"Actually, the reason I didn't finish my thought earlier is because I was thinking you were a cruel, vicious woman."
I lifted my brows. "What?"
"You wore this knowing that Jacks would be with us and I wouldn't be able to properly show my appreciation."
I shivered at the heat in his words and my toes curled. God, we would have to resolve the sexual tension between us soon or we were going to spontaneously combust.
"Well, I'll wear it again for you another time when we're alone and you can give me the demonstration twice," I murmured back.
His cheek brushed mine as he leaned forward and put his lips to my ear. "We'll be alone when Jacks goes to Monica's for two weeks."
While his words ignited a fire in my blood, the knowledge that he had to let Jacks go with her mom after the shit that woman had been pulling burned my gut.
"I'll be an excellent distraction, I promise," I said.
Brody's hand landed on my waist and squeezed. "As much as I would like to continue this conversation, we have to go. Jacks is being patient right now, but any second—"
A car horn blared from my driveway.
"She's gonna blow the horn," he finished.
I laughed as he grabbed my hand and hauled me out toward the car. When he opened the passenger door, Jacks was sitting primly in her booster seat, her belt in place. Yeah, I'd have to keep my eye on her.
"All right, daughter dearest. We clearly have to work on your patience," Brody admonished her, an amused twinkle in his eyes.
"We're gonna be late and you know Grandma doesn't like it."
"Grandma?" I asked him quietly as he helped me into my seat. "Marilyn allows that?"
"She actually wants Jacks to call her Grand-Mère."
I bit back a laugh. "I didn't realize your mother's parents were French."
He shook his head. "When she tried to get Jacks to do that, my lovely, sweet daughter started calling her Meemaw."
I couldn't stop it. There was no way. I clutched my belly and laughed. "Oh, my God. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was related to me," I gasped, rocking back and forth in the seat.
Brody grinned and I could hear Jacks laughing in the back.
When he came around the car and settled in the driver's seat, he turned to me and murmured, "I won't lie. I encourage that sort of behavior."
"What sort of behavior?" I asked.
"The kind of attitude you always had growing up. Even when you were pissing me off, you were hilarious."
I grinned at him. "And you're encouraging that sort of thing in your daughter?"
"Absolutely," he answered.
I glanced over my shoulder at his daughter. "Hey, Jacks. Do you think I'm a good example to follow?"
"No way!" she announced.
Then we both got the giggles and couldn't stop until we reached Grandma and Grandpa Murphy's house.
Despite my worries about tonight, just thinking of Brody's parents as Gramma and Gramps made me chuckle.
I only hoped that it would make the evening more tolerable.
