The man was pretty level-headed. I mean, he had serious patience with his children and me. Lord knows I wasn’t always easy. And kids, well we all knew how they could be. But he was also very protective. The fact that Brett didn’t heed his warning was going to piss him off, but also make him worry.
I wondered when I got to the part about Alley and her bat—my Christmas gift to her—if it would be as funny to him as it was to me and ease the tension that I knew telling him about this was going to cause.
As the door opened, I pulled in a big gulp of air, then blew it out.
Two beautiful little girls came flying into the kitchen talking a mile a minute at once. Peyton and Piper spoke over one another but I did manage to grasp part of their excitement over their day and that they wanted a snack.
Before I could answer, the object of my affection walked in and my heart thumped harder. I may have thought when I saw him that dread would fill me because of the news I had to share, but when he smiled at me everything I was thinking went right out the window.
Then, he moved my way, a gleam in his eye, and planted a kiss on my lips. It was PG rated with the kids standing right under our feet, but it still knocked my socks off.
Soft, silly, giggles had us pulling apart.
Bodie smiled at me and I almost melted into a puddle right there on the kitchen floor.
“How was your day beautiful?”
He’d made me forget about everything for a few minutes but his question was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over my head.
Throwing him back a smile I wasn’t feeling, I turned and busied myself with getting the girls a snack. “Umm, it was fine.”
After grabbing some apple slices I had already cut up for them in the fridge and some cheese, I turned back around only to find Bodie watching me closely. I should have known I couldn’t make light of anything with him and he would hear the wary tone in my voice.
The girls thanked me and took off—most likely to their playroom—with their treats leaving me standing there wishing I could go with them.
“Want to tell me what happened?” Bodie asked.
I let out a big sigh. “Not really, but I need to. Maybe we should sit down?” I glanced at the timer on the oven and saw the lasagna had a while to bake. At least I wouldn’t ruin it like I was about to ruin Bodie’s night.
He grabbed my hand softly and led me toward the living room where he sat down in the big, oversized swivel chair, pulling me into his lap as he went. “Tell me,” he said.
So I told him everything from the time I walked out the doors to meet Alley, not leaving anything out. His body vibrated with anger, but he didn’t interrupt, he just listened. It didn’t escape my notice that his mouth twitched when I told him about Alley, but I wasn’t about to call him on an almost smile when I knew he was pissed off.
The amazing thing was, he was never upset at me.
“Now will you—”
Laying a finger over his lips, I stopped him. He wasn’t the only one that could read minds. I knew exactly what he was going to say.
“I promise I’ll take this to the powers that be at the school and let Lyric help me to report it to the police. I don’t want him acting like this with anyone else.” I removed my finger and replaced it with my mouth. After giving him a short, sweet kiss, I continued, “But you have to promise me two things.”
“Oh yeah? And what two things might that be?” he asked, raising a brow.
“You don’t go after him and get yourself in trouble.” I could tell by the storm swirling in his eyes that was exactly what he wanted to do, but with my next words, his expression softened. “Your kids and I need you, Bodie.”
“Okay, I promise. What’s the second thing?”
I gave him a mischievous grin. “You stick to what you said before my class today.”
“Hmm, I think my memory is going bad, what was it I said?” he teased.
After turning to straddle his lap, I grabbed his face and kissed him as I swiveled my hips. Knowing the girls could walk in any time, I pulled back. “You said, ‘To be continued.’ Remember now?”
He tickled me and I squirmed, causing my core to rub against his growing erection. “I think it’s coming back to me, but you may have to remind me again when we get to bed.”
Giggles escaped me as the tickle torture went on and then he stopped hugging me to him.
I whispered in his ear. “I’d be glad to remind you later.”
