My gaze caught him again and he winked, sending goosebumps rippling across my skin.
Before I could digest the monumental reality of what I’d just agreed to,again, someone knocked on the door.
“That’s probably Bronson or a few of the guys here to put in the security system. I’ll grab it,” Huntley said, before getting up to check.
After the unsettling night before that scared not only my daughter, but the rest of us as well, something in place for safety purposes sounded indeed like the best plan. I just couldn’t believe how fast they put the plan in motion to get it done.
I was beginning to understand I had a family who cared, new friends in high places, and a man who might just do anything to take care of me, along with my kids.
And I asked myself…
How did I deserve this?
There had beenmen in and out of my house for the last couple of hours.
It just wasn’t the man I wished was there in my space.
Huntley had to leave for work almost the moment the men ofNo Surrenderhad shown up. He’d asked me numerous times if I would be okay with them in my home, worried I’d feel uneasy.
But low and behold, I didn’t fear any of them.
Deep down I knew my brother-in-law was an exceptional guy who took great care of my sister and niece. And I’d watched all the ladies with their men on a few occasions.
It also helped that I wasn’t alone. Lennon, Bre, Lake and Stormi were all hanging around too. Lennon popped in and out, soaking up some of whatever the guys were doing and Bre was keeping Stormi happy as a clam. Which, I guess, left Lake alone to grill me.
“So, is there anything or anyone you want to talk about?”
“Hmm, not sure what you mean,” I replied, playing coy.
I knew she was itching for any details about Huntley’s sleepover last night.
“Smartass,” she said.
Pulling open the fridge to grab the pitcher of iced tea I’d made earlier, my lips kicked up in a hidden smile. It was kind of fun teasing her. I’d seen Lennon and Bre do it as siblings constantly. It was still crazy to think I had that too all of a sudden.
Schooling my facial expression, I turned back around toward my sister just as Stormi came running into the room like her butt was on fire, my daughter right behind her.
“Mom,” she said, running up to Lake and bouncing in place in front of her.
Lake smiled at her daughter. “What, sweet girl?”
In a silly, gleeful voice, Stormi told her mom, “Auntie River has a date with Uncle Huntley.”
My sister glanced at me, raising her brow, before looking back at her daughter. “She does, does she?”
Stormi’s bouncing continued. “Yup. Uncle Huntley asked Lennon and Bre if it was okay and they said yes.”
The biggest grin crossed my sister’s face and she looked at me once again. “Seems your Auntie River has been holding out on me for the last few hours.”
My daughter and Stormi seemed to be in cahoots because both their grins were huge.
Little buggers.
“When are you going?” Stormi asked, waltzing over to stand in front of me.
“Yeah, inquiring minds want to know,” my sister teased.
Shaking my head at the silliness, I squatted down in front of Stormi. “I think next Saturday.”
