“Because I just did, silly,” she says, like it’s normal to have a bath in the middle of the day, during the height of summer when most days are spent in and out of the pool.
He tosses her up high in the air. Her squeals tickle my eardrums, and I smile. “It sounds like someone was up to mischief.” Theo waggles his brows, and she bats her eyelashes, flashing him the biggest, most innocent smile, looking like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
“Someone decided it would be fun to dump a bag of flour over her head,” I explain, pushing off the doorway and walking toward them. Though I doubt she’ll do it again. Not after the ordeal we just endured trying to get it all out.
“Fireheart.” Theo shakes his head, but he’s smiling. “What are we going to do with you? Hmm?” He kisses her cheek.
“Love me?” Rora says, batting her eyelashes, and I choke on a laugh.
The adoring look Theo gives her melts every part of me. “You are already loved, Rora.” He dots kisses all over her face. “So, so much.”
“I love you too, Pops.” Miraculously, she snuggles into the crook of his neck, snaking her chubby arms around his neck. They have a special bond, and I know how much it pleases Caz that his biological daughter is particularly drawn to his lover.
“Any of that lovin’ left to go around?” I joke as I come up in front of them.
“Always plenty of love for my wife,” Theo says, opening his arm and pulling me into their embrace. We kiss, and a soft palm adheres to my cheek.
“When I gwo up, I’m gonna be just like Mommy,” Rora says. “I’m gonna have lots and lots of hu-bands.”
We break apart, and I smile at my daughter. “I hope you are as lucky as me.” Theo and I exchange a look, and in his hazel eyes I see the boy I have loved since I was fourteen. I tuck his hair behind one ear, marveling at how young he still looks. It’s like he hasn’t changed at all. He still wears his hair to the base of his neck, despite the shade they throw at him at VERO HQ, and he still has the same toned lean build. The others work out religiously in the gym, but apart from a daily swim, Theo is content with his slighter build.
“We might need to put a limit on that number,” Theo murmurs, carefully setting Rora on the ground, as his arm tightens around my waist and he pulls me in closer to his side. “I have a feeling Saintly will struggle to deal with even one.”
“You’re not wrong,” I agree, watching Rora grab hold of Theo’s hand. “He’s already so protective of both of them.” I glance over my shoulder at his desk. “Can you join us for lunch, or are we interrupting?”
Theo presses a kiss to my temple. “I always have time for family lunch. I’ve got thirty minutes before my next con call.”
“C’mon then, Pops.” Rora tugs on his hand, dragging him forward.
“How was work?” Theo asks as we walk out of his office side by side.
“Busy. And the waiting list is growing by the day. Jazz and I met with an architect and a representative from a construction company this morning to discuss plans to extend.”
When I graduated from Brown, I leased a building in Providence and set up my fitness center. It’s no ordinary fitness center. For starters, it’s for women only. And as well as the usual fitness classes and standard gym, we offer self-defense classes and boxing, and we have a small shooting range out back. Recently, we partnered with a local sexual assault charity to offer support services to their members.
Four years ago, when the lease on the building went up for sale, I purchased it so I could do what I like with the property. Hence why my comanager—Jazz—and I set up the meeting today. If we add more square footage, we can accept more new members. “I hate turning anyone down. Not when they need it.”
I fully believe self-defense should be on the curriculum, as a general class, within schools, but until that happens, I am doing all I can to prepare young girls to cope in a world that is growing increasingly violent. A couple of times a year, I speak at local schools and colleges about the importance of self-defense and how important it is to be able to protect yourself in our current society. As soon as my girls are old enough, I’ll be teaching them everything I know.
“Are you going to go ahead with it?” Theo asks as we enter the kitchen.
“I hope so, but I need Galen to crunch the numbers for me first.” The business part of my brain says it would be unintelligent to expand if the cost isn’t covered by forecasted new memberships, but the compassionate part says screw the money. We can afford to take a hit. We are lucky we are comfortable with plenty of money. We still haven’t used much out of my inheritance, and while Galen dipped into his savings to build us a vacation home on the grounds of his old home back in Prestwick, he has plenty left over. Theo’s high salary more than covers our entire living expenses so the money the rest of us brings in mainly goes into our savings account.
I feel so fortunate, which is why it really doesn’t matter what Galen’s financial analysis unearths. I’m expanding even if it means we lose money on the build.
“Let’s not pretend anything I show you will make a difference,” Galen says, handing a bowl of salad to Bishop. “You’re going to do it regardless.”
“You’re right. I am.” I love how well he knows me. How well they all know me. “I don’t care about the money. I want to help as many girls and women as I can. That’s the only thing that matters.”
Rora lets go of Theo’s hand, looping her arm through Luna’s as they head outdoors. I glance through the open double doors, seeing Galen has set the table outside for lunch al fresco. My favorite.
“I’m proud of you,” Theo says, reeling me into his arms.
“We all are,” Galen says, coming up behind me. He brushes my dark hair to one side, dusting kisses against my neck.
Theo smothers my lustful groan with his hot mouth, and I cling to his arms as Galen holds my hips from behind. Theo is the first to break our embrace. “We better stop before we reach the point of no return.”
“Spoilsport.” I fake pout even though I know he’s right.
