Page 43 of Never Kiss Your Neighbors

CHAPTER29

STELLA

Ihead out the back door, ignoring the impulse to check my hair and makeup first. When the men see me, their smiles grow bigger, and Cam almost misses the ball that Jessie threw his way.

“Hi!” I wave at them.

“How are you?” they call over.

When I reach the fence, I ignore all the butterflies in my stomach and explain that I just found out about a work event. “Is there any way you could stay with Jessie for about half an hour or forty-five minutes? I just need to put in a quick appearance at the office.”

“Sure,” they say easily.

Turning to Jessie, I ask, “Is it okay with you if the neighbors come over to watch you while I run into work?”

My daughter is so excited, she literally turns a cartwheel.

“We’ll be right over,” Cam calls as they disappear from view.

They arrive at the front door minutes later, their Clue game in hand. “Take your time,” Wyatt says. “We’ll be fine here.”

As I drive off, I second guess asking them to babysit. Even though I won’t be gone long, it’s a pretty big favor to ask, but they seemed up for it, and Jessie sure was happy.

When I arrive at the office, I send a text to the guys to check in, and they tell me all is well, and to enjoy my event.

Community Bean is celebrating an outstanding quarter. There’s food and drink in the office’s big break room, including samples of new coffee drinks and bakery items that will soon be in the company’s coffee shops.

My manager seems glad to see me, and I get to talk with some people I’ve only ever interacted with through a computer. Before I leave, the owners, Ana’s men, Derek and Jansen, find me and tell me they’ve heard good things about the work I’m doing for the company.

All in all, it’s a great little event, and I’m grateful I was able to go.

On the way back to my car, I text the men again to let them know I’m on my way.

“Good!” Cam writes, adding a silly emoji. “Jessie’s just beaten us at Clue again.”

“It’s a good thing we’re not playing for money,” Wyatt says.

During the drive home, I wonder when they might ask me out again. Or if I should ask them to go out, especially since I originally told them I was only going to go on one date with them.

Of course, I also told them they couldn’t kiss me again, and they sure found a creative way to break that rule!

My mind wanders to all the ways they kissed almost everything except my mouth, and then I think about all the things I’d like to do to them the next time we’re alone together. It’s not fair that I was the only one to have orgasms.

As I pull into the driveway, I wipe my mind clear of all the sexy stuff, and switch back to mom mode. In the house, I find the three of them sitting around the dining table with a couple of Jessie’s favorite stuffed animals filling the fourth chair.

Cam’s wearing a bright pink boa from Jessie’s dress-up bin, and Wyatt’s neck is wrapped in Jessie’s pink winter scarf. The table is set with cups and saucers from her toy tea set, and Goldfish is lying at Wyatt’s feet.

“Hi, Mommy!” Jessie calls out when she sees me.

“Hello,” Wyatt says, smirking, as Cam waves one end of the boa at me.

Consumed with raising Jessie the best I can, I haven't thought much about having more children, but seeing the men have a tea party with Jessie feels like someone’s squeezing my ovaries like a cow’s udder.

“This looks like fun,” I say.

“We’re having so much fun,” Jessie tells me.

“Well, I hate to break up all the fun, but you’d better clean things up, because you still need to do your homework while I make dinner.”

---