Page 57 of She Wolf

“I mean, he has enjoyed that aspect of it,” she says shyly, “but he really misses having Jack here and of course you.”

He’s such a loser. “I swear nothing would make him happier than everyone living within a quarter-mile radius,” I mutter.

Chloe snickers. “Oh, it would be such a good reality show. The Maddens up close and personal.”

Just as we’re laughing at what a car crash that would be, thehostess with the mostestinterrupts holding three bright, summery-looking drinks. My mouth starts to water at just the sight of them—he’s really gone to town—a sprig of something green, crushed ice, and liquid that looks like it’s changing color.

“Oooh, yum, thank you, babe,” Anna says reaching for the one he’s balancing between the other two.

“What is it?” I ask pushing my shades onto my head.

“Erm… It doesn’t have a name. I just made it up with what we had.”

I take a sip of the one he passes me. Fruity, fizzy, and yummy.

“Well, it’s good whatever it is. Thank you.”

“Ummm, this is lovely thanks, Casey.” Chloe sucks on the straw like her life depends on it, draining half of it in one go.

The suck-up puffs out his chest, pleased and smug. “You’re welcome girls,” and then he’s lowering himself into the pool, giving Anna a few pecks, flicks my head and then wades towards the havoc.

I rub where his big brut fingers caught me and watch after him. I watch how he can’t stop smiling and when he pulls Jack and Knox into a headlock then a hug, my insides warm as I think over our interrupted conversation.

“I think it’s to do with growing up a military kid. Everyone’s kinda in each other’s business. All the kids go to the same school, the streets are safer so you play out together and the families are all really tight-knit. Plus, with Theo and Troy moving to be closer after 9/11, that has to have affected us. I’m the same about us all being together really but—”

“But you’ve been a little preoccupied lately,” Chloe says with a smirk. I feel my cheeks flush and my eyes drift toward Gunner of their own accord, just as he lifts his gorgeously ripped body out of the water to hit the ball back toward Rex. I’m sure objectively my brothers are physically, erm, attractive. They’re muscly and athletic but really all I see when I look at them is arrogance, ego, and just, well, boys.

Gunner, however, is a whole different story. His skin literally glistens. It’s golden tanned from how much time we’ve spent outside. Every muscle moves like it’s programmed to perfection and his face—God is he handsome.

“Earth to Coralie,” Chloe waggles her fingers in front of my face.

“Kinda dazed out there, huh?” I say by way of explanation and then I turn back around and take a long sip of my drink.

***

As the sun begins to set and the first few outdoor lights flicker on, we huddle around Casey’s table and start to plot the route for our trip. It doesn’t take long. There are a couple of places the boys want to show us from when they’ve visited while on the road and a few stops that we all decide shouldn’t be missed.

I’m eager to take Jack to see the Liberty Bell and Adam has said no less than twenty times that we have to go to his favorite restaurant in Philly, then we need to backtrack through to Maryland so Jack can ride his coasters.

As the chatter around the table continues, I take a look over my shoulder and find Jack asleep on one of the giant pool beanbags. “Right, well he’s crashed so it’s time to go,” I announce.

Casey looks up from under the brim of his ball cap. “Just stay.”

“No, it’s okay, we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow,” I eye Gunner who sends me a private smile.

Tomorrow, we tell Jack.

“Come on I’ll drive you back.” Gunner’s up and out of his chair before I can even thank him. He carefully lifts Jack into his big arms and heads into the house, as if that was enough of a goodbye.

“Have fun at the team photo shoot in the morning,” I say to the rest of them, while I collect up Jack’s Marvel towel and tennis shoes. Then I hug the girls and make my way out to the drive.

When I get to the truck, the engine is running and Gunner already has Jack settled in the backseat, the music playing quietly through the car speakers and a sultry smile adorns his handsome face. I open the door and jump in, reaching for my belt and pulling it across my body and turn to face him.

“Busy day, eh?”Cocky Gunneris driving us home I see.

“Yep. You know how it gets. Laundry, grocery shopping, it all piles up, Gunner,” I tell him as innocently as I can.

He shakes his head, sexy lips turning upwards while he tries to hide a smile at my blatant lie and intertwines our fingers. “I’m excited about telling Jack too and I’m going to get a nice early night in because God knows we won’t get any sleep tomorrow,” he winks and then kiss-bites my knuckles.

---