Page 22 of Reckless Love
Fucking hell.
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHANGE OF PLANS
ELLE
Now
My phone ringsas I'm finishing up my makeup for the wedding. I glance at it and see that it's Amara. I answer, already smiling.
“Amara, hey! Howare you?”
“What is this I hear about you not seeing my boys?” she says.
I laugh and cringe at the same time. “I know it's crazy. I hate it. It's the silly rules of the cheer team. And we haven't done a very good job of following the protocol, to be honest…but I’m trying to do better.”
“Well, I don't know if you have heard, but I am in town. And I will not tolerate not seeing you while I'm here.” She giggles and I do too.
“Oh, Gigi. You know I cannot resist you.”
“I should hope not. So, how about you come over to Rhodes’ place and let me see you in your beautiful wedding attire? A hug from me cannot possibly be off-limits.”
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
“I would love that,” I say, not hesitating. “I’ll be right over.”
I’veneverbeen able to resist Amara Archer.
When I pull up to the gate, I wave at Rhodes’ security guys and they let me through. I gave Rhodes such a hard time when he moved into this place because it looks more like a ski resort than a home. He has good taste though, and between the two of us, we’ve decorated it so it feels homey. His house is one of my favorite places to be.
Snow coats the tall trees surrounding his house, and I admire the way the sun glints off all of the windows at this time of day. The sun is just starting its descent, and Rhodes has the best view I’ve ever seen.
Movement to the right of the walkway catches my eye, and I stop and park before going any farther. Rhodes is in his tux, jogging over to Levi, who is…I squint as I step out of the car. Is he?—?
“Levi! Get back in the house!”
“I’m watewing the twee, Daddy!”
“The trees needwater, son, not urine,” Rhodes groans.
“What is you-in?” Levi asks.
I can’t hold in my laugh any longer and it reverberates around the trees. Rhodes and Levi turn and stare at me in surprise. And then Levi’s running toward me as fast as he can, not bothering to cover anything up, and just as he’s about to wrap his arms around my legs, Rhodes hauls him up into his arms.
“Look at how beautiful our Elle is,” Rhodes says, his husky voice doing dangerous things to me.
My heart does a stutter-step and splats across the driveway, right at his feet.
“So boo-tiful,” Levi sings.
“You need to put your Johnson in your pants and go wash your hands before you hug her,” Rhodes says in Levi’s ear.
Levi wiggles, trying to get out of Rhodes’ arms.
“I go wash,” he says. He looks at me and says it louder. “I go wash so I can hug.”