Page 123 of Defensive Zone

Chapter 22

“Uncle Max. Uncle Max,” Connor’s voice roused him from sleep, or maybe it was the shoving Connor was doing on his arm.

“Oh my god,” Gabi muffled next to him.

“Connor. Get back here,” Ava said, sounding out of breath.

Max opened an eye and squinted at his nephew.

“Good morning, Connor,” Max said.

“I’m sorry. I told him you were still sleeping, but he had something he had to show you,” Ava said. Then he watched her mouth Sorry, Gabs. Not that Gabi had picked her head up from under the covers to see his sister’s apology.

“It’s important,” Connor said, holding out his hand.

“What’s so important this early in the morning?” Max asked, keeping the sheet tucked tightly around him and trying to ignore Gabi’s warm body shifting against his ass.

“Shake my hand,” Connor said, and Max caught the glint of the silver zapper in Connor’s palm.

He grinned and held out his hand. Connor slapped his palm against Max’s and Max pretended to be electrocuted, shaking the bed.

“You got me,” he cried, and Connor giggled. “How am I going to hold a hockey stick at practice today?”

Connor giggled again. Max wanted to jump out of bed and hug his nephew, but he quickly remembered that he was naked.

“Okay, you’ve shown him. Now, can we go downstairs? I’ll make waffles,” Ava said.

“I have to show Auntie G, first. Can we go to her room?” Connor asked.

“I think I heard her downstairs already,” Ava said.

“Okay, let’s go find her,” he said as Ava ushered him out of the room.

“Oh my god, that was way too close,” Gabi said, sitting up with the sheet clutched to her chest as the door shut behind Ava and Connor.

“You could’ve sat up and said good morning since we aren’t hiding or anything,” Max said, slightly annoyed. The kids were young and it might be weird, but even though he understood her apprehension, it got to him.

“Can’t we tell them we’re dating when we’re all downstairs and clothed?” she asked.

“Probably the better plan,” he said.

Then the door opened.

“Amelia, I told you we would look for Auntie Gabi downstairs,” Ava said from out of sight.

“But I found her. She’s in here,” Amelia said.

“No, she’s not. We already looked there,” Connor said. Then he walked into the room behind Amelia.

“Are you guys having a sleepover?” Amelia asked.

“Can we come up and snuggle?” Connor asked.

Gabi sputtered next to him, and he couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out of his chest.

“Both of you need to come downstairs with me,” Ava said, trying to steer the kids away while mouthing I’m sorry again.

“Why do we have to go? We never get to have sleepovers with Uncle Max because you said he snores so loud,” Connor said; then he craned his head to narrow in on Gabi. “Is he really loud, Auntie G?”

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