"Uh-huh. I gotted you juice."
Slayde swallowed hard, shaking with laughter.
"Thank you, sweetie." Drake's lips were twitching and he knew the man was trying so hard not to laugh at her. Drake drank the juice down and then got up, making a beeline for the kitchen before he busted a gut.
Maggie beamed, though, looking so pleased with herself.
Drake came back a few moments later, face composed. "That really was great, thank you, Mags."
"Welcome. Gonna go play." The baby was grabbed and she headed back to the playroom, Jenny at her heels.
Slayde looked at Drake, applauding. "Very nice."
"I nearly lost it."
"You didn't, though. She's so tickled. Uncle Drake, baby saver."
Drake rolled his eyes, but looked pleased. "Do I get a prize from the over six set?"
"You can have anything you want, man." Any fucking thing.
"Want you." Drake grabbed Slayde's waist and took a quick kiss.
He leaned in, and they held each other for a long minute, just breathing together.
"Kids are up," murmured Drake. "We probably should …step away." Drake didn't, though.
"Okay." Slayde soaked up Drake's strength.
Drake leaned in and took another kiss. They weren't tonsil-juggling or anything. The kisses were soft, chaste. Easy. In the end Drake rested their foreheads together and they just breathed.
God, please. Please let him continue to enjoy every second he had.
"So fucking good," muttered Drake.
"Yeah. Yeah. Perfect."
Drake took another soft kiss, fingers stroking over his belly.
"I'm thinking about a lazy, quiet day. Football in here?"
"That sounds like magic, baby." Drake gave him a sudden, shit-eating grin. "As long as you mean watching."
He pinched Drake's butt. "God, yes. Watching. Popcorn."
Drake laughed. "Just popcorn? You don't have some Martha Stewart version of football food you want to whip up?"
He arched one eyebrow. "Just for that, you only get microwave popcorn and plain chips. No cheddar popcorn and jalapeno dip."
"You see! I was right."
"Shut up or I'm burning the popcorn."
Drake collapsed onto the couch, laughing so hard he wasn't making a sound anymore. Slayde pounced, tickling Drake hard, fingers digging in.
Drake kept laughing, fending him off for a while before crying out, "Uncle."
"Uncle Drake!" The girls came running in. "We help!"
Then tiny fingers started tickling.
"Oh f--fudge!" Drake cried out, wriggling hard.
Jenny and Maggie laughed, the little sounds happy and joyous. Drake beamed at him and together they turned the tables on the little girls. He ended up blowing raspberries on Jenny's belly, her fingers tugging his hair. Drake copied him on Maggie and he held his breath, waiting to see how she'd react to that. Maggie's eyes went wide, then she giggled. Laughing, Drake did it again.
"Unca Drakey-Cakey! Tickles!"
"Drakey-Cakey?" Drake laughed even harder.
He blinked and Jenny cried out, "Cakey! Cakey, do me!"
Drake grabbed the little girl and started tickling her. "I'm Drake, not Cake!"
"Cakey! Cakey man!"
Drake shot him a look, glaring slightly,
"What? I'm innocent, Cakey Man."
"Jenny, go tickle Uncle Slide."
"No, Cakey. Unca Slayde."
Oh, score!
Drake's mouth dropped open. "What?"
"Unca. Slayde."
"How come I'm Cake and he's still Slayde?"
Jenny shrugged, kissed him with a smack, and toddled off.
"That is so not fair, man. You have them hypnotized."
"That's it. Hypnotized children." He was going to burst out laughing again.
Drake pouted at him.
"Boogala-boogala."
His words made Maggie squeal.
"You have hypnotized them!" Drake hooted at them.
"Look into my eyes, you are hypnotized!"
Drake laughed at him.
He winked, grabbed Maggie, and nuzzled her. "Love you, baby girl."
"Love you. Jenny's the baby."
"Yep. Go on, play. I'm going to make popcorn."
"For football." Drake grinned at him and God, it was so good.
"For the girls. You don't get any."
Drake stuck his tongue out. "I'm not above going out and getting Doritos."
Drake waited a moment. "For me and the girls."
He grabbed a pillow, threw it at Drake. That had Drake laughing again, tossing that pillow right back at him. He swatted Drake's butt with the pillow. Drake pounced him, finger pushing into his ribs.
He chuckled. "I am making popcorn!"
"You've got a strange way of making popcorn, man. I've got to tell you, it usually doesn't involve pillows."
"Pop. Pop pop. Pop pop pop."
Drake stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
He blushed and shrugged. "I was being popcorn."
Drake cracked up again. He couldn't be any more in love if he tried.
Drake finally stopped laughing, and wrapped him in a hug, gave him a kiss. "Come on, baby. Let's make munchies."
"Let's do it."
He kissed Drake right back.
"This still isn't making popcorn." Drake didn't stop holding and kissing him, though.
"You're very observant."
"I am. For instance, this is your mouth." Drake kissed him soundly.
He chuckled. "It is! You're learning so fast."
"Ass." Drake swatted him.
"Be careful or I'll have you pushing up."
"Uh-uh. Only if the kids catch me."
"Darn." He winked, sighed dramatically, and pulled back, body reluctant to lose touch with Drake. "Popcorn."
"Yeah… I'll show you some push-ups later tonight. If you know what I mean."
"I do." It was sort of fucking amazing, really. Drake, in his bed every night.
"Good." Drake's gaze was hot, hell, he could feel the man's need pressing against his thigh.
"Popcorn. Come on."
"Okay. Only if you'll let me have some."
"Maybe."
Drake goosed him.
"At least the burned parts."
Drake goosed him again. "Butthead! And I'll take the hit on the push-ups for that."
They were both laughing as they headed for the kitchen.
Chapter Thirteen
Minds talked to the kids for a while, then Slayde took them up for their baths and Drake slid into the chair.
"Hey, Sis."
"Hey, you. Sounds like Christian enjoyed the first day of school, huh?"
"Yeah. Slayde and I stressed the entire time he was gone, but he was just flying when he got off the bus this afternoon. Told us and girls all about it."
"I can't believe I missed it." She sighed, looking so tired. "Still, there's a good chance I'll be home by Halloween."
"The kids would be thrilled, honey. They miss you bunches. And you know Slayde took about three hours' worth of video leading up to him getting on the bus."
"I know. He sent it already." She sighed. "I wish I could afford to keep Slayde on once I retire, but there's no way."
"You sure? It's going
