Page 38 of Her Dirty Secret
I shrug, smile, and walk away.
I approach Emily, now sitting next to Kitty on the ground as she teaches her how to play the tiny instrument. She looks radiant, her flowery sundress hugging her body, the sun shining on her face as she laughs at the little girl’s clear enjoyment of her gift.
She looks up at me and smiles. It takes my damn breath away.
“I know that look,” she says with a warning in her voice.
I wink at her. “You just look so good,” I tease. “So happy.”
She rises to her feet and tucks herself against me, wrapping her arms around my back and looking up into my face. “I am.”
I look down at Kitty. “Not getting any ideas, are you?”
She laughs. “You ask me that every time. No.” She puts her mouth to my ear. “I like being able to fuck you as often and loudly as I like with no tiny interruptions.” She kisses my earlobe and it sends shivers down my spine. She pulls back a little. “I’m starting to think you might want me to get ideas.”
I huff a laugh. “You know I love you, no matter what life brings us,” I hedge. I lean in, also to whisper in her ear. “But you’re not going to get me to fuck you at a children’s birthday party, no matter how sexy you are or what dirty things you whisper in my ear.”
She pulls away, laughing gleefully. “We’ll see about that.”
“We’ll see about what?” Sera asks, appearing from the back door to the house with a lighter in one hand and a stack of paper plates in the other. I quickly move to take them from her, for which she shoots me a grateful look. “Thanks. Even small chores are tough right now. I can’t wait for this to be over. For good, this time.”
“Oh? This is the last then?” I ask, a teasing note in my voice.
She settles herself onto the padded swing next to the house. “Damn straight. This was a surprise baby, anyway. And I’m forty. Four seems like a good number of kids, anyway, doesn’t it?” she muses.
I shrug. “I’m surprised you have time for it all. You both run your own companies, after all.”
Sera snorts. “Don’t kid yourself. There’s no such thing as ‘time for it all.’ We run ourselves ragged every damned day and we’re lucky if we even cover the basics.”
I frown, laying a hand over hers. “Serafina, I’m so sorry. We should help more—”
“No,” she interrupts, squeezing my hand. “I wasn’t complaining. We have plenty of help. Rebecca lives here, for crying out loud.” She gestures at Bryce and Emily’s mother, who is now studiously tidying discarded wrapping material. “I even tolerate my mother’s occasional whim to drop by, because every little bit helps, and the kids love her.” She presses her lips together. I know how hot and cold their relationship has been over the years, so I say nothing. “We are ridiculously blessed, and I love my life.” She looks up at her husband who is staring at us across the yard. She waves and smiles at him as Landon finds us and starts to crawl in what little lap she has left. She lifts him up, cradling him to her chest. “Really, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I’m glad you’re happy,” I tell her sincerely. “It’s all I ever wanted for you.”
She tilts her head. “What about you and Emily?”
I look up at Emily, who is leading the children loudly in a song now, her beautiful voice carrying on the wind. “We are happier than I ever thought possible. I’m a very lucky man.”
“Good,” Sera concedes, letting her son down and struggling to her feet. “See that you keep it that way. Because Bryce is still ready to tear you limb from limb if you hurt her.” She pats me consolingly on the back. “Time for cake.”
I watch her walk away, meeting Bryce to ready the cake. When all the kids crowd around them, Bryce lifts Kitty to blow out her candles and everyone cheers. Kitty gives her father a big kiss before he sets her down to descend upon the giant, icing-slathered confection. I watch Emily too, helping Sera cut the cake. They all look so happy.
But as the throng of tiny princesses brim over with the excitement of dessert being served, madness returns, and Emily extracts herself with a roll of her eyes to join me on the sidelines. I fold her into my embrace, and we wait until things have died down to rejoin the crowd. Sera, Bryce, and the girls happily greet us as we do, and we allow ourselves to sink into this little slice of familial bliss.
Enjoyable though it was, when we get back home, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“It’s so quiet,” I remark happily.
“What, was a dozen little girls screaming all afternoon wearing on you?” Emily teases, heading into our bathroom to undress.
“A little,” I admit, kicking off my shoes and following her. I lay on the big, soft bed, quietly watching her. When she removes her sundress, I realize she wasn’t wearing any underwear. “Cara Mia, you’re a naughty girl.”
“What? The dress covered enough so nobody could tell. Besides, I was hoping you’d figure it out much, much sooner,” she says with an affected pout, coming to the edge of the bed. She crawls next to me, snuggling against me. “But I had a good time anyway. Everyone seemed to be doing so well.”
I stroke her hair, drifting a little after the heat and exertion of the day. “Mmmm, yes they did. They have a different kind of crazy going on there,” I murmur sleepily.
“Do you still like our crazy?” she asks, a note of concern in her voice.