This Time Around (Maybe #2)(16)

“Okay, see you then,” my brother says, leaving with Summer and River. Tag arrives half an hour later, and we shoot the shit for a little before I take off.

*****

“Where the hell has Dash been lately?” I ask Reid. We’re all sitting in his lounge room, watching cartoons and eating snacks with River. Summer pulled out a whole set of blocks, and other toys to keep him entertained.

“Sorting his sisters out, and working.” Shit, I need to drop by his house and see if there’s anything I can do to help. Dash has four younger sisters, and does practically everything for them. I can’t even imagine what that must be like for him.

“I spoke to him yesterday,” Summer adds, earning a scowl from Reid, which she chooses to ignore.

“And?”

“Yeah, he’s just been busy. Said he will drop by this week sometime,” she says, popping a grape into River’s mouth. Summer’s going to make an amazing mother someday.

“When’s dinner going to be ready? I’m starving.”

“Does Taiya cook?” Summer asks, not answering my question. Reid and I burst out laughing.

“Taiya can’t even fry an egg.”

Summer frowns, like she doesn’t like the idea of me not being fed. “Don’t worry you can always come here and I’ll cook for you.”

“I plan on it,” I say, pulling her close and kissing her on the cheek sloppily.

“Yuck!” she complains, wiping her cheek with her hand.

“Yuck!” River repeats. We all look at him and grin. He’s f*cking adorable; he really is.

“No, really. When’s dinner going to be ready?” I ask my future sister-in-law. Summer laughs and walks into the kitchen. Reid throws me a ‘leave my woman alone’ dirty look. I flash him a wide smile. He throws a pillow at me, which I dodge, and it almost hits a lamp.

“What was going on with you today?” he asks, getting straight to the point.

“Nothing,” I lie.

“Summer said you zoned out. What’s going on in that head of yours?” he asks, looking concerned. Why does he always make me feel so much younger than him?

“Just trying to sort through some things with Taiya,” I tell him, being vague.

“I’m always here if you want to talk about it.”

“I know, and thank you. I suppose I have Summer to thank for you growing a vagina?” I joke, moving the subject away from me.

Summer chooses that moment to walk in, carrying a tray. “Oh, so a man shows a little emotion and it’s a chick thing?”

“No.” Yes. “What do you have there?” I ask, peering up at the tray. She puts it in the centre of the table, and I see cheese, crackers, and cold cuts.

“Reid has such good taste in women,” I tell her, eyeing the food. Well, except for all the other women he dated before Summer. Summer wrinkles her nose, letting me know she’s thinking the same thing. “You’re right. He has bad taste; you’re the exception.”

“I’m sitting right here,” Reid growls, pulling Summer onto his lap.

I shield River’s eyes. “Keep it PG people!”

The doorbell rings, and Reid gets up to answer the door.

“Are you expecting anyone?” I ask Summer. She shakes her head no. A few seconds later, Xander walks inside, grinning widely. “What’s for dinner, sis?”





Chapter Nine

“Hello,” I say when the redhead answers the door.

“Right, the husband,” she smirks. “Hello, come on in.” With that, she walks away, leaving the door wide open. I step into their apartment and close it behind me. Walking into their kitchen, I find Isis now sitting on the countertop, eating cereal.

“She’s in her room. First door on the right,” she says just before she lifts the bowl to her mouth to drink the remaining milk.

I flash her a smile and then turn in the direction she pointed, stopping in front of the first door. I knock, entering when I hear her yell, “Come in!”

“Oh, my God!” she shrieks as I walk in on her standing at the end of her bed in nothing but a towel. My eyes devour the smooth bronzed skin on her bare shoulders. “What are you doing?” she asks, hiking the towel up. It gives me a glimpse of her toned thigh. I try to discreetly adjust my now hard cock, but she notices the movement immediately, and her eyes narrow.

“You told me to come in,” is all I can manage to say.

“I said I’m coming, not come in,” she growls. Droplets of water run down her arms, and I find myself suddenly feeling extremely thirsty. What wouldn’t I give to lick those off her. I notice her eyes widen, as if she suddenly remembered something, and then she slowly steps closer to the bed.

“Okay, you need to leave. Wait in the living room, please,” she begs. It’s her use of the word ‘please’ that has me instantly suspicious. My eyes give her a once over before moving to the bed. It’s then that I see what she didn’t want me to. I glance over at her, amused, chuckling when she turns red.

“I could take care of that for you, you know,” I tell her, gesturing towards the hot pink vibrator.

“Someone kill me,” I hear her mutter under her breath.

“Well, you know, an orgasm is known as the little death, so…” I trail off, letting my remark hang in the air.