Her eyes snap open. She’s close; I can feel it in the way she’s tightening, the way her breath stutters.
“Mmm, that’s it. You feel so good,” I murmur, thrusting up to meet her. “Let me feel you shatter around me.”
That’s all it takes. She comes hard, a broken cry muffled against my neck, her whole body shaking. I follow seconds later, buried deep, groaning her name into her wet hair as I pulse inside her.
We stay like that, wrapped tight, breathing hard. The jets hum around us, bubbles tickling our skin. Eventually she lifts her head, kisses me soft and slow.
“How did you manage to turn this day around?” she whispers. “I’m in awe of you, Dylan Whitman.”
I bury my hands in her hair and kiss her hard.
“I’m so in love with you,” I tell her.
After long, lazy kisses, we climb out of the hot tub and rinse off in the outdoor shower. Our hands are in a constant state of exploration. Then we rush inside, dripping and laughing.
Round two starts the second we hit the bed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
EIGHT IS ENOUGH
DAHLIA
It’s another sunny day in California, the sky a perfect blue. We drive over to the shop, and there’s a large white SUV parked in Dylan’s spot. We pull in next to it, and Dylan checks out the vehicle.
“What the hell?” he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
I glance over, and Everett is the first one I see, stepping out of the SUV. Goldie is next. Her ponytail is high, and she has a lemon-printed tote bag on her shoulder. Other than Dylan, she’s the most sunshiny one in the family. Her name fits her.
“Oh my God,” Dylan says, when Camden, Noah, and Tully pile out of the SUV.
He gets out, and they all hug him tight.
As Chloe and I are getting out of the car, I hear Dylan saying, “What are you guys doing here?”
“You really think we’d let you face this without us?” hisdad asks. “I’m just sorry we couldn’t all be here when you saw it for the first time.”
“Thank you for coming,” Dylan says, his voice cracking.
Camden claps Dylan on the back, and Noah ruffles his hair. I can only imagine how they must have treated him like their little pet when they were younger. Chloe is so excited to see all of them, and when they come over to hug us, Tully lifts her out of my arms, and she pats his cheeks.
I can’t even speak over the lump in my throat.
“Milo wished he could be here but sends his love. Sorry, we weren’t here sooner,” Goldie says. “We caught the red-eye, and I think all of us slept.” She glances around. “So put us to work.”
Dylan’s eyes are glassy as he looks at all of us. “Thank you for being here.”
“Where else would we be?” Everett says, smiling. “Grandma Nancy and Grandma Donna send their love. And they’re spoiling Bill rotten.”
“I bet they are,” Dylan says, laughing.
“Poor Kevin isn’t the only dog-child anymore,” Everett says.
“There is nothing poor about Kevin,” Goldie says. “That dog has got it made. He and Bill are adorable together,” she tells Dylan.
Everett chuckles.
Camden claps his hands. “All right. Should we get after this? Let’s divide and conquer.”
