Page 73 of Gifts

“Dad.” Levi’s still agitated. “When do I get parole?”

I stand and narrow my eyes at him. “If you do your best not to look miserable today, Carissa can come over later. You can introduce her to the goats.” He rolls his eyes, but pulls his phone out of his pocket, no doubt to text his long-lost girlfriend.

I leave them and go back to the kitchen where Keelie’s been cooking up a storm for hours. Her hair and makeup are perfect, she’s got on a pair of black jeans that fit her like a second skin topped with a shirt that hangs off her shoulder that wasn’t shot, showing her black, lacy bra strap. She’s boosted at least three inches, which still doesn’t make her tall, but it does do amazing things to her legs and ass as she bends over to look in the oven.

She woke me up this morning before the sun rose to kick me out of her bed like we were teenagers. But she did this by crawling on top of me, apologizing while tasting my neck and chest with her tongue and kisses, promising me she just needs to get her head around shit before she comes clean to her kids.

I rolled her to her back, put my hand between her legs, and watched her come again as the first rays of the day peeked through her windows.

Only then did I leave her.

Now, she’s standing at her sink and doesn’t look away from the fruit she’s cutting when she states, “I hope you’re ready for my family.”

I turn around from pouring myself another cup of coffee and lean my hips against her counter next to where she’s standing. “They can’t be that scary, Keelie. I’m sure I can handle them.”

She throws me a glance that says she doesn’t believe me. “Your family must mind their own business. You’re lucky.”

I shake my head. “Don’t really have a family besides my kids so I don’t have to worry about it.”

She stops what she’s doing and turns fully to me with a horrified expression on her face, whispering, “What do you mean?”

I shrug and take another sip of coffee. “Never knew my dad. My mom was single my whole life. She was a heavy smoker and got lung cancer. On top of that, she was always lonely and didn’t have the will to fight. She died when the kids were young.”

Holding her hands out because they’re sticky, she steps close and presses up to kiss me. “I’m so sorry. And here I am complaining about my meddling family. I sound like a bitch.”

“You’re being honest. Don’t apologize for that, baby.”

“Still. I’m sorry.” She kisses me one more time before going back to her food. Without looking up, she adds, “Puppy.”

I grin and frown at the same time. “That’s a strange pet name for me, but if you insist.”

She quickly shakes her head while cutting cantaloupe. “I’m talking about Emma. Get her a puppy. I’ve watched her with Banner and Bella—she loves them. My goats must be somewhat endearing, because I doubt she’d spend as much time with them as she does just to appease my daughter if she found them as annoying as I do. A puppy will give her a reason to get off her ass and get her mind off,” she looks back to me and waves her knife around, “whatever it is that’s eating at her.”

I take a sip of my coffee. “A puppy, huh?”

She washes her hands and grabs a towel. “You’ve been so busy buying cars, getting me drunk, as well as,” she raises a brow, “other things. I sort of forgot to mention that right before we were shot at, I almost had her talking. She started to open up, Asa, and I’m sure she’ll do it again. In the meantime, give her something else to focus on. Trust me, nothing sucks up your time like a needy animal. I should know.”

I set my mug down on the counter. “She just told me she doesn’t want to go home and I don’t blame her. I can’t buy her a puppy when I don’t know where we’ll be.”

She tosses her towel next to the fruit and lowers her voice. “You’re welcome here until you figure it out. I wish I could promise you more, but I can’t right now. Not yet.”

“You okay with a puppy here?” I put my arm around her and pull her to me. “For now?”

She smirks. “Like I’d even notice a puppy with all the animals and extra humans around.”

I shake my head and drop my hand to smack her fine ass.

Her eyes flare.

“Extra humans, huh?” I ask, giving her a squeeze.

She starts to open her mouth, no doubt to give me shit about something, but she’s stopped by the uproar of goats and the donkey at the same time my phone alerts me. Her eyes widen again, but this time in a panic. I pull my phone out and unlock it, looking at the live feed of multiple camera angles.

I show it to her. “Is this your family?”

Her eyes go from heated to panicked to surprised in mere seconds. She watches a Volvo and Honda Pilot pull up to her house and exclaims, “Yes, but how am I seeing this on your phone?”

I lean down to kiss her. “It’s your new security system. I had it installed two nights ago. I’ll teach you how to use it later.”

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