Page 81 of Indecent Ventures

Shane, Braden, and Mac all stand and start to leave the table. They don’t bother to take their plates into the kitchen. Collin stays seated. His father looks at him. “Collin?”

“I’m going to stay with Jade. I’ll help clean up.”

Mac shakes his head. “You’re such a wimp.”

He goes to smack the back of Collin’s head, but I grab his wrist before he makes contact. “If you smack him again, I’m going to smack you a lot harder.”

Mac gives me a nasty look. “He’ll be done with you in a few days, just like the rest. You’ll be yesterday’s news.”

“I’m okay with momentarily being yesterday’s news. You have to live with the fact that you’ll always be an asshole.”

Braden pulls Mac away. “Come on. Let’s get you a drink.”

His mom offers to watch the children and she leaves the room.

I lean over and whisper to Collin, “Go with them. It’s fine.”

He whispers back, “I don’t want to leave you.”

“I’ll be fine as long as I’m not with Mac. Maybe I’ll let these women know that we live in the twenty-first century. Perhaps the boys will come back to find their women feeling a little differently.” I wink at him.

He smiles as he stands. “I’ll leave you to it, then.” He starts to walk out of the room but turns and comes back to me. He bends, grabs my face, and gives me a scorching hot kiss. It’s full of wet lips and tongue.

I have to fan myself when he pulls away and leaves.

Ashleigh whistles. “Damn, that was hot. I haven’t been kissed like that…ever.” She giggles to herself.

She stands and starts to clear the table. “Ashleigh, have a seat.” She does. “Grab Mr. Snoop Dogg. In fact, grab a few bottles. We have a several things to discuss.”

* * *

ONE HOUR LATER

COLLIN

I tried again in vain to get my father and Mac to see the light. They won’t budge. I can’t believe I’m now in a position where I’m seriously considering leaving my family’s business. I guess I held out hope that if they saw the Wander property, they’d somehow change their minds about their business strategy. It doesn’t look like it’s happening.

We walk out of Mac’s study and hear a fit of giggles coming from the dining room. We walk in.

Mac looks around. “What the hell, Ash? Nothing is cleaned up.”

Ashleigh’s smile fades. “Then why don’t you clean it your damn self.” She and Lydia start cackling.

I turn to Jade. She gives me that sexy mischievous smile of hers. I can’t help but smile back. My crazy girl has stirred the pot. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds.

Ashleigh practically screeches, “Collin, did you know that Snoop Dogg on the wine bottle talks to you? Legitimately talks when you hold your phone up to him.” She starts hysterically laughing. “It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Mac looks like his head might explode. “Are you trashed?”

She narrows her eyes at him. “So what if I am? You get to drink with your father and brothers every week while I cookandclean. Did you know that at Jade’s family dinners, if the women cook, the men clean. If the men cook, the women clean. And no one relaxes untilallthe cleaning is done.Andtheyallrelax and talk together, as a family. It’s not just the boys.”

Mac turns to Jade and points his finger at her. “What did you do to my wife?”

Jade grins and shrugs her shoulder innocently. “Who me? The little ole stripper?”

Ashleigh says to Mac, “And by the way, I’m going back to work. I’m telling you, not asking you. You’re not my boss. You’re my husband. My equal. Deal with it.”

Mac takes a step toward Jade, but I stand between him and her. I place my hand on his chest. “Relax, Mac. Ash is drunk. It’s just dishes. We can all grab a few and have this clean in no time.”

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