Page 79 of A Play for Love

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” I said.

“Then you shouldn’t leave your emails open.” A smirk crossed her lips.

“So, you don’t want to go to Turks and Caicos?” I asked her as my grip on her hips tightened.

“I do one day.” Her arms wrapped around my neck while her legs secured themselves around my waist. “Paris is the perfect honeymoon destination.”

“We’re not just staying in Paris. We’re also going to the Amalfi Coast.”

“Even better.” Her lips pressed against mine.

“Yeah?” I nipped her bottom lip. “Do you like it when I’m mad at you?”

“I love it. Maybe I need to be punished for making you so mad.”

“I think you do.” I lifted her and carried her to our bedroom.

* * *

“Okay. Let’s get this TV on the wall. One, two, three,” Stefan said as we lifted Aunt Barb’s TV and hung it.

“Good job.” Simon grinned as he stood there holding his beer.

“Thanks for the help, douchebag,” Stefan said.

“Please. I had to endure the last two weeks with her living with me. I helped enough.”

I chuckled.

“I better run upstairs and see if Conner, Sam, and Sebastian need help hanging the one in the bedroom,” Stefan said.

“Yeah, you go do that, bro,” Simon said.

Simon and I stood there as the movers moved in the rest of the furniture.

“You must be happy.” I smirked.

“You have no idea. I love my mother, but I don’t want to see or talk to her first thing in the morning. And she kept moving my shit, so when I’d go to look for something, I couldn’t find it.”

I let out a chuckle. “What did Grace say?”

“She just kept telling me to breathe and that it would be over with soon.”

“Well,” I patted his back, “your torment has ended.” I smiled.

“Has it, Nathan? Has it really?”

I couldn’t help but laugh just as Aunt Barb walked down the stairs and into the living room.

“What is so funny, Nathan?”

“Uh, Simon was just telling me about this guy he arrested the other day,” I lied. “The house looks great, Aunt Barb. It’ll feel like home in no time.”

“It already does feel like home—like a breath of fresh air. Knowing that I can walk down the street to see my grandchildren and family anytime I want warms my heart.” She placed her hand over her heart.

“Yeah, Mom, but there’s this thing called boundaries,” Simon said. “Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”

“Shush up, Simon. Nathan, I spoke to Rose last night, and she told me she’ll be moving here next week.”

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