Page 68 of Free to Breathe
I feign an innocent look. “Moi?”
“Yes. If you’d just let me tear into Hunt like I’m supposed to as your older and wiser brother…”
Phil coughs loudly.
Keene acquiesces. “Fine. Asoneof your older and wiser brothers, I would not be tormented thinking of Uncle Kama Sutra teaching my child everything she needs to know about men before she hits preschool.”
Even Jason can’t keep a straight face. “I love watching Keene get tortured by what flies out of your mouth, babe.”
Phil leans over and kisses his husband. “I know. It adds a certainje ne sais quoito dinner. Don’t you think?”
“I think you’re a pain in my ass,” Keene retorts. He slides his arms around Ali from behind. She leans back into him, tipping her head back to receive his kiss.
“You wouldn’t have it any other way,” Phil says. We’re interrupted by a loud banging at the front door. Kalie, who had been sleeping through the banter in Phil’s arms, squirms anxiously. He begins rocking her immediately. “Shh, precious. I’ve got you. Nothing’s ever going to hurt you. Colby, can you see who’s at the door?”
“Of course,” Colby looks around the room. “Are we expecting anyone?”
“No.” Keene pushes back from his chair. “I’ll come with you.”
Figuring Keene’s going to use this chance to get in his licks against Colby, I get up as well. “Since the two of you may not know everyone local, I’ll come with you.”
“You’re no fun, Corinna.” Keene’s dark scowl tells me I was right.
“I’m just the right amount of fun, Keene.” I stick out my tongue. Colby reaches over and snags it between his fingers. “Heeyyy!” I exclaim.
“Put that back until I can play with it later,” he jokes.
“Sweet Jesus.” Keene rolls his eyes while the rest of us laugh. We’re interrupted again by the pounding at the door. All of our heads turn. Keene’s face takes on a hard cast as Kalie starts crying. Phil starts walking back and forth to calm her down.
Colby looks ready to attack.
Caleb stands as well. “Corinna, stay here. We’ll be right back with whomever it is.”
I sink back into my chair. “Yeah, right. Just don’t shoot anyone we can’t justify it against.”
Colby’s not smiling. His eyes are more glittery than soft gray. Without having ever seen him in his uniform, I can tell he’s ready for battle. “Go, before whoever it is knocks again and wakes Laura and Jonathan,” I urge him.
The three men head off toward the door. Holly leans over Colby’s seat and says, “So, spill it. We don’t have much time.”
All of my sisters and Jason lean in. Phil conveniently stops nearby.
“What? I told Ali outside. We talked things through.”
“Bet that’s not all you did,” Em singsongs.
I shrug. “It’s not like he bent me over the kitchen counter.”
“Damn,” Ali says. Reaching into her shorts pocket, she pulls out a twenty and slaps it into Cassidy’s hands.
“Seriously? Y’all were betting on how far we got?” Yet even as the words come out, I realize I’m not close to being surprised by my family’s audacity.
“You two have been setting off sparks for over a decade. Once the fighting gloves were off, we figured the clothes would be too,” Holly explains.
While I’m slightly less offended, I wait for Em to take a drink. “I thought you, Holly, and I got married last night, Em. Sister wives and all that? How could I break my vow with y’all so quickly?”
As always, her target when she blows manages to be Phil. Since he’s still carrying Kalie as he passes by, the blackberry margarita ends up dripping down his back. “Shit, that’s ice-cold, Em.” He squirms as the icy drink slides down his back. “Crap, I think it just went between my ass cheeks.”
“He’s not used to cold down there,” Jason pipes in.
