“I volunteered for this job. Blade wanted to send someone else. Said he needed someone with a clear head who wasn’t obsessed with you. In a healthy way, of course.”
All my movements froze, my breath stalling.
Did he just say what I think I heard? Or have I fallen asleep and this is a dream?
“But we’d never spoken a word to one another before the first time I came to the clubhouse,” I said, lifting my head off his chest.
“Doesn’t matter. Not to me.”
“Sebastian—” I said, but he stopped me.
“My parents have loved each other their whole lives. In fact, they still love each other like they did when they first met,” he said. I shuffled closer, putting my hand on his cheek, and he turned into the gentle caress. “I always wanted what they have. My dad told me it was love at first sight for him and Mom. That when I saw the one who was meant for me, I’d know. And I always laughed at him. Told him he was crazy.”
His eyes held mine, showing me how much he meant every word he said. “And then I met you, and I finally understood what he was talking about.”
I crushed my lips against his, clawing my way closer, the need to feel him overwhelming. He met my tongue stroke for stroke, and soon we were panting, our hands gliding over every inch of each other’s body.
“If you’re trying to hide from me, you’re doing a terrible job because I can see your legs. And they’re way too close to each other,” Stella interrupted us. “No sexy times in the playhouse. That’s just wrong.”
I untangled myself from Sebastian, closing my eyes. His hand whispered across my cheek, and then he shuffled out before helping me.
Stella was waiting for us, barely holding it together, vibrating with the effort it took to stop the laughter that I could see was bubbling to the surface. She lost the battle and guffawed so loud, I was worried she’d wake the kids.
“I knew you had it in you,” she wheezed out once she’d calmed down.
“Shut up,” I said and rolled my eyes at her.
We walked back inside, the look on Stella’s face telling me I’d have to give her a word-for-word replay of tonight.
“I knew the kids loved their new play equipment, but I didn’t realize you were so fond of it as well.”
“It’s a pretty good tree house,” I said, eying Sebastian.
“Glad you like it, baby,” he said.
Ha, I knew it. He was the one who’d upgraded my backyard. “Did you put all the new stuff in my yard?” I asked.
“You said you wished you could give the kids a swing because they love it so much at the park.”
I’d mentioned it once, in passing, because I was too lazy to walk across the road. And he’d gone out and put a playground in my backyard.
“Oh hell no,” Stella said. “You’re giving him the smoldering eyes. I’m out of here.”
I waved to her, my eyes never leaving Sebastian’s. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, I lunged at him and he caught me in a tight embrace. My legs were suspended off the floor, my arms locked tight around his neck, as our mouths met in a bone-melting, spine-tingling kiss.
He dragged me to the bedroom and then spent the rest of the night making sure I knew what I’d be missing out on if I didn’t give him a second chance.
Good thing he didn’t know I’d already forgiven him.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“When I was a lizard, I climbed up the wall and sat on the roof,” Luca said, his hand on my cheek to make sure I was listening.
“When were you a lizard?” I asked, my attention on my son.
“Last weekend,” he said, the earnestness on his face adorable.
We were in the backyard, Lena playing with Stella in the sandpit, Luca sitting with me on the grass. We’d been playing Go Fish when he dropped his cards to tell me a story that included him being a lizard.
A loud knock sounded on the front door, interrupting our conversation. I looked at Stella, who narrowed her eyes.
“I’ll have a look at what’s going on,” I said, getting back to my feet. “You good with the kids?”
“Of course. But maybe take the bat with you,” she said, pointing to the baseball bat lying next to our blanket.
No way would I take a bat with me, so I waved her off and made my way inside and to the front door. A look outside made me wish I had, in fact, taken the bat with me.
I ripped the door open, interrupting Jim mid-knock.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my lips thin, my nostrils flaring like an angry bull about to charge. The thought of doing exactly that didn’t sound like a bad idea at the moment.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, then pushed past me and inside the house. “You’re in danger.”
“No kidding,” I grumbled and watched him walk into the living room. I turned back to the road, wondering where Gears was. No way would he just let Jim come up to the front door.
When I saw no sign of him, I followed my ex, who was making himself right at home. “Jim, you need to leave. You can’t be here.”
He was pacing, his movements jerky, his hair a mess, his clothes wrinkled and dirty. “You need to pack a bag and come with me.”
I looked at the ceiling, praying for patience. “No way. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Not liking my response, he grabbed my arm, pulling hard.
“Everything okay?” Stella called out from the back door, and Jim released me.
I stuck my head in the hallway and asked her, “Can you take the kids to get
