Page 53 of Naughty by Nature

“You know, families mesh all the time.”

“I know.”

She loved the feeling of them all together in Sheridan’s house, but she didn’t want to move too fast.

“So,” she said, changing the subject. “Did you walk through the venue?”

“I did, and everything is ready. I called all of the delivery people and they’ll be there at seven a.m.”

“Okay. I have two in-service days, then I’ll be done for the summer. If there’s anything after that that needs taken care of I can do it, probably.”

“I think everything is ready, Cheyenne. You’ve got the little favors at your house, right?”

“Yes. In that back office area.”

“Okay. I’ll run over there in a couple days to get those and we’ll be set. Don’t worry about anything. This will be a beautiful wedding shower.”

Cheyenne sank back into the chair. “Okay. Thanks, Payton. I’m going to go rustle up something for lunch.”

“Okay. Later. Keep me posted, woman!”

She laughed. “I will.”

Cheyenne swiped her phone to hang up and set it down. She picked up the paper the girls had signed. All four of them. She didn’t tell Payton, but she was anxious about becoming a stepmom to Olivia.

They would work it out.

Cheyenne cooked a little and cleaned a little and worked on end of the year reports for school. But she always found herself looking for Sheridan. When he was mowing it was easy. She could tell by the noise where he was. And she could hear him tinkering in the garage when he was done. Was he as keyed to her presence as she was?

The girls played in the pool all day, coming in for snacks and drinks. Cheyenne found some chicken breasts in the freezer to roast for dinner, as well as some veggies. Then they settled onto the couches in the living room to watch new movies.

It was kind of funny actually, watching the girls watch them. Sheridan’s gaze connected with hers more than once as people kept shuffling around until Cheyenne and Sheridan ended up side by side. Shrugging lightly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and settled back into the cushions, his long legs propped in front of him on the table. Cheyenne mirrored his pose, relishing in his warmth and strength cradling her.

They watched two movies back to back, but the three younger girls fell asleep partway through. Olivia headed downstairs with a smile at them, promising not to be back up till morning.

They shut the tv off and carried the girls to bed, then, like smugglers in the night, they separated to go to their rooms and change.

Sheridan was already in the pool by the time she got there. Cheyenne’s heart was racing as she padded across the patio and sat on the side of the pool, dangling her legs in the water. The evening had cooled, but the cement was warm beneath her bottom.

“Are you coming in?”

She gave him a considering look. “Not sure. I might just skip that step.”

Grinning, Sheridan plowed toward her, causing a wake in the water. Cheyenne scrambled up, laughing, as he lunged out of the pool.

“I felt your eyes on me all day today,” he told her softly. “It was distracting and exciting.”

She nodded, backing up as he stalked her. “I know. I felt you watching me as well.”

Her gaze flicked down to the bulge in his shorts. “I would like to see you more though.”

Sheridan grinned and as she lowered herself to the same lounge they’d been on the night before, he lowered himself beside her, propping himself up on one elbow. “You’re beautiful,” he told her softly. “Enticing, motherly, seductive…”

Cheyenne chuckled, reaching out to run her hands over his muscled chest, then down the soft line of hair on his abdominals. “I want to see you this time,” she whispered.

The bulge beneath his shorts flexed and she chuckled again, reaching a palm out to stroke him lightly. Sheridan groaned, dropping his head to his bicep. “You’re going to kill me.”

Cheyenne leaned into him and kissed his lips lightly, then harder. “I don’t want to kill you,” she told him finally, “I want to love you.”

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