“Wehave an audience.” A grin twitching his lips, Beckett jerked his head at thegroup.
Shewrapped her arms around his waist and parked her chin on his chest. “My inner goddesssuggests you take me home before they really get an eyeful.”
Hiseyebrows crawled up his forehead as the grin crept up his cheeks. “Oh yeah?Makeup time?” No disguising the hope or joy in his voice.
“Damnstraight, Mr. All-Nighter. We’ve got a lot of making up to do.”
“Lookslike we have our work cut out for us, pixie.”
“Mm-hmm.At least a couple days’ worth.”
Heraised her chin with a knuckle. “And after that, a lifetime. We’re in for onehell of a ride, pixie, and I can’t wait to get started.”
EPILOGUE
Twenty Years Later
Paige peered in the mirror, tugging the sweater in place.
“Mom,stop! I’ll be late for Spencer’s game.”
Seventeen-year-oldElayne rolled her light green eyes as Paige admired her daughter’s reflection.She smoothed Elayne’s shoulders, higher than her own, and kissed her cheek.
“Allright, Layne. Hurry then, but let me know when you get there.” She strokedElayne’s golden brown hair and stepped away. “Your hair is the same color asyour father’s.”
“As hiswas, you mean,” Elayne laughed.
“Andyou and your sisters gave me every gray hair on my head,” rumbled a voice fromthe doorway.
Elayne’sface lit up. It always did when she saw her dad. “Daddy! You’re home early.”
Talland broad, he pushed himself from the frame with ease and sauntered into thebedroom, his eyes flicking over his oldest daughter. “And a good thing too.” Hekissed her cheek and absently dropped his arm around Paige’s shoulders, drawingher in for a kiss on top of her head. Elayne looked jittery as he scrutinizedher.
“Maybeyou should throw on another shirt,” he suggested.
“But,Daddy,” she protested, “it’ll cover the sweater.”
“Exactly,”he replied. “And Layne, if that boyfriend of yours lays one fing—”
“Sheknows you’ll tear him limb from limb if he touches her, you big growly bear.”Suppressing her amusement, Paige patted his hard chest.
Heharrumphed. “Can’t be too careful with those da—darn hockey players. I knowexactly what goes through their brains—assuming they have any.”
“Daddy,I really have to go!” Elayne yelped before vaulting at his cheek with a kiss.“I love you!”
Whenshe was gone, he pulled Paige to him and propped his chin on her head. “God,the girls are growing up so fast, Andie. Layne’ll be playing hockey at Michiganin less than a year, and Audrey’s not far behind. Soon I’ll be walking themdown the aisle.”
Shepressed her cheek against his chest, savoring the steady thrum of his heart.“You have a few years yet, Beck. Layne won’t let anything get in the way of herscholarship—she’s worked too hard for it. Audrey will follow her older sister,and you have the twins so scared of boys, they’ll need therapy before they evenconsider dating.”
“Good!”
“Sowhat brings you home early? Not that I’m complaining.”
“I let everyoneknock off early. I’ve run those kids hard this week and figured they earned abreak.”
“So,Coach, are they ready to take on the Bulldogs Friday night?”
“We’llfind out. You’re coming to the game, right?” He pushed his glasses up on thebridge of his nose.
“Seriously?Have I missed one yet? Go DU! Go Coach Miller! And don’t forget drinks withGwenn and Henry afterward. They head back to Seattle first thing the nextmorning.”
“Iremember. How’d you do on your electrical inspection today?”
“Passed!On all eight row houses. It’s amazing how much more cooperative the inspectorsare when it’s affordable housing.”
“It’sbecause you’re Denver’s favorite builder.” He hugged her to him. “This callsfor a celebration. So what do we do with our night off, pixie?”
“Well,Layne’s sleeping at Ashley’s after Spencer’s hockey game, the twins are ontheir overnight with their class, and Audrey’s working the fundraiser for theWildlife Sanctuary. We have the house to ourselves, Mr. Miller.”
Hiseyebrows flew to his hairline, and a mischievous grin spread over his chiseledface. “Jesus, when was the last time that happened?”
“Beforethe twins were born, I think.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around hisstill-trim waist. “But I can’t come up with a single thing for us to do, canyou?” She rested her chin on his chest and batted her eyelashes at him.
“I can.Something we haven’t done in a long time.”
“Areyou thinking what I’m thinking?” She broke out in her own mischievous grin.
Henodded slowly, splaying his hands across her back. “Yep. Watching a movie that doesn’thave a princess in it or the latest heartthrob. Something we want towatch for a change.”
“Howabout Casablanca? We haven’t watched it in forever.”
“Perfect.”
“I’llget the popcorn.”
Hecradled her face and looked at her tenderly. “Pixie, marrying you was thesmartest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Must’vebeen the glasses.”
“Have Itold you how damn glad I am you said yes all those years ago?”
Shesmiled up at him. “Only about a million times. You’re falling behind.”
“I loveyou,” he whispered, stealing her breath away.
“Beck,my sweet tiger, I love you too.” Her hands traveled up his muscled back as hislips descended on hers. He kissed her slowly, thoroughly, curling her toes.
“Changeof plans,” she gasped. “You get the popcorn, and I’ll slip intosomething slinky.”
“Yes!”He pumped his fist, chanting, “Uh-huh, uh-huh.”
“Ew!”came a cry from the hallway.
Audreystood in the doorway, looking as though she’d popped a dozen sour balls in hermouth at once. She shook her head and narrowed her icy-blue eyes at them, hersoft auburn curls bouncing around her face.
“Youguys are fumbling disgusting.”
PinningPaige to his side with one arm, Beckett planted his fist on his other hip.“Yeah? Well, you wouldn’t fumbling be here if we weren’t so fumblingdisgusting. Besides, what’s wrong with me being hot for your mom?”
Audreystuck her tongue out and pointed her finger down her throat.
“Whatare you doing here, sweetie?” Paige asked evenly, trying to tamp down the tinglingBeckett had just shot through her body.
“Iforgot my Wildlife Sanctuary sweatshirt.”
Beckettreleased Paige and winked. “I’m not done with you, pixie.”
“Youbetter not be!” she fired over her shoulder as she helped
