Page 106 of She Wolf

I nod downing the rest of my glass. Gunner pours usbothanother of the same.

“Theo made his decision on where he might like to go for his?” I say sucking up the delicious icy blue liquid.

“Not as far as I know. Now onto the next section of the evening,” Gunner says with a twinkle in his eye.

“Do I get naked now too?” Oh wow, it’s only taken one and a half margaritas and I’m already about to get undressed.

He chuckles. “Not quite yet but I like your enthusiasm. I just need to go to the kitchen though.” I watch as he takes confident strides through the patio doors and into his kitchen.

A few moments later he re-emerges with a massive pizza box, two plates and a container full of chili flakes.

As he walks toward me, I whoop. “BBQ pizza! Get in my belly!” He laughs and places it down between us.

“Which one do you want next?” he tips his head towards the blender.

“Hmmm, let’s go for berry please.” He gets to fixing the next cocktail, this time with an even bigger pouring of tequila. Again, he pours it into two glasses.

“Where’s your beer?” I innocently ask.

“Zip it,” he smirks as he takes a sip of the berry-flavoured drink.

***

“Noooo, why am I not naked?” I groan as I run my hand over my tank-covered stomach. The bedroom is filled with light. I stretch to reach my phone. Nine a.m!

“Because Peaches, the margaritas got the best of both of us,” he mumbles into my neck.

“You too? But you carried me up here and everything,” I pout. Hard. This is a sextastrophe. He was only wearing an apron! I had my very own butler in the buff, and he went to waste.

“You slept in your bar apron?” I ask as my hands skim up his side and stop at the material of the tie.

He lifts the sheets. “Huh, guess so.”

“Come on, race you to the bathroom, I wanna see exactly what you’re hiding underneath it.”

I spring out of bed and head across the room, but of course, he’s quicker and intercepts my steps.

“You know exactly what’s under here and he’s missed you these past few days.” He throws me over his shoulder and carries me into the shower. Where we get dirty before we get clean.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Coralie

As the summer break draws to a close, there’s one big highlight during the last two weeks: Jack’s birthday. Jack says it’s the highlight of the year and I think I have to agree with him on that.

We were going to have his party at the cottage, but when—to everyone’s surprise—he asked for a Marvel-themed party, we decided to use Casey’s house so that we could incorporate the pool. The boys ran with the idea and what they have planned is going to knock Jack’s little socks off.

Eight. My baby is about to turn eight and I’m not ready for it. A mother’s heart truly is a delicate thing. Curled up in a ball, he would fall asleep on my chest as a baby, safe and content as I whispered all the things I dreamed for him, excited to watch him grow up.

Then he grew bigger, taking his first steps and speaking his first words and I got to be front row and center to every incredible first he’s had. But it comes with its own special kind of heartache.

I feel like I’m just going to blink, and he’ll be twenty-two already.

Sighing, I turn in Gunner’s arms, the sheets crinkling as I do and find his eyes are already open, his warm brown gaze a welcome distraction from the push of wanting Jack to have and experience everything and the pull of wanting to keep him close and never letting go.

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” He kisses my temple and pulls me in tighter. I love morning Gunner, he’s all soft and warm from sleep and his hair is always mussed up.

“Just thinking about Jack’s birthday. You ready for the mall today?” I tease.

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