Page 63 of More than Need

“I’m just checking,” Dawson said defensively. At least his heart rate had returned to a relatively normal pace. He found the broom and made his way across the floor, getting everything he could see. There were mostly larger pieces, but the smaller shards were the ones to watch for. The ones that got left behind and attacked unsuspecting feet.

Hudson jumped off his chair when a knock came at the door. “Who’s there?” he yelled out.

“Hudson, sit down; you aren’t allowed to answer the door by yourself, remember?” Gideon said. “Let me—”

“Don’t you dare come down,” Dawson said, pointing at him. “Did I say you could move yet?” He crowded Gideon and pressed lips to his ear, speaking lightly enough that children’s ears couldn’t hear. “Riley likes it when you’re a good boy, doesn’t he?” Gideon’s breath hitched. “So do I.” He kissed the curve. “Let me get it.”

Dawson took a second to admire Riley’s lean form in the doorway, looking way too goddamn sexy in his suit, a light flare at his hip where his firearm sat snug.

Hudson clung to Dawson’s leg, smiling wide up at Riley. “Riley!”

Dawson put a tentative hand on Hudson’s head. Weren’t kids normally shy of new people and shit? It shouldn’t have surprised him that Gideon’s kid didn’t have that hang-up.

“Hello, Hudson.”

“Do you like playdough?”

“I haven’t used it enough to decide,” Riley said seriously.

Hudson nodded seriously in return. “It’s my favourite. I have jigsaw puzzles. Do you want to see?”

“I would love to see. Let me speak to your father first.”

“Okay!” Hudson ran back to his seat, almost sliding right over it in his haste.

“If that was a race, he got gold.”

“He always gets gold,” Riley replied. “He’s always had Gideon’s boundless energy.”

Gideon, who they found with a hand stretched out, reaching for the broom.

“What are you doing?” Dawson asked sternly.

“Nothing.” Gideon settled back on the bench with a huff. “I’ll have you know I could do this by myself,” he pointed out. “I don’t always have a knight in shining armour to save me.”

“Well, this time you do.”

“My hero.”

“What happened?” Riley asked, coming to stand behind Dawson, an inferno at his back.

“Broke a glass, and Dawson won’t let me move until he’s cleaned it all up.”

“How generous of him,” Riley murmured, lips dragging behind his ear, sending a shiver down his back.

“I don’t want him cutting his feet,” Dawson managed to get out. He should get gold forthat. They could hand out a few medals tonight.

Riley’s hand found Dawson’s hip, and Dawson reached for it without thought, fingers sliding together. Touching them had become a drug.

“Can I come down now?” Gideon asked with a cheeky grin.

Dawson did one more check, making sure he hadn’t missed anything. Satisfied, he lifted Gideon from the counter, sliding him slowly down his body, feeling every inch of him.

“Hi,” Gideon murmured.

“Hi.” Dawson checked that Hudson was preoccupied—he had his head down, his tongue out as he concentrated on a large orange piece of playdough—and then snuck a kiss, keeping it shallow. A brief taste that wouldn’t last him long. He’d need a refill.

When he turned his head to the side, Riley lay in wait, claiming the taste for himself. He didn’t have any qualms about deepening the kiss, his tongue slipping into Dawson’s mouth.

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