Page 7 of Falling Together

“Because you’re old.” Nolan brought his hand to his mouth and giggled into it.

“Oh, I’m old, huh?” Blair picked Nolan up in her arms as he giggled uncontrollably. “If I was old, could I throw you into the pool?”

“No! You can’t. Our clothes! My swimmies.”

When Blair set Nolan back down on the ground, Erin took off his shirt and started spreading sunscreen over all of his bare skin. She looked up at Blair as she did it. “Anytime he comes to the pool, he needs sunscreen and his swimmies before he can get in.” She shook her head at herself. She sounded just like those helicopter moms that she couldn't stand. “Sorry. I’m not lecturing you. Just letting you know these things as I think of them.”

Blair shrugged as if she wasn’t bothered at all. “Of course. No problem.”

Erin was about to look away when Blair pulled her shirt off, revealing one of the skimpiest bikini tops she had ever seen. Not that Erin was complaining, becausewow. She wanted to look away. Sheshouldlook away. But…oh my god. Is that a six pack?Now, all Erin could think about was running her hands over those abs, which made her feel like a huge creep. This was the young girl, fresh out of college, who was most likely going to be watching her son for the summer. Was it wrong to check out someone so much younger than you? She was over eighteen so it couldn’t be that wrong, right? Plus, Erin did have eyes. No one could blame her for taking notice of the perfection standing in front of her.

Okay. That’s enough.She forced her eyes away from Blair’s body and focused on Nolan. She was so focused it was as if she was perfecting a painting rather than applying sunscreen that would be washed away by the pool anyway.

“Mommy.” Nolan groaned. “P-lease.”

“Sorry. Sorry.” Erin held the sunscreen in Blair’s direction, but still didn’t look at her. “Do you need any?”

“I’m good. I’ve been blessed with skin that doesn’t burn.”

Erin’s eyes instinctively moved to said skin, and her mouth immediately went dry. Blair’s shorts were now off, and her legs were not only extremely tan, but also muscular. She moved her eyes to Blair’s face so she wasn’t tempted to keep checking her out, but that was a mistake, because she was forced to see the shit-eating grin that could only mean one thing—she had been caught. Erin could feel her own face turning red, which certainly didn’t help her case at all.

Luckily, Blair turned to look at Nolan instead of saying anything to Erin about her lingering eyes. “Get those swimmies on. I’m ready to get in the pool.”

“Mommy! Swimmies.”

When Blair smirked and raised an eyebrow at her, Erin realized she wasstillstaring. “Swimmies. Right. Come here.”

She struggled to get the swimmies on even more than usual, but as soon as they were on Nolan’s arms, Blair scooped him up just as she had before. “Don’t think I forgot that you called me old. Now you have to pay.”

“I don’t have money.” Nolan giggled and tried to wiggle out of Blair’s arms.

“That’s too bad. It looks like I’m going to have to throw you into the pool.”

“Mommy, save me!” Nolan shouted playfully as Blair broke the pool rules and ran down the hill.

Erin pretended to reach out for him, but stayed where she was. She watched as Blair pretended to throw him into the pool, then jumped in with him instead, both of them laughing as they flew through the air and into the pool. Erin once again couldn’t look away, but this time for a completely different reason.

***

Erin held her hand out toward Nolan after they finally left the pool hours later. “Please hold my hand.”

Instead of taking it, Nolan glared at her hand as if it were a piece of broccoli. “No. I’m a big boy.”

Erin sighed. Playing the same games over and over again gotverytiring. “I know you’re a big boy, but you know you can’t walk on the road without holding my hand.”

“I walk on sidewalk.” Nolan looked up at Blair, who was still hanging out with them for some reason unbeknownst to Erin. She honestly expected her to cut out hours ago. “Can big boys walk on the sidewalk with no hand?”

Blair put her hands in the air as if surrendering. “If you ask me, a big boy does whatever his mommy asks him to.”

Nolan scowled once again, clearly unimpressed with Blair’s answer, but a second later, a mischievous grin spread onto his face. “I’m the fastest boy. Watch.”

Before either of them could do anything, he took off down the sidewalk. Erin yelled after him as she tried, and failed, to keep up. Her heart rate quickened as she watched him get closer and closer to the crosswalk where the cars were moving much faster than they should. “Nolan Patrick, get back here right now.”

He stopped for a moment, and she actually believed he might turn around, but then that grin was back. “Race home!”

“Can you please take this?” Erin threw the pool bag on the ground beside Blair, not even bothering to see if she picked it up before taking off after him.

“Nolan, wait!” Much to Erin’s surprise, Nolan stopped in response to Blair yelling his name. “If you wait there and donotcross the road, I’ll carry you home on my shoulders.”

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