Page 25 of Roam

Sprite stood staring at him, looking up into his eyes. He wondered what she was looking for. Oakley had fallen asleep against his shoulder. He decided he wanted a kiss before he left. He ached for the touch of her lips against his.

He stared into her eyes and then brushed his finger across her jaw, then tunneled his fingers into her hair.

“I had a fantastic time with you and the kids tonight, Sprite,” as he breathed his last word close to her mouth, he closed his eyes and touched his lips to the woman he couldn’t imagine life without. She relaxed against him and placed her hand against his cheek.

He didn’t claim her lips. He coaxed and caressed until she opened her lips. It was a slow reassurance telling her how much she meant to him. He’d never thought about the enjoyment of kissing just for the sake of kissing. Her palm against his cheek filled his heart with a warmth he’d never experienced.

Oakley grunted and moved against him, and he reluctantly pulled away. He opened his eyes to see a blissful, sweet look on Sprite’s face. He dropped a final kiss on her forehead, then stepped back. Tonight wasn’t the time to explore more. His brother was watching his kids, and he was building something with Sprite. She needed to understand that although he wanted her with every fiber of his being, he wanted her in his life for more than sex.

Sprite lifted Oakley out of his arms.

“I did too. See you at lunch tomorrow.”

He nodded. “Yep, I heard Beth is bringing the deputy. Should be interesting.”

“Do you not like law enforcement?”

“I do. Let’s just say he’s relatively new in town and I don’t get a good feeling about him. Not sure what, but something bothers me about him.”

He dropped another kiss on her forehead and turned to go before he threw all his good intentions out and kissed Sprite like he craved to. He forced himself to not look back or he’d turn around.

He wasn’t sure what it was about the new deputy that bothered him. Rascal had a little run in where he thought the guy was throwing kittens in the trash, but the deputy had said he was taking them to his car.

Roam had always thought he had good intuition until Shanna. Now, he second-guessed himself over everything. There wasn’t any more he could do about it tonight, so he should just drop it.

He walked in his front door to War sitting on the couch with Cane curled up beside him. He was thankful they all lived close. It was something he’d really missed when he and Shanna lived in town.

“Kids are down, but I do have a request from your oldest.”

War’s smirk had him wondering what Grant had enlisted his uncle’s help with. With that kid, who knew.

“Okay, hit me with it. You want something to drink?” Roam asked, walking into the kitchen and grabbing himself a cold glass of iced tea.

“I’ll take water, tea or milk. We had buffalo wings for supper, and they were hotter than fire.”

Roam chuckled. “Couldn’t let your wife see that she likes food hotter than you, could you?”

“Seriously, I had sweat beading on my forehead and was opening my mouth between swallows, gulping air in trying to cool my mouth, and she’s all like I think these could use a little more hot sauce.”

Roam handed War a glass of milk. “Well, sounds like your evening was a little like mine. Instead of the lovely relaxed evening, Sprite walked in to a barking dog and two crying toddlers because their big brother decided he’d help them try my jalapeno chips.”

War chortled, slapping the counter. “Now his request makes so much more sense. He wants me to ask you for him to get his big boy motorcycle like Phoebe’s. He wants you to give him a pass on tonight when you think about it. That kid is too funny.”

“It’s not like his behavior is changing when he’s getting the bike. I promised when he was four and Dad is already working on it. I will say Sprite handled it well. She was calm and even had a solution to help.”

His twin looked at him deeply, then nodded. “It seems this is serious with you two. Have you told her...”

Roam held up his hand. Everyone kept harping on telling her but every time he had it planned, something happened. He’d wanted to tell her tonight but couldn’t figure out a time. Now, he was so scared it would drive her away. Maybe he could take her for a walk after lunch.

“I’m working on it. I just need the perfect time.”

War shook his head and Roam wanted to smack him just like all those times growing up when, because War was a couple minutes older, he thought he knew everything.

“Trust me. There is no perfect time. Bite the bullet and tell her before it blows up in your face.”

Roam gazed at War, knowing he was right but wanting more than anything to fast forward to signed papers in his hands from Shanna so he didn’t have to face Sprite.

“You’re right. Thanks for always having my back,” Roam walked over and pulled War in for a hug.

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