She spat, “I won that round.”
I cackled. “I won fair and square—you know it!”
“I won’t admit it. You—” Her words were cut off by loud shrieking as my fingers tested the slope of her waist, running quick spider hands from her hips to the bottom of her ribcage. Facedown on the floor, she screamed a laugh. Due to my knee between her legs, she couldn’t turn over and fight me, so she twisted and bucked, clawing at the floor in desperation. “Jesse—Alan—Holmes!”
“Yes ma’am?” I asked innocently.
“Don’t you dare?—”
I tickled her again, eating up every second of her laughter. “Get him, Mom!” Nora yelled. Even though our play was innocent, I figured leaning over her in the middle of the floor probably needed to stop. Breathing heavy and chuckling, I flopped onto my forearm on the cool floor, letting her roll to her back. Her chest moved with several deep, steadying breaths, her pink cheeks puffing. When she tipped her head to look at me, I held up the spoon. “I’m framing this.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
I didn’t see her feisty side often, but man, I loved it.
“Mom! Can we play another round?” Izzy asked.
“No!” Hollie and I answered in unison then exploded in laughter again.
Hollied added, a weak hand waving through the air. “You guys can play a little longer, but I’m out.”
“Ditto,” I breathed.
“Come on, guys,” Izzy huffed. The kids returned to the table, conveniently out of sight. I looked down at Hollie and got lost in awe of her. Her chest still heaved, drawing my attention to the red tank top that hugged every little curve on her body. Our tussle had caused her shirt to ride up, exposing a sliver of skin I could hardly drag my eyes away from.
I whispered, “This was fun.”
“It was.” Her smile summoned light to her eyes.
My finger wound through one of her curls before tucking it behind her ear. Her gaze dropped to my mouth, her eyes hooded and hungry. Hot blood surged through my veins as I watched the tip of her tongue discreetly wet her lips. She was dying for a kiss. For all my goodintentions not to confuse her, if she kept looking at me like that, I’d give her what she wanted.
Thrilled to hear our kids happily distracted, I reached forward, letting my hand skim around her hip, pulling her closer to me by the small of her back. Her hand laced around my neck, finding her favorite spot on the back of my head. Were we really about to kiss, hiding behind the counter on my kitchen floor?
She leaned forward.
Fine by me. I wasn’t picky about location.
When our lips were a breath apart, loud shrieks erupted from the table. “Daddy? Daddy!”
Hollie startled away, jumping up from the floor.
Nora yelled. “Mommy, Daddy is calling!”
I got up too, following Hollie to the table where Izzy stared down at the Facetime call, unmoving. Nora yanked on her arm. “Answer! Answer!”
Hollie, usually so adept at addressing her children, stood as still as Izzy. She looked down at the phone like she wasn’t sure whether they should answer or not. Nora whimpered and reached for it. “Mommy, Izzy’s not answering.”
“Go ahead, Izz.” Hollie said, her voice quiet.
“I don’t want to talk.” Izzy thrust the phone into Nora’s hands instead. Nora, hungry for the chance, swiped up on the call and dissolved into squeals when she saw her dad’s face. The sheer joy on her face made every muscle in my body tighten with white-hot rage. Nora and Izzy would hurt forever because of what he was doing to them. Man, why couldn’t they have been mine? Being a parent was hands-down, no question, the best part of my life. I’d take Izzy and Nora in a heartbeat. As I had the thought, I imagined Hollie and the girls in my home.
As my daughters and my wife.
I swallowed down the desire, afraid to entertain a hope that had no footing.
“It’s my Nora! How are you, sweetie?”
My fists clenched, knowing this was nothing more than a charade to him. I’d betmoneyhis newly-pregnant girlfriend was nearbysomewhere and he was playing the doting father to win some brownie points.
