“Nope, that was numero uno. You get all my important firsts.”
Sadness flashed in her eyes but her gaze never left his.
Willow started babbling. He kissed the baby’s cheek, then started making frog sounds. Her laughter touched a part of him that had been dead for so long.
When he looked back at Slash, her gaze was fixed on his. He stared into her eyes while the air turned turbulent. Like the other night, the overwhelming desire to kiss her took hold.
“Why are you here?” she asked before turning on her heel and heading into the hall.
Down the stairs they went and into the family room. Once they put the children down, Slash started stacking squishy blocks.
“Rebel and I were going to the gym, then for a run,” he said. “What about you?”
“Brit and I were going shopping, but her mom called. She and Z were playing pickleball together.”
“Are they dating?”
“No, they’re close friends. They take care of the twins on Fridays.” Slash stood. “Watch them, I’m going to fill two sippy cups.” Once in the kitchen, she said, “Either one or both had a pickleball accident. Rebel and Brit went to the hospital.”
She returned with two plastic cups. Clark reached up and she handed it to him, but Willow shook her head.
“You try,” Slash said to him.
“What’s in it?”
“Vodka,” Slash replied.
He laughed. “Way to go.”
“It’s water,idiot.”
She handed him the cup, he offered it to Willow. She took it, dropped it next to her.
After a pause, Slash said, “Stop stalking me.”
“What were you doing at the strip club last night?” he asked.
“Giving the clientele their late-night fantasy. What do you think I was doing?”
“I didn’t think ALPHA did undercover work.”
She said nothing, so he started playing with the babies.
The tension between them was driving him crazy. Being this close to her turned him into a rabid ball of need. She’d always been his dream girl, but it was easier to forget her when he wasn’t around. But he was back… and they were sitting inches away, playing with children that could have been their own.
Her scent wafted over and he breathed deep, savoring everything about her. She smelled of spring, of the outdoors. She smelled like someone he used to know… and used to know well.
But that was a long time ago.
“I’m going for a run in the neighborhood,” he said.
She’d been playing on the floor with the babies, but her gaze found his. Intense blue eyes drilled into his. “Rebel and Britcould be a while. Why don’t you take off? If they end up having their dinner party—and you’re gonna be here—I’ll leave.”
“You stay,” he said. “I’ll go.”
He said goodbye to the babies, made his way into the foyer, and opened the door. The sun was shining, the sky as stunningly blue as Slash’s eyes. He shut the door, strode back into the family room. “Do you have workout clothes with you?”
“In my SUV.”
