Page 69 of Defensive Zone

Chapter 13

“Uncle Max, you’re home,” Amelia said, rushing toward him.

“Can we get a dog?” Connor asked, wrapping his arms around Max’s legs.

“Whoa. Give him a minute before you attack,” Ava said. “And what did I tell you about the dog talk?”

“That we have to wait,” Connor said with a pout.

“Come on. I have grilled cheese, veggie sticks, and apple slices for you,” Gabi said as she herded the kids away.

He took in a deep breath, inhaling her scent. Warm and sweet and cheesy. Delicious.

He was hopeless, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her and wondering when he could get her alone again. He’d fallen asleep last night, dreaming about her taste and regretting that he hadn’t found a way to stay up and tease her over text or video chat. Stupid time zones.

After the kids were in their seats and had started to dig in, Max grabbed water from the fridge and went to sit down. He was starving.

“Oof. Max, come on,” Gabi burst out.

“What?” he asked, turning to look at her.

“I almost tripped over your hockey bag again,” she said. She was standing at the edge of the hallway that connected the kitchen to the laundry room and garage.

He would not think about that dryer. Yet he found himself standing up and moving toward her. Her eyes widened, and he couldn’t stop his smirk. Did she really think he would make a move on her in front of the kids and Ava?

Not that he wouldn’t give anything to kiss her right now.

“Let me move that,” he said, reaching down and picking up the bag, his arms flexing as he shifted the heavy weight.

Her indrawn breath spurred him on, and he might’ve puffed out his chest for good measure.

Then she rolled her eyes at him and huffed out a breath.

“You bothered, Gabster?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“That you don’t care about where you throw your stuff?” she bit out, and all he could do was grin.

“That’s not why you’re mad,” he said.

“Of course it is. Now, stop being annoying and put that in the laundry room,” she said, glancing over his shoulder, most likely to see if Ava was paying attention to them.

“The laundry room? Fond memories,” he said. He was trying to make her crazy, but he was getting a little hot under the collar at the thought of her on that dryer again.

“Stop it,” she muttered, swatting his chest.

He put his hand over hers and held her palm tight to his chest, right over his rapidly beating heart.

“I have very fond memories of that dryer, and I’m nowhere near done with finding out all the spots on your body that make you moan my name.”

Fucking hell, he was hard enough to pound nails right now, but watching the flush spread through her cheeks and across her collarbone, hearing her sharp inhale and feeling her hand shake under his, made it beyond worth it.

“This is not a good idea and we would be smart to leave it as is,” she said, tugging her hand from his chest.

He let her go, stepping back to give her room to move.

“I have no plans to be smart, Gabi, and I hope you don’t either,” he said. Then he moved around her and walked into the laundry room with his bag, willing his cock to calm the fuck down.

At least until tonight.

---