Page 44 of War

Working to keep my breathing even and deep, I take her in, but I don’t respond.

She sighs. “Or not.” Standing in front of the sink, she rinses the dish and gets to work scrubbing it. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very hot and cold? One minute, you sweep me off my feet, and the next, you drive me nuts.”

She doesn’t look at me as she speaks, which is a relief. Feeling a little less out of sorts, I pull a trash bag from the box on the pantry floor. When I turn around and see her bent over the sink, her red hair cascading down her back, my name and number front and center, that relief evaporates.

In the space of two heartbeats, I’m pressed up against her, my chest flush with her back. “Remember that comment you made about my name on your back?”

She nods against my chest, still focused on the dishes. She hasn’t pulled away, but she’s trying hard to ignore me. To ignore this moment. Probably because I’ve once again gone from cold to hot. But I won’t be ignored. Not when there’s no escaping the pull between us.

I slip my arms around her waist and find her hands in the soapy water. When I lace our fingers, I relish the bite of the emerald digging into mine.

Lowering my mouth to her ear, I can’t help but let out a possessive growl. “Now it will be your last name too.”

TEXT MESSAGES FROM AVA’S AND TYLER’S PHONES

Hannah: Merry Christmas, girls. Hope Santa was good to you even though you were very naughty this year.

Sara: The naughtiest! And yes. Santa got me a projector for the roof so Brookie and I can watch movies while in the hot tub.

Lennox: Aiden and I will be over soon to check that out.

Sara: You have your own hot tub. Stay out of this one, you freak!

Sara: And merry Christmas, girls. Don’t know what I’d do without you. Love you all!

Lennox: Aw, love you too, soon-to-be sister. And the rest of you. This has been the best year of my life. Marrying Aiden is obviously part of that, but you girls are too.

Ava: Merry Christmas, girls. Love you!Brunch Sunday?

Brooks: Merry Christmas, boys.

Aiden: Merry Christmas. Heard you’ve got a new toy for me to check out.

Brooks: Stay out of the team hot tub.

Hall: Merry Christmas to me! As soon as I get back from my dad’s house, I’m checking out whatever this new present is.

War: You sure you want to play with Brooks’s toys? Sara is kinky AF.

Hall: *shudders* Okay, yeah, rethinking that. I’ll just hang in my dad’s hot tub.

Brooks: LOL and you think your dad and Lake are any less kinky?

Hall: Fuck you. Why do I even talk to you guys?

War: Because you love us. Merry Christmas, boys.

Brooks: Kids like their presents?

War: Not as much as I liked mine.

Aiden: Yeah? What’d you get?

War: A family. And a real fucking happy one, at that. You shoulda seen their smiles when they opened their presents. Best day ever.

Dad: Merry Christmas, son. Thank you for having us last night. You have a beautiful family.

Tyler: Thanks Dad. Merry Christmas.

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