Page 98 of In Spades

“Is supper ready yet?” Zoey asked, running down the hallway.

Startled, Kristin pushed me away, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve. Her whiskey eyes darted back and forth as if to regain her bearings; like my kiss had tilted the axis of her world.

I smirked, turning my back to discreetly adjust my erection.

Kristin’s eyes dropped to where my hand was. She shot me a playful grin and winked.

“In just a minute,” Kristin said to Zoey, her voice calm—as if I hadn’t just mauled her in the middle of her kitchen. “Go tell the others it’s time to eat.”

Zoey scampered off, shouting for her siblings to come to the table.

“Never a dull moment,” I said, chuckling as I washed my hands and dried them with the red gingham towel.

Kristin paused and let out a breath, pressing her fingers against the temples of her head. She rubbed slow circles, rocking her neck back and forth. “Only a few more hours until bedtime.”

I kissed her forehead. “Have you told them about the weekend yet?”

She shook her head.

We were planning to stay at my place for the weekend. Why hadn’t she mentioned it to the kids?

Fear trilled down my spine. Was she having second thoughts? Was she uncomfortable with the idea of the kids sleeping under my roof?

During one of our many late-night conversations, Kristin told me that their family treated the North Carolina State Fair as their Christmas.

They saved up money all year for it. Public schools always put a teacher workday on the calendar for a Friday. So, on Thursday—Canned Food Day—Kristin would work a half day, pick the kids up early from school, and drive to Raleigh to go to the fair. She would take a day off work on Friday to recuperate and spend quality time with the kids while they were out of school.

I told Kristin that I wanted to go with them this year, and she agreed. At the time, it seemed like a safe group outing. Time with Kristin, time with the kids in a casual environment, and no pressure.

But things between Kristin and I had gotten serious—or at least I thought they were serious. There wasn’t a minute that passed during the day that I didn’t think about her.

We were in serious need of a little adult time, so I suggested that the five of them could stay at my house after the fair. I had more than enough rooms.

On Friday, the kids could walk the waterfront, play outside, or marathon through movies and video games. We’d grill outside for dinner if the weather held.

I thought she would be all over the idea. Especially given the fact that I had a bedroom. With a bed. And a door with a lock. The kids would even be on a different floor of the house.

Kristin didn’t like asking for help with the kids when it came to them staying overnight somewhere. Hell, the last time she accepted help was only because Maddie, Hannah Jane, and I had tricked her into it. But she deserved a break and the kids needed a change of scenery.

Logan’s icy demeanor had thawed a bit, but he was still wary of me.

Kylie appeared cool, but I knew it was just a front. Beneath her typical teenage girl issues brewed distrust and fear of everyone around her.

Hunter was the same way.

I didn’t blame any of them. They were victims of their parents’ horrible choices.

“I figured it would be better to wait and see how things go tonight,” she said amicably.

I didn’t buy that bullshit for a second. “Kris,” I said, fanning my hand across her stomach to stop her in her tracks. “If you’re getting cold feet?—”

“I’m not,” she said quickly. Doors opened and slammed shut as the kids filed into the kitchen. She lowered her voice. “Me spending the night is one thing, but are you actually ready for an insta-family to be all up in your space? I’m just worried that this is moving too fast for them.”

“Will!” Hunter shouted. “Sit here!”

The kids had taken their places at the table, leaving me a seat between Logan and Hunter.

“Did you really have a meeting at the Pentagon?” Kylie asked as soon as I looked over my shoulder at them.

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