When we get back to the house, only Jax is there to greet us with his arms crossed over his chest. “What happened?”
“We were playing in the ocean. A wave knocked him over and his bathing suit fell off.”
His brow quirks up. “Playing in the ocean?”
I loop my arm around his and pull him into the house, with Knox following behind us. “Yes.”
“And his pants fell off?”
“You act like that can’t happen.”
Jax looks over his shoulder playfully. “Oh, it can. But you forget I’ve seen that boy's ass. Ain’t nothing just falling off those two Christmas hams.”
“Jax McCall. Did you just make a funny?”
He shakes his head looking at me. “Why do you say a funny?”
“Because I like to. Now answer my question.”
“Yes. I made a joke. Sorry, a funny. But I joke.”
“Sure, at someone else’s expense usually,” I retort playfully, catching a side eye from Jax.
“Come on sea dog, let’s get you cleaned up. Emmett will have dinner ready soon. We were organizing a little search party to come find you both when Ev snatched the towel off the deck.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” Knox salutes.
“I’ll go with. I need to get the ocean off me.”
“Doubling down? Still going with the playing in the ocean story?” Jax asks, perching his foot on the bottom stair, watching us walk up.
“There was water, fun, and sand.” I toss Jax a flirtatious grin over my shoulder as I follow Knox.
He calls up the stairs, “We took the bedroom at the end of the hall. Suitcases are in the last room on the right.” He pauses a beat, then continues, “Oh. Emmett said twenty minutes.”
“Ok,” I call back, then catch up to Knox down the hall. “Head into the shower. I’ll be in there in a minute. I’m going to grab us some clothes.”
He nods and walks into the last room while I dip into our luggage room. The bed frame is empty and our suitcases are lined up along the wall. After dinner tonight, I’ll have to unload my clothes into drawers. I can’t stay here for a week living out of a suitcase.
I find my suitcase- the hardshell case with the Eiffel tower and bright colors spread across it. Even though I’ve never been, it’s on my bucket list of things to see and now with the hookup from Sophie… I hope it will happen sooner rather than later. Digging around in the suitcase, I pull out a pair of comfy shorts and a short-sleeve shirt that has a rainbow and a unicorn on it. First merch from Vixen that Lizzy put together.
Knox’s suitcase is near the closet on the other side of the room. A dark blue hard case with the SEAL frog sticker on it. Flipping it open, I rifle through all of his clothes and find him a pair of shorts and a shirt. I don’t miss the fact he doesn’t have any boxers packed, or maybe I’m just missing them. But I doubt it. Boy loves to live free willy.
A couple minutes later, I’m climbing into the hot shower with Knox. Steam fills the glass trimmed walk-in shower, making the glass appear opaque. When I close the door, Knox is standing forearms against the wall with the water hitting his back.
Rubbing my hand over him, I ask, “Are you ok?”
He stands up and looks at me, smiling. “I am. Just letting the hot water soothe my tight muscles. I’m just exhausted. Did you see what the guys did?”
“With the beds?”
“Yea. They moved the other king mattress in here, so we can all sleep together.”
I smile, then move over to him. “Let me wash you.”
“Ev,” his voice drops and his hand gently grabs my wrist.
“No funny business. I promise. Let me take care of you.”
