“You want to help me?”
“I’ll pass,” Ashton says and flips the page of his magazine.
“Okay, I wasn’t asking.”
He grumbles and shuts the magazine, climbing off the mattress. He stalks across the hallway, glances down in the direction of Luca and Harper’s room before hurrying into my room and shutting the door rather abruptly.
“I said help.” I laugh, glaring up at him as I open a packed box and inspect the contents.
“Oh, I have a few ideas for helping.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Not sure they involve cardboard, though.” Ashton gestures at the boxes at my feet.
“You’re useless,” I grumble and dump all my clothes on the bed, on top of him.
Ashton laughs and grabs a pair of my yellow bikini panties and twirls them on his finger. “Look what I can do.”
“You can put my stuff in that top drawer,” I say and point at the dresser.
He mumbles something under his breath.
“What’s that?” I glare at him.
“Feels like we’re married. You, bossing me around.”
“Well, we are living together.” I smirk and put my hands on my hips. “Better get used to it, boyfriend.”
Ashton rolls his eyes and throws a pair of my panties at me.
I catch them as they land on my chest.
Ashton wrestles out of the clothes and stands, leaving all my things on my mattress. “This is boring. I’m going to see if?—”
“If what—Harper and Luca need help? You’ll help them unpack?” I glare at him. “There are dishes and pots and pans that still need unpacking in the kitchen,” I remind him.
He’s less than useless. I’m happy that his room is done, but he’s been zero help with the rest of the house.
“I was going to see if they need help with Zeke,” Ashton says as he hurries to the door.
I almost feel bad, remembering that my brother and his girlfriend have a kid. Right. Zeke.
“Okay, fine. But don’t teach that kid anything bad,” I warn him. “No fart noises or anything stupid.”
“First up on the agenda, fart noises it is,” Ashton teases, and I yank my pillow off the mattress and fling it at him.
He ducks, and the pillow hits my door. He bends down, picks it up and tosses it back on the bed.
“I’ll take a raincheck for the pillow fight,” Ashton says and tosses open my bedroom door. He hurries out into the hallway. Apparently, he couldn’t get out fast enough.
“And spoiling Zeke is my job!” I shout. “Don’t forget that. I’m his aunt!”
Ten minutes later, Zeke comes tearing into my room screaming in hysterics.
I glance up and Ashton is chasing after him, his arms out like a monster. “I’m going to get you,” Ashton roars in a deep voice, and Zeke rushes at me, throwing his arms around my leg.
“You’re scaring him!” I bend down, lifting Zeke into my arms.
There are no tears as I examine him a little more closely, just smiles and laughter. He holds out his arms to Ashton.
“The kid loves me,” Ashton beams and takes him from my arms. “I’m his favorite.”
