Beautiful Broken Promises(110)

“I can’t wait to see you sprawled out on a beach chair with the sun kissing your gorgeous skin,” I whispered into her neck.

“Lane…” she moaned. “I think you’re more excited than the kids.”

“That’s probably true,” I chuckled. “Come on! It’s our first family vacation… this is epic!”

“You’re adorable,” she giggled. “Okay, let me have my turn at looking at it. Turn around, please.”

I spun around and once again crouched, so she could see the back of my neck. Her finger grazed around the gauze-covered tattooed skin, not touching the new ink but getting close enough that I could feel her appreciation.

“I love it,” she whispered.

“Baby, I love you guys so much.”

“Hey, guess what?” Her tone changed so quickly that my eyebrow automatically cocked in question. “I accidently overheard Jaxon and Em talking earlier.”

“You were eavesdropping?” I laughed.

“I didn’t mean to! But guess what? He asked her if she packed her birth control for the trip.” I had an idea where this was going. “And she said no!” she whisper-shouted in excitement. Raegan had recently jumped on the get-Em-pregnant train with Audrey and Quinn. Girls were funny creatures.

“We knew it was coming, babe.” I smiled at her excitement, even though I’d known it wouldn’t be too much longer. Ever since Jaxon had laid into Adam that day in the parking lot about how he would worship the ground Em walked on if she were carrying his child, he had become more and more open to the idea of kids. I actually wondered if he wasn’t the one now trying to convince Em they were ready, but I wouldn’t tell Raegan that.

I dipped down to take her lips against mine. The soft plump of her lower lip pushed in and I gently grazed my teeth across it. She whimpered as my hands pulled her in closer to my body.

I pulled back and said, “This past year, babe, it’s been the best year of my life.”

“It’s been a pretty good one,” she replied casually. I tickled her for that and she shrieked, but I didn’t let up until she breathlessly said, “Okay, okay! Best... Year… Ever!”

“Damn straight.” I gently nipped at her lip. “Can we please leave now and try to catch an early flight?”

“No, Lane!” she laughed. “Do you have any idea how hard it would be to change tickets for eight adults and three kids? Impossible. You’ll just have to be patient,” she chided.

“We can meet everyone else there. I mean, just the four of us go early.”

“You’re as bad as a little kid waiting to go to Disney World.”

I smirked. “You in a bikini for six glorious days is my Disney World, babe.”

“Get out of here and let me finish our packing.” She shoved me toward the door with a grin on her face. As I was heading down the hall, she poked her head out and shouted, “Oh, and put your shirt back on! I don’t need Em ogling your body anymore.”

I laughed and Em shouted, “You can’t keep him clothed this entire trip, my dear friend. I’ll get my eye-candy, don’t you worry.” She winked at me and Jaxon rolled his eyes.

I slipped a gray tank over my head, one that dipped down enough around the neck not to rub my tattoo. I plopped down on my couch and watched my front door open again as Charlie walked in with Jace’s secretary, Josephine. Raegan and I apparently had an open-door policy in this house, since no one seemed to care to knock anymore.

“Charlie!” Kate shouted. “You’re going to the beach, too?”

“Sure am, babe.” He lifted his suitcase to show her the evidence.

Charlie still worked for the force up in New York, but he seemed to be venturing down south more and more these days. I invited him and Mateo along on our vacation because I wanted to thank both of them. Those two guys were crucial, not only in my mission to find Kate, but in helping me maintain my sanity. Charlie was on the case every second he could, always keeping me up-to-date when he received new information. He became my eyes and ears, and I would never be able to thank him enough.

Mateo had helped me navigate the underground fight clubs, and he played a critical role in helping me keeping tabs on Flores. Even though I wasn’t able to bring Kate back on my own—I had Rae to thank for that—Mateo had been there every step of the way, willing to assist me at the drop of a dime.

Unfortunately, he had to decline our invite since he was already on another case, helping to try and bring another family back together. The guy was good to the core. He did, however, accept my gift of a pricey bottle of whiskey and said that maybe he would be able to catch us on our next trip.