“Hey, Wyatt,” Drake said, and hugged me quickly.
“Hey. I heard you’re creating some kind of masterpiece.”
He grinned. “Creamy pesto shrimp with rosemary sourdough.”
Sundance set the pies in the fridge and wrapped an arm around me, I stepped away from his touch as I said to Drake, “No kidding?”
Drake chuckled. “It’s quick and easy.”
“Oh, like when you tell a woman you love her dress and her response is, ‘this old thing’?”
Drake laughed. “No,actuallyquick and easy.”
Sundance tried to wrap his arm around me again, but I slid away from his touch. I felt weird being touchy touchy with him in front of his kids. I heard a door close and Teddy came rushing in, followed by Orion and Raquel, affording me a distraction.
“Riot, I saw Ori’s bike.”
“You did?” My brother looked so happy and I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s awesome.”
“I called shotgun and he let me ride it again. Vroom vroom.”
I straightened his shirt and smiled. “That’s awesome, buddy.”
“You want some water?” Orion asked Teddy as Raquel hugged me.
“Yes, please,” Teddy said.
“Good job, Teddy,” I said. We were working on his manners, but he got shy around people he didn’t know well, so this was progress.
Orion grabbed a plastic cup and got water from the fridge, handing it to my brother and I helped him sit on a stool at the island. “Don’t touch the burners, okay? They’re hot.”
“Okay, Riot,” he said, and sipped his drink.
“How’s the Razzle Dazzle working?” Raquel asked.
“Amazing,” I said. “He’s able to verbalize more, which hasn’t happened in a long time. He’s sleeping better as well.”
“That’s good to hear. Keep me posted on that, okay? If we need to adjust things, we can.”
“I will,” I promised.
“I’m gonna borrow Wyatt for a minute,” Sundance said and took my hand, pulling me into what looked like a den of sorts.
“What are you doing?” I snapped.
“What areyoudoing?” he countered. “You keep shovin’ me away.”
“I’m trying to get to know your kids without you pawing me.”
“What do my kids have to do with me pawing at you?”
“Has it ever occurred to you that seeing their parent engaged in public displays of affection might make them uncomfortable?”
He smiled. “Just so you know, if I stripped you down and ate you out in the middle of the kitchen, my kids would politely excuse themselves, walk out of the room, and let me finish.”
I gasped. “They would not.”
“They absolutely would.”
