Page 54 of She Wolf

“Oh. Hey Gunner, is that what we talked about?” Jack nods towards the open box with the security tech inside.

“It is dude.” Jack nods his approval and runs back into the house.

“You discussed this with Jack?” Shock reverberates through my voice.

“No. He discussed this with me. He told me we needed to get one so you would be safe. Casey had already called the guy, but we couldn’t believe he had thought of it.”

My smile is big and proud. “I would say I don’t believe you, but that kid’s more astute than most adults.”

“He’s something alright,” he says jumping down off the last few rungs of the ladder and scooping me into his arms.

“Can we please tell him that we’re together?” Gunner pleads. “I want to stay over. I want to draw out the nights with you and I want crazy, fun days with him. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you, right? It’s not like we would tell him we were together and the next minute I’d do a runner. I’m in this Coralie.”

Snuggling into his warm chest I breathe him in. It’s been weeks. I’d prefer not to hide what we are to each other and if I want us to move forward like I insinuated the other day, Jack should probably know.

I’m nervous, I have to admit, but the thought of sneaking around could hurt Jack more. Something I would never want to do. We might not be hurtling towards marriage, but we are dating and it’s best he knows.

“How about in a couple of weekends time?” I say. “Let him settle into the house before we drop this on him as well?”

He pulls back a little, searching my eyes, his plump lips turning up at the corners. “That would be…That would make me so happy.”

“It’s decided then. You could come over for the afternoon and we’ll find a time to tell him.”

“Perfect. I’ll make sure to bring some new season swag for him…and my toothbrush.” His grin is now the cocky megawatt smile I’ve come to love so much.

“You’re awful sure of yourself,” I say, poking him in the ribs. He doesn’t flinch.

“I see that twinkle in your eye, Peaches, there’s no more playing coy with me. I think we both know I’m irresistible to you by now. But fine, I’ll just drive home. My poor dick hasn’t fallen off yet so I’m sure it’ll be fine for a while longer, even if I have tortured myself today by thinking of at least fifteen places to take you in this house.”

My throat goes dry at his words as he pulls me back in and brings his lips to my ear. His hot breath ghosts over the shell sending a zip of electricity down my spine.

“I think my favorite will be on the kitchen counter. It’s just the right height, but we’ll have to see.”

We haven’t talked like this yet. It’s new and exhilarating. My pulse starts to quicken and my core heats up about a hundred degrees. Inspired and turned on I ask,

“And in yours? Have you thought about us in your house?” My voice comes out breathy and I stare up at him.

He makes a sound in the back of his throat and drags his teeth over his bottom lip.

“Fuck, that’s gonna take us a whole weekend. The images I have of the things I would do to your body in my bathroom, my jacuzzi, by the fire, in my bed…shit…no…It will take longer than a weekend to worship you the way I’ve always imagined.”

He grabs at my ass and starts to kiss a path down my neck.

“Gunner?... Fuck, my eyes! Put her down will ya?” Casey says exacerbated. “I can’t believe I was so on board with this. I didn’t realize the visuals would burn my goddamn retinas. How is it possible that we live in a world where Hollywood was right?”

“Right about what?” Gunner and I ask in unison.

“Nothing,” he sighs. “Gunn man, can you come help with this a sec?”

With that, Gunner puts me down and I’m left outside in what feels like blistering heat, engulfed in his scent and the promise of his words.

***

The first two weeks in our new house have flown by. I don’t think Jack and I made it twelve hours before the boys were back again after leaving on that Sunday. They promised Jack nothing would change and so far, there hasn’t been a single day go by without a visit from every one of them.

I’m currently staring out of the picture window above the sink watching Callan and Adam fight over who has the best position. Jack stands staring up at them as they animatedly explainand break downevery single part of being a defenseman and a forward. He doesn’t have any height yet and compared to other kids on his team he’s small, but I have six examples of how Madden men grow like weeds.

Jack has taken to the new house like he’s lived here forever. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the resilience in this kid. He slept like a log on the first night, didn’t make a peep. He’s set up the yard exactly how he wants it and has made sure to unpack his LEGO city, which currently lives on my dining table.

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