Page 151 of Axe Marks the Spot

“But his mouth is bigger than Max’s; of course he’s gonna beat him.”

Lindsey and I look at each other and grin at her logic. Levi’s been helping with the course lately since his leg is out of his cast and he’s healing well. While the guy still annoys me most of the time, he’s good with kids, and I needed the extra set of hands since more kids have joined the weekend course.

One thing I’ve learned about him is he likes to take the kids’ dares, because it makes them laugh. Last weekend, they dared him to hop like a frog for the whole two hours we were there, and he did. His leg was sore afterward, but he said it was worth it because the kids enjoyed it. So I’m not surprised that he’s doing this marshmallow dare now.

“So?” Moira giggles. “It’s gonna be hilarious!”

Kas smiles and nods. “Can I go, Mom?”

“Yeah, we’ll find you in a few minutes.”

Kas starts to run off with Moira, but before she gets too far, she lets go of Moira’s hand and runs back to us. I don’t know what she’s going to do, but then she wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me.

“Just so you know, Logger Dad. I like you, too.” She squeezes me one more time and then runs off.

“What about me?” Lindsey calls after her.

Kas stops and rolls her eyes playfully before coming back and hugging Lindsey. “I like you, too, Mom.”

Then she takes off with her friend toward where Levi is standing with a bunch of kids and some parents around him. I have no idea where he got marshmallows for this dare, but I’m not going to ask.

Lindsey clears her throat to get my attention. “Well, that was…”

“…unexpected?” I answer as I pull her into me so her arms wrap behind my neck and our bodies meld together. I don’t care that there are other parents around or that they’re probably watching us like hawks, since we’re still the hot gossip until something better comes along.

“Yeah. Are you okay?” she asks.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“That was a lot, but you handled it well.”

I take one of my hands and bring it up to finger the delicate O-ring of her choker. “You’re mine, Lindsey. Kas…she may not be mine by blood, but she’s…” I look over to where she’s smiling and laughing with her friends. “She’s mine, too. You know I’ll do anything for the both of you. For our family.”

Lindsey swallows, her eyes watering again. “How the hell did I find a man like you, Logger Dane?”

“It’s Logger Dad now,” I tease, brushing my fingers up her neck until I’m wiping away a single tear. “But you watched my videos, thought I was hot, and drunk-emailed me.”

Lindsey laughs and swats my chest. I grab her hand and kiss her palm before pulling her in for a kiss. It’s short and sweet, nothing beyond PG, but a kid running by yells out “Ew!” making us pull away with a laugh.

“Later,” I murmur low in her ear. “After I remind you what happens when you misbehave.”

“Misbehave?”

“I think I remember someone pinching me.”

Mischief flashes in her eyes. “Is that a threat?”

I grip her chin and tut. “No, baby. It’s a promise.”

EPILOGUE

Lindsey

Two years later

MY HEART POUNDS IN my ears—boom, boom, boom—matching the sound of Dane’s—my Sir’s—footsteps walking toward me across the wood floor.

He stops directly behind my form, which is fully nude, save my leather collar, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. No matter how many times I’ve kneeled in this position, how many times I’ve waited for him in our bedroom with my head down, knees spread, and palms up, it always feels the same.