Page 63 of Newly Tied

We stood there, wrapped around each other, lips locked, when my phone rang. It took four rings for me to untangle myself enough to answer.

“Yeah?” I responded breathlessly.

“Why are you two standing around having a talk about Christmas?” she asked, sounding so very annoyed. “Who cares? We have months to discuss that to death. You need to meet me at Mom’s house ASAP!”

“Why are you yelling?” Lang asked her. “Are you worried our father means to do some kind of bodily harm to our mother, because I have to tell you, that doesn’t seem likely and good luck trying. She’s scrappy.”

“And has many weapons scattered around the house,” I reminded him.

“Yeah. See?”

“No, I’m not concerned about that.”

Something occurred to me. “You said he brought his new family? Are you worried she’s gonna be sad about that and needs emotional support?”

“Yes to that one!” Talia answered firmly. “Now will you two hurry the fuck up!”

“Our mother is one of the strongest people I⁠—”

“She still needs backup, Lang,” she insisted.

“Okay, fine. Though I’d like to point out that she didn’t actually call me, so one wonders⁠—”

“Lang!”

“That was loud,” I commented.

He groaned and then said to her, “Showering now, okay?” and hung up.

We looked at each other a moment.

“You look good in the mornin’,” I complimented him.

“You’re ridiculous in the morning,” he assured me, but his smile told a different story. He liked me noticing that he was gorgeous twenty-four seven.

“I’ll use the guest bathroom so we can shower at the same time.”

“This is not what I imagined,” he grumbled. “I had a whole other scenario in my head.”

“Oh yeah? Did you wanna soap me all up?”

“What? No.”

I grinned at him.

“Maybe.”

Chuckling, I left the room.

“I want you back here,” he called after me. “There is stuff⁠—”

“That needs to go on my body, I know.”

“Or in your body,” he said sulkily.

“That was super pervy, man,” I shouted over my shoulder.

“So the fuck what!” came the bellowed reply.