Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(49)

“How the f*ck did your balls get relocated up there?” Chase hollered back.

A minute later they joined us in the living room, red-faced and laughing.

“Are you done regressing?” Saylor asked Cord sweetly as he sat on her other side.

“For now,” he promised her, grinning as he ran a hand over her swollen belly. She removed her fangs and kissed him.

I felt Chase’s arm around my shoulders and leaned closer to him. He jumped off the couch abruptly, pulled me to my feet and bent me in a classically romantic pose, kissing me hard. I was breathless when he finally released me.

When I returned to the couch I saw Cord and Saylor were staring at us. I’d already gotten to know Saylor a bit before the wedding but over the past few weeks I’d gotten to know Cord as well. Cordero Gentry was something of a cross between his brothers. He had some of Creed’s solemnity with a dash of Chase’s impulsive silliness. He was completely devoted to Saylor and appeared to be enjoying his new roles as husband and father-to-be.

“Do you guys need to be alone?” Cord asked, raising a teasing eyebrow in Chase’s direction.

“You’ll know when we do,” Chase said cheerfully. He knocked on the wall behind him. “The foundation will be shaking tonight,” he boasted.

“And that’s different from every other night how?” Cord asked.

“We can stay at Steph’s place again,” Chase said, “although it looked like your brother’s planning on ending up there tonight. I don’t want to get my clothes bloody but if he opens his mouth again I might have to.”

I heard the edge in his voice and knew he was only half joking. Cord caught on and a shadow crossed his face. Of course, he would have already heard about the tension between Chase and Creed. I was sorry to be the cause of it.

Saylor cleared her throat. “So Stephanie, Chasyn keeps telling me how much you like to read fantasy.”

I was honestly surprised. I couldn’t recall ever once discussing books with Chase.

“I do,” I told her, turning to look at Chase.

He ran his fingers through my hair absently. “Couldn’t miss seeing the hardcover Tolkien collection lining the shelf above your desk. But Say has a mercenary interest in your reading habits. She’ll probably harass you into being a beta reader for her book.”

Saylor threw a Hershey bar at Chase. It bounced off his forehead and Cord laughed. Both Truly and Chase had mentioned Saylor was a writer. I would be glad to have the opportunity to read her book. She smiled when I told her so.

“I’m still editing,” she said, “but the final version will be available soon.”

Cord stifled a yawn and Chase gave him shit about it, asking why the hell he was exhausted at nine pm.

“You not getting enough rest, old timer?” he teased.

“Old timer?” grumbled Cord. “I’m less than a minute older than you, dickhead.”

“If you and Creedence can refer to me as ‘junior’ then I’m going to take advantage and pile on the geriatric references.”

Cord yawned for real this time. “Sleep is tough. Bed’s too crowded these days.”

“We should get a bigger one,” Saylor said, frowning down at her growing stomach.

“We should get a bigger place,” Cord told her meaningfully and she looked up at him, nodding.

Chase sighed and I sensed that he didn’t really like the subject. However, it went without saying that once the twins were born it wouldn’t really do for them all to share an apartment anymore.

I took Chase’s hand. “If we’re staying here tonight I should really run home and get a few things.”

Chase put his other hand on my thigh and slowly slid it upwards. “You have everything you need,” he said in a husky voice.

“You’re right,” I whispered, watching his hand climb higher and wanting more. “I have everything I need.”

Saylor handed me the bowl of candy and stood up. “Do me a favor and answer the door if anyone knocks, just in case.” She jerked her head in Cord’s direction. “I’m going to see what I can do about getting this big boy some rest.”

“But it’s so early,” Cord complained as he leaned back on the couch, his eyes closed. “Feels wrong to hit the sack at nine freaking pm.”

Saylor draped herself over the arm of the sofa and ran her hands down Cord’s chest. “How about some motivation?”

Cord’s eyes flew open and he looked at his wife with interest. “And you always know how to motivate me, baby.”

She smiled. “So let me prove it.”

Cord was suddenly on his feet and scooting her in the direction of their bedroom. He paused and turned around to give his brother a naughty grin. “And you thought you were gonna make the walls shake.”

“I still will,” Chase retorted, winking at me.

I watched Cord and Saylor disappear down the hall together.

“Damn, they’re perfect,” I said. I meant how they were together. Stunning, loving, blissful.

“Yes,” Chase agreed with a strange catch in his voice. “They are.”





CHAPTER SIXTEEN


Chase



The one time in history Cord was ever ragingly furious with me was over Saylor McCann.