulder like a caveman,” I mutter, feeling Dillon laugh, and my eyes drop to his. “I like them.”
“I’m glad.”
“I like the boys too. They’re adorable.”
“They are.” He nods, turning me in his lap to straddle him.
“I’m going to see if Hope wants to go to the zoo with us tomorrow.”
“That would be nice,” he agrees absently as one of his hands slides up my back under my sweater then around, cupping my breast. “Are you ready for bed?”
I press my chest into his while wrapping my arms around the back of his neck. “Yes.” I nip his ear, and he stands, keeping me against him with his hands under my ass. Twining my legs around his waist, I let him carry me into the house and up to bed, where we do not go to sleep until much later.
“That’s our point, not yours,” I hear a little boy’s voice shout through my sleep-fogged brain, and my eyes blink open.
“No, it’s our point,” is rumbled back, and I roll my head to the side, finding Dillon gone and the bed cold.
Scooting across the cool sheets, I look at the clock on the bedside table and groan when I see it’s just five after seven. I want to go back to sleep, but know I won’t be able to now that I’m awake. Throwing my legs over the side, I stand, stretching my arms over my head as I walk across the room toward the closet. As soon as I open the door, I blink in confusion. The clothes that were in my suitcases are now scattered across the floor. Shaking my head, I wonder why Dillon couldn’t just tell me to unpack. “This is Dillon we’re talking about,” I mutter to myself as I go about hanging stuff up and shoving some into drawers.
After finally putting away the last piece of clothing, I grab the jeans and shirt I picked out to wear and head for the bathroom. Tying my hair into a bun on top of my head, I turn on the shower and hop in, making quick work of getting cleaned up since cleaning the closet took over an hour. I know the boys will want to get to the zoo early, and I still need to call Ellie to see about Hope coming along with us.
Once I’m showered and dressed, I put on some mascara and bronzer then grab my cell phone and leave the room, feeling my heart melt as I head down the steps. Taking a seat at the bottom of the stairs, I watch the boys, including Parker and Dillon, play hockey across the marble floors using brooms and mops as hockey sticks and a wadded up piece of paper as a puck.
“We win, you lose!” Jordan yells, giving Kenyon a high-five when he scores a point in the imaginary goal.
“I call a rematch.” Dillon smiles, picking up a laughing Jordan under one arm and a giggling Kenyon under his other, before spinning them in circles, making their laughter echo through the foyer.
“Morning,” Parker says, and I smile as he takes a seat next to me on the step.
“Morning.” I nudge my shoulder with his, listening to the boys giggle and yell for Dillon to go faster.
“When are you guys going to take the dive into parenthood?” he asks, and I feel my face soften when Dillon’s smiling eyes come to me.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly, staring into Dillon’s eyes. Seeing him with his nephews makes me want to see him with our kids. I have no doubt he will be an amazing dad. “Maybe a few years. We’re still trying to get to know each other, and as you know, we didn’t start out like most married couples.”
“Do you love him?” he asks softly, and I pull my eyes from Dillon and the boys to look at him before I answer.
“Yes.”
“That’s all that matters. The rest will fall into place with time.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I’m always right.” He grins, and I roll my eyes, seeing he’s just as cocky as his brother.
“You sound just like Dillon.”
“Dillon sounds just like me. I’m older.” He smiles then looks at the door when the bell rings. Dropping the boys to their feet, Dillon pulls it open, and as soon as I see who is waiting there, I feel my temper flare. Then I hear Parker mutter, “You’ve got to be shitting me.” I’m staring at Isla who is standing on the front porch.
“I canceled my extra room the day I told you I needed you to come with me.”
“You did?” I breathe, and he runs his fingers across my stomach. “Were you planning on seducing me?”
“You refused to see there was something between us, so I was going to convince you there was, one way or another.”
“And you think I’m a nut.” I run my fingers along his jaw, watching his grin turn into a soft smile.
“It worked out in the end.”
“Yeah, but you still could have asked me out like a normal guy,” I mutter, and he wraps the front of my sweater in his fist and forces me closer.
“If I was normal, we wouldn’t be together.”
