Play Fair (The Devil's Share Book 3)(56)

Bryan looked up when I walked out onto the back porch, her smile wary. “Hey.”

I stared across the yard. “Whose puppy?”

“Landry’s.” She reached down and gave him a good tummy scratch when he rolled over at her feet. “I saw him on a shelter website and I couldn’t resist.”

I nodded. “A going-away present?”

“Something like that.”

Her answer cut deep. If we were going to have this out, it was going to happen right f*cking now. “Hey, Buttercup? Uncle Luke is making lunch. Why don’t you go eat and then you can come back out and play.”

She looked from me to Bryan. “Are you mad about the puppy?”

I chuckled. “Of course not! He’s the cutest puppy I have ever seen. We need to pick a name later.” I waited for her to head into the house before turning back to Bryan. “I need you to be honest with me.” She nodded. “Do you want to leave? Are you bored with me? Not cut out for this life?” She shook her head. “Then what the f*ck happened last night?”

“I love Landry more than I love myself. I love you more than I love myself.” Her voice trembled. “And me leaving would guarantee that the two people I love most in this world would always be together.”

I wanted to sink down to my knees and worship this woman. She was strong. She was stronger than anyone I’d ever met. Including me. Where I was ready to fight tooth and nail to keep them both, she was selfless enough to not make me. “My God, I love you.”

She bent down and picked up the tiny puppy, snuggling him to her chest. “She called me Momma today.”

“Landry did?”

She nodded. “Yeah. We were in the car and she said, ‘okay, Momma,’ like it was the most natural thing in the world. At first I thought she’d seen her mom, or it was just an accident. But…”

“She doesn’t call Amelia Momma.”

“No. She doesn’t.” A tear rolled down her cheek. Before I could move to wipe it, she held her hand up, stopping me. “I’m not leaving.”

“What?” I swallowed past the lump in my throat, afraid to believe what I thought I heard.

“I realized something today. Landry’s not just yours, she’s mine too. I’ve known her just as long as you have. She might not have my DNA, but she has my heart. And I’m not going to let them take her from us.”

“Say it again.”

“I’m. Not. Leav—”

I fused my mouth to hers. Nothing about this kiss was sweet or playful. It was hot and passionate and so full of relief and possession. I was showing her that she was mine. She knew why I’d stomped out here a few minutes ago. She knew I was prepared for the battle of my life. I pulled back, grinning. “So the puppy is a going-away present for all of us?”

She shrugged. “You were right. I want this baby boy potty-trained before the move.” She wrapped her arms around my waist and turned her face toward mine. “I don’t want him ruining my hand-scraped hardwood floors.”

The smile that took over my face was so big it was almost painful, “Your hand-scraped hardwood floors?” She nodded and I kissed her again. I wanted to keep kissing her, I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and carry her upstairs. She just adopted us the world’s most adorable puppy and told me she that not only was she not going anywhere but that she was moving to Texas with us. The infectious sound of Landry’s giggles was the only thing that could pull me away. She must have come outside at some point during all the kissing. I walked across the yard and kneeled down next to her. The puppy was on his back and she was rubbing his tummy. “Well, what do you want to name him?”

She looked at me, scooping him up in her arms. “I get to name him?”

I reached out and scratched behind his ear. “Of course. He’s yours.”

Bryan reached down and put her hand on my shoulder. Landry looked between the two of us. “He’s ours. Right, B? He’s for our family.”

“That’s right, sweet girl.” She sat on the ground, pulling both Landry and the wiggly puppy into her lap. “But your dad and I want you to name him.”

“Anything I want?”

Bryan said “yes” the same time I said “within reason.” Landry had been spending a lot of time in a house full of rock stars. There’s no telling what she’d picked up. She tapped her chin. “Crash.”

“Crash?”

She nodded. “Like the crash cymbal on the drums. His name is Crash Florida Cole.”

***

“Nothing turns me on more than seeing you laying on our bed wearing my shirt.” I shut our door and laid my body on top of Bryan’s. “Now, take it off.”

Since we were going to be living together, permanently, I would get to do this every f*cking night. Life with B would be…ecstasy. Huh, maybe I could turn that into a song lyric. This chick made me horny; she always had. But ever since she told me she loved me earlier today…? I was a whole new level of turned the hell on.

She grinned, wriggled free and slowly peeled the fabric from her body, giving me a small show in the process. “Your turn.”

I quickly tossed my own clothes away and then threw the blue plaid comforter over both of our naked bodies. I rolled on my side and pulled B’s back against my chest. My dick against her bare ass. “Say it again.”