Adding another kid to the equation will not be the right move for our little family. For one, August deserves our undivided attention for at least a couple more years, and two, Nevaeh and I are in no place to handle the amount of responsibility and stress that comes with a newborn.
Hazel interrupts us to my immense displeasure, “Shoo away, demon! I know you’re trying to ruin our day.”
“I’m doing no such thing.”
“Liar!” All three of them call me out in sync.
Tickling my mate for not taking my side, I don’t stop until she is breathless and laughing so hard it fills every crack in my heart. I don’t think I’ll ever find the right words to tell her how muchI love her.
Getting up from the chair after kissing her one more time, I turn to leave, but the sight of her smiling like a fool makes me turn around and stand behind her chair.Ten more minutes won’t hurt.
There was a time I would smack myself for even thinking about not going to work, but all my work etiquette has vanished ever since my mate came along, and now, I find reasons to spend my days with her.
“Will you look at this lovesick fool? Go away, Anxo; you have to work for both of us today.” Hazel reminds me of the pile of paperwork waiting for me.
Wrapping my hand around Nevaeh’s throat, I tilt her head up so I can see her beautiful face better, only upside down. “I’ll be back soon. Do you need me to bring anything for you, baby?” I give her a soft peck.
“Nope. Just be back soon, please.” When she pouts ever so adorably, I can’t resist the urge to kiss it away until she blushes and smiles again.
My beautiful sweetheart.
“Don’t make me throw up my breakfast.” Hazel throws a chip at me, my ultimate signal to get lost before she throws something sharper.
Sighing internally, I leave the girls alone when all I want is a day to myself. And my sweetheart. Preferably in our bed.
I complain and grumble about the amount of work I have to do for half an hour sitting in my office before I actually start working. I miss having Grace and Hazel work alongside me. At least they made sure I didn’t purposely choke myself on paperwork.
Good thing my parents finally left for anothervacation.They came a week ago, and the whole time, I was constantly worried about dragging Nevaeh off of their mangled corpses when she finally killed them.
I’ve noticed their presence sparks something dark in her, and she hovers over me like she’s waiting for them to strike.
I learned quickly how protective my mate is of the people she loves, but she has no reason to stress about my parents. They haven’t looked in my direction foryears,much less planned something.
Because I have the worst luck possible, my peace lasts about an hour before my office door bangs against the wall and Seiji, aka my childhood headache, leisurely walks in, followed by his muscleman Harvey.
“There’s a reason you have your own office.”
“He does, too.” Harvey points to Seiji.
“He’s the leech of my life. I hoped at least you would let me work in peace.”
“But Iloveyour company, brother.”
I scoff. “More like the advice that keeps Grace from figuring out you’re an idiot.”
“Hey!”Harvey protests. “She already knows I’m an idiot; your advice just helps me show it less often.” Mumbling to himself, he folds his arms over his chest, and I see why Hazel enjoys teasing him so much. The guy is packed with muscles like my son is loaded with sugar.
“I’m here to announce a guy’s day out. We’ve been training and sweating our asses off for weeks. At the very least, we’ve earned a break. And if the girls can have a day to themselves, I want one too.” Seiji drops into the seat next to Harvey.
“Let me guess, they refused to let you come along.”
Harvey covers his snicker with a cough when Seiji glares at him.Obviously, they grumble when I list the number of things I have on my agenda today. Seiji starts ruffling through my office, and I give in before he messes with my filing system.
“All right, what’s the plan?”
Harvey leans over my desk to shut my file while his partner in crime works on closing my office before dragging me out the door in a blink.
“Party in my backyard!”