“You don’t know that.” I frown, and he pulls me even closer.
“Don’t forget, I’ve seen what you’ve done to normal men, baby.”
“Whatever.” I narrow my eyes on his when he chuckles.
“We’re gonna go on in and get to bed early,” Parker says suddenly. I turn to look at him, and then hide my smile when Cara ducks her head.
“Sure. Night, guys.”
“Night,” Cara replies quickly as Parker propels her into the house in front of him.
“I’m surprised he didn’t just pick her up and throw her over his shoulder like a caveman,” I mutter, feeling Dillon laugh, and my eyes drop to his. “I like them.”
“I’m glad.”
“I like the boys too. They’re adorable.”
“They are.” He nods, turning me in his lap to straddle him.
“I’m going to see if Hope wants to go to the zoo with us tomorrow.”
“That would be nice,” he agrees absently as one of his hands slides up my back under my sweater then around, cupping my breast. “Are you ready for bed?”
I press my chest into his while wrapping my arms around the back of his neck. “Yes.” I nip his ear, and he stands, keeping me against him with his hands under my ass. Twining my legs around his waist, I let him carry me into the house and up to bed, where we do not go to sleep until much later.
“That’s our point, not yours,” I hear a little boy’s voice shout through my sleep-fogged brain, and my eyes blink open.
“No, it’s our point,” is rumbled back, and I roll my head to the side, finding Dillon gone and the bed cold.
Scooting across the cool sheets, I look at the clock on the bedside table and groan when I see it’s just five after seven. I want to go back to sleep, but know I won’t be able to now that I’m awake. Throwing my legs over the side, I stand, stretching my arms over my head as I walk across the room toward the closet. As soon as I open the door, I blink in confusion. The clothes that were in my suitcases are now scattered across the floor. Shaking my head, I wonder why Dillon couldn’t just tell me to unpack. “This is Dillon we’re talking about,” I mutter to myself as I go about hanging stuff up and shoving some into drawers.
After finally putting away the last piece of clothing, I grab the jeans and shirt I picked out to wear and head for the bathroom. Tying my hair into a bun on top of my head, I turn on the shower and hop in, making quick work of getting cleaned up since cleaning the closet took over an hour. I know the boys will want to get to the zoo early, and I still need to call Ellie to see about Hope coming along with us.
Once I’m showered and dressed, I put on some mascara and bronzer then grab my cell phone and leave the room, feeling my heart melt as I head down the steps. Taking a seat at the bottom of the stairs, I watch the boys, including Parker and Dillon, play hockey across the marble floors using brooms and mops as hockey sticks and a wadded up piece of paper as a puck.
“We win, you lose!” Jordan yells, giving Kenyon a high-five when he scores a point in the imaginary goal.
“I call a rematch.” Dillon smiles, picking up a laughing Jordan under one arm and a giggling Kenyon under his other, before spinning them in circles, making their laughter echo through the foyer.
“Morning,” Parker says, and I smile as he takes a seat next to me on the step.
“Morning.” I nudge my shoulder with his, listening to the boys giggle and yell for Dillon to go faster.
“When are you guys going to take the dive into parenthood?” he asks, and I feel my face soften when Dillon’s smiling eyes come to me.
“I don’t know,” I say honestly, staring into Dillon’s eyes. Seeing him with his nephews makes me want to see him with our kids. I have no doubt he will be an amazing dad. “Maybe a few years. We’re still trying to get to know each other, and as you know, we didn’t start out like most married couples.”
“Do you love him?” he asks softly, and I pull my eyes from Dillon and the boys to look at him before I answer.
“Yes.”
“That’s all that matters. The rest will fall into place with time.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I’m always right.” He grins, and I roll my eyes, seeing he’s just as cocky as his brother.
“You sound just like Dillon.”
“Dillon sounds just like me. I’m older.” He smiles then looks at the door when the bell rings. Dropping the boys to their feet, Dillon pulls it open, and as soon as I see who is waiting there, I feel my temper flare. Then I hear Parker mutter, “You’ve got to be shitting me.” I’m staring at Isla who is standing on the front porch.
