Page 44 of Big Red

“All’s fair in love and war? I swear I’m cutting down the time you spend with Cara.”

“Oh, is that right?” Cara asks from behind him. She also has a gun in hand.

Red’s eyes widen, and then, at a speed I didn’t know the man has, he takes off. Cara and I are hot on his heels, lighting him up like the Fourth of July with these water guns. The crowd is laughing, and Crystal is right behind us, catching every second on film. This whole scene looks like a bad version ofCops.

Red ends up diving into the ocean just to get away from us. When he refuses to come out, we retreat to the group. After about five minutes, Red approaches me skeptically as I lie on the beach towel.

“No more water gun, babe. Unless you want to keep it going.” I raise my brow, awaiting his answer.

“Naw, you got that. I don’t want no problems.” The ol’ ladies giggle as he rubs the red spots on his body from the water gun. He lies on the towel next to me with a grunt. “Where the hell did you find those guns?”

“Now, why would I give up that secret?”

Shaking his head, he chortles. “That’s how you gonna do me, kitten?”

Rolling onto my side, I rub the spots on his stomach. “You started it, and I finished it.”

“I love it when you get all feisty on me, kitten. It’s sexy as hell.”

I don’t get to respond because his lips are now on mine. Everyone disappears, and it’s just me, him, and this kiss. There’s no tongue, but he sucks my lip into his mouth, causing me to sigh. I could just kiss this man all day, every day. And even then, that wouldn’t be enough.

“I told you, Colt.” I hear Cindy say from not far away. I snatch away from Red to see them standing a few feet away, looking atus with wide smiles. I gaze around the group, and everyone is watching with amused expressions.

“Don’t even look over here. We called y’all’s names like ten times to warn you they were coming.” Sara snickers before turning her attention to her daughter, Elena.

I’m completely speechless. I was so caught up in the kiss I didn’t even think about Cindy and Colt seeing.

“What do you mean you told him? How did you know?” Red questioned her.

“Dad, I’m nine, not two. You and Alice spend every day together. She’s at our house all the time. We’re always doing things together, like going to the movies, the park, and arcades. And then you two arealwayssmiling at each other, looking like the emoji with heart eyes. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”

By the time she finishes her little speech, the group is roaring with laughter while Red and I stare at her dumbfounded.

When she puts it the way she does, I feel kind of stupid thinking we were pulling the wool right over her eyes.

“Oh my God, they’ve gotten so big,” a voice shrieks from behind us.

Red body freezes, and so does mine. How the hell did she know we were here?

Red stands to his feet, and I follow suit. We turn around, and Chloe is there with a man who is overdressed for a day at the beach.

Like, who the hell wears a Rolex and dress pants to the beach?

“Chloe, get the hell out of here,” Red grits through clenched teeth.

“Why? I have just as much right to be around my childr?—”

“Chloe!” he snaps. “You need to leave. Now.”

Chloe jerks back and turns to the man beside her. He wraps an arm around her waist before stepping forward. “Look, I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot. I’m Chloe’s husband, Jeffery. We just want to be a part of their lives. She has just as much of a right to be in their life as you.”

Red makes a move to step to him, but Viper puts his arm out, stopping him. “Not here, man. We have the kids here, and they don’t need to see this.”

Red opens his mouth to say something, but Cindy steps up with furrowed brows. “Who is this, Dad?”

She eyes Chloe suspiciously before turning her attention to Red. Chloe opens her mouth but one hard glare from Red has her snapping her lips together. The threat in his stare is clear.

“Dad, who is she?” Cindy asks more urgently when he doesn’t answer.

---