Page 43 of Stolen Kisses

“Uncle Theo, I’mhungwy.” Kenny steps onto the back deck, pushing her tangled hair away from her sweaty face. “Hi, Emma.”

“Hey, Kenny.Are youhaving fun with the Frisbee?” I noticed her throw is becoming stronger since the first time we all playedthe game.

“Oh yeah. It’s so much fun.” Her smile is enormous, almost taking up half her face.

“Food’s nearly ready, Munchkin. Go inside and wash up.” He turns to my boys. “Boys, go inside and wash up ready for lunch.”

The kids move inside, so I follow along. “C’mon, Kenny. I’ll tie your hair back for you. It’ll be cooler.”

“Thanks, Emma. It’sweallyhot today.”

The kids wash their hands, Lachlan paying extra attention to the spaces between his fingers. I tie Kenny’s long hair up and we all traipse back outside ready to eat the delicious-smelling food. I serve up for my boys and am delighted to findslicedcrunchy vegetables on a serving plate with dividers so the different vegetables don’t touch. My tummy flips; a smile touching my lips at Theo’s thoughtfulness for Lachlan’s particular requirements.

“What would you like to eat, Munchkin?” Theo asks Kenny as he holds her plate, ready to do her bidding.

“Can I have some tomato, some potato, and somedolmadeswith my steak?” She points out each dish in turn.

“Sure thing.” He scoops a small amount of each food onto her plate, cutting her steak into tiny bite-size pieces for her before serving himself.

Sitting around the large outdoor setting, silence descends over the table as we get stuck into the delicious food. “This table setting is beautiful.” I run my hand across the timber. “Did you make this, Theo?”

Cristo looks across to Theo, the pride he holds for his son written all over his face. “He did. Did you know when he was a teenager, he made some of the furniture for my restaurant? His settings are the most comfortableandthe most stylish.”

“Really? No, he didn’t tell me.” I look across to Theo with raised brows. He told me he was the disappointment in the family. His father doesn’t seem disappointed in him at all. “Did he tell you he renovated my front porch for me, completewith a swingbed, rocking chairs, and a table?” I wink at Theo. “He made a space that I never used into a place I want to spend time in every single day.”

Cristo looks back at Theo. “No, he didn’t. But it doesn’t surprise me. He’s always loved working with timber and making outdoor spaces moreusableand appealing.”

“Mommy, can we go play?” Austin pushes his empty plate away.

“Sure, Buddy. Carry yourdishesinside to the kitchen sink, then you can play.”

He pushes away from the table with his plate, cup, and silverware. Kenny follows suit so they can return to their Frisbee game. Lachlan finishes up with his food, takes his plate to the kitchen sink, then joins Austin and Kenny in their game. He smiles a lot when he’s in Kenny’s company and I’ve noticed he’s always keen to join in when she’s around. She has a patience with him that mirrors Austin’s, making Lachlan feel comfortable and accepted. It’s like the kids have all grown up together, not that they met Kenny mere weeks ago.

Standing, I collect the remainder of the dishes to carry inside. As I scrape and rinse the plates, a hard,warm body presses up against mine, arms caging me in on either side. He runs his nose up the back of my neck before whispering, “Leave those, I’ll do them later.”

Now isn’t that the hottest foreplay ever?

Turning around within my cage, I face him. His eyes are the darkest blueI’veever seen on him, reminding me of the deepest ocean. “I feel like I didn’t help with lunch, so I want to help with theclean up. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

He moves forward, pressing a tender kiss against my lips. “I don’t want you to do anything. Just enjoy the afternoon with us. The dishes can wait.”

I press up on my toes, my breasts making contact with his chest, to return his gentle kiss. Though, this time, he’s not as gentle. Cupping the back of my head, he takes over, swiping his warm tongue across my lips, encouraging me to open to him. I don’t need a lot of encouragement, to be honest. I love his kisses. They take me to a whole different place. One I want to visit time and again.

“How come you’re always kissing Mommy?” Lachlan’s voice interrupts our moment.

Theo pulls away instantly, and I have to grasp onto the counter to maintain my balance. I lookatTheo with raised brows, wondering how he’s going to deal with Lachlan’s question.

He scrapes his fingernails through his short beard, something I’ve noticed he does when he’s thinking. “Well, when grownups like each other, sometimes they kiss.” I have to cover my mouth to contain my giggle.

“You know there’re around six million bacteria in the human mouth.”Lachlanstates matter of factly. “So that must mean you really like my mom if you’re prepared to share that amount of bacteria.” His eyebrows are drawn down low as he considers this possibility.

“Yeah. I like your mom a lot.” He looks at me, giving me a wink. “I don’t mind sharing some bacteria with her.” He tucks his hands in his pockets as if he’s waiting for further questions.

Lachlan nods. “Okay. Mommy, can I please have a drink of water?”

“Sure, Buddy.” I push away from the counter, thankful for something to do.

We spend the remainder of the afternoon sitting around the outdoor table, drinking and snacking on Greek sweets and rocky road, watching the kids play, and listening to funny stories about some of the customers that dine at Cristo’s restaurant. I adore the energy of Theo’s dad. He’s got such a positive vibe about him; reminding me of Kenny.

---