Page 101 of Hot for the Jerk

“Yes, honey?”

“Am I using Jagger’s sheets or the sheets you brought?”

“Whatever you prefer,” I said, following him across the hall.“I just brought your bedding for you to make you more comfortable.But whatever is easier.”

Marco’s coppery brows pinched for a moment.“I’m in a single at home.This bed is bigger.I don’t think the sheets will work.”

“You’re right.”I forced a smile as I gauged my child’s mannerisms to figure out how much he saw and if he was okay with it.“I must have forgotten to ask Jagger what size beds he had.That’s okay.”I reached for the folded sheets I brought from home and planned to take them to my room.

“Mom?”Marco said, as I turned.

I spun back around.“Mm-hmm?”

“It’s okay that you were kissing Jagger.I kind of figured you guys were kissing.Youaredating him, right?He’s your boyfriend?”

“If he was, how would you feel about that?”

He shrugged.“Fine.I think.He’s cool.I like him.As long as you’re happy.”

“I don’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

He shrugged just one shoulder this time.“I’m not.It’s okay for you guys to kiss.”Then he made a typical pre-teen boy face.“Just not a lot, okay?At least not in front of me.It’s still gross, but I get that grown-ups do it for some reason.”

That made me smile, and I set the sheets down on the bed and wrapped my arms around him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.“Grown-ups are weird, kiddo.I totally agree.”

“Marco?”Jagger called from downstairs.“I have some kids here who want to know if you want to come out and play.”

“You know the McEvoy kids from school, right?”

He nodded.“Yeah.Emme and I are in the same grade.Talia and Jake are a year younger.”

“And you’re okay going out to play with them?”

“Areyouokay with me going out to play with them?”he asked.

“As long as you stay on the property and behind the security gate.Your uncles don’t know you’re here.I think this is as safe as you’re going to get on the island right now.And I don’t want to keep you locked up.You’ve done nothing wrong.”

I followed him downstairs where six pairs of eyes blinked wide and friendly, waiting for us.

“Hey, Marco,” one of the younger boys said.

“Hey, Griffon,” Marco replied, yanking on his boots.

“Dad’s going to take us down to the pub to get smoothies.You want to come?”the oldest girl, who I assume was Emme, said.

Marco glanced at me.

“You’re going with a grown-up.It’s fine.”

Marco turned back to the kids.“Yeah, that sounds great.”

Bennett appeared in the open doorway a moment later.“Just going to get smoothies, then we’ll come back up here behind the gate.”

“Ohhh, I thought we could go explore the tidepools,” one of the littler girls said with a whine to her voice.

“Aya, I told you we’re just going to get smoothies.”Bennett smoothed his hand over his daughter’s curly blonde hair.

Aya pouted.

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