Swoon (17 page)

He jogged across the room to where I was standing next to the bed, clutching his clothes in front of me. He threaded his fingers into the hair at the base of my skull and pulled me close for a scorching kiss, robbing me of my breath and my anger. Then he took one finger and used it to pull the clothes away to peek at my chest.

He winked at me.

“Get dressed and meet me out there.”

And he jogged out of the room.

Huh.

Thoroughly confused, I slowly stepped into his boxers, rolling them at the top, and put his shirt on, again breathing deeply of his scent. I didn’t have a separate bra since the one I’d worn was built into the sweat-encrusted tank top tossed in the corner of the bedroom, so I was glad that this shirt was huge on me.

In bare feet, I quietly made my way down the hall and tiptoed down the stairs. Lawrence was at the front door, whispering furiously with someone. To say I was alarmed would be an understatement. To say I wasn’t planning on eavesdropping would be a lie.

I hovered at the bottom step, the open door blocking me from view.

“Jeanine, seriously,” Lawrence insisted. “Leave them. Go have your morning with Adam. We’ll have a ball.”

“I am not leaving Abby and Taylor with you and some chick, Lawry.”

I smiled to myself at her use of his least-favorite nickname. But then I frowned at the “some chick” part.

“She’s not some chick, Jeanine. She’s
the
chick.”

I smiled again and it spread across my face. Sometimes he was so eloquent. Sometimes not.

There was a pregnant pause of silence, and I held my breath as I listened.

“I don’t want the kids to get attached to someone who isn’t… permanent. It opens too many questions I don’t feel like answering.”

“She’s permanent, Jeanine.”

Another silent moment.

I crept up a couple of steps and then trotted back down the stairs, trying to make noise like a normal person, and walked around the still-open front door.

A stunning woman was standing on the porch, wearing loose drawstring sweatpants and a pink hoodie. Her light brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and her striking blue eyes stood out even with no makeup.

The eyes gave it away. This was a sister. I self-consciously tugged at my shirt, pulling it away from my boobs. It was obvious I was wearing her brother’s clothes, which probably made me a hussy in her eyes. I didn’t know. I didn’t have siblings. And I’d never met a significant other’s siblings before either. Well, I’d never had a significant other. Let’s just say I was in uncharted territory.

I stood next to Lawrence and looked up at him. He smiled down at me and placed an arm around my waist, immediately easing my discomfort.

“Jeanine, this is Steph. Steph, Jeanine.”

I smiled and extended a hand. She shook mine, then smiled warmly and pulled me in for an unexpected hug.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Steph,” she said in my ear.

We broke away and I smiled at her.

“Sorry I’m not really… dressed.” I gestured at myself. “I drove up last night and I didn’t have… anything… with me.” For Pete’s sake, I sounded like an idiot.

She laughed. “Don’t worry, hon. We’re pretty casual around here. Plus, it seems to me you’re babysitting this morning. Wear whatever you like.” She grinned wickedly and cut her eyes to her brother. “You coming to Sunday supper?”

My eyes widened and I craned my head to look at Lawrence as well. “Sunday supper?”

“Yeah. We’re coming.”

“We are?” I squeaked.

“May as well, sweetheart.”

“I have to get home before tomorrow.” I shook my head.

“Why?”

“I have a job!”

“No you don’t. You quit,” he said matter-of-factly.

“I gave notice, Lawrence. I still have to go!”

“Call in sick. What are they gonna do? Fire you?” He shrugged his shoulders.

Jeanine’s eyes were ping-ponging between us in undisguised amusement.

“Plus, you drove all the way up here yesterday. It’s barely safe for you to drive home today.”

“You do it all the time,” I pointed out.

“Not without a good night’s sleep.” He raised his brows lecherously.

My cheeks flushed with heat, and I purposefully kept from looking at Jeanine. “Okay. I’ll call in. But I have to drive home tomorrow.”

He grinned. “Deal. We’ll make a plan from there.” He turned to Jeanine. “Do you have some clothes Steph can borrow for later?”

Jeanine smiled brightly and nodded. “I’ll bring them over when I pick the kids up. You ready for them?” She nodded toward her waiting car.

“Always.” Lawrence pecked her on the cheek and ran to the car to wrestle out his niece and nephew. They were squirming and giggling as he carted them inside, one under each arm.

Jeanine threw me an apologetic look as he passed by. “Sorry. This probably isn’t how you envisioned your morning would go. But it’s tradition when Lawrence is home.”

I chuckled. “I had zero expectations when I drove here. I’m happy to join in with whatever happens today.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Well, you’re in for it. All day. Sundays are full of Brooks family traditions.”

I swallowed my mild trepidation at the thought. “Sounds fun to me,” I said brightly and softened as I looked over my shoulder at Lawrence in the kitchen with the kids. “I’m all in.”

* * * *

Lawrence

“Truth time. How long were you snooping at the bottom of the stairs?” I called out from the kitchen as I helped the kids crack eggs into a bowl on the floor.

Steph walked in, rumpled and sheepish.

“A while. Apparently I’m a permanent chick in your life.” She tried to hide a smile.

“Did that freak you out?” I asked cautiously.

She shook her head. “Not really. Except for your appalling choice of words.” She leaned her hip against the counter and looked down at me. “Sunday supper freaks me out though.”

I straightened and stepped close to her, bending her body back a little and kissing her neck. “Supper with my family scares you?”

She sighed and melted against me. “It’s mildly terrifying, but I’ll deal.”

I looked down into her eyes, searching, wondering how she could possibly doubt herself. She’d have my entire family wrapped around her little finger in a heartbeat.

“Uncle Lawry?” A small voice piped up.

Steph’s entire face lit in wonder and glee, and she dropped to her knees in front of Abby. I inwardly rolled my eyes at the nickname my sister started with her kids from day one.

She outstretched a hand to my little niece. “Hi. I’m Steph.”

Abby placed her small hand in Steph’s grip. “Hi. I’m Abby.”

“You know”—Steph winked at me quickly before returning her eyes back to my niece—“Uncle Lawry is my favorite name in the whole world.”

A smile spread across Abby’s face as she nodded enthusiastically. “Mine too! Uncle Lawry is my favorite uncle too.”

“I bet he is. Can you introduce me to your brother?”

Abby grabbed Taylor’s hand and stuck it in Steph’s, helping him shake.

“Hi,” he said shyly.

“Hey, Taylor. What’s for breakfast?”

Her voice was quiet but engaging, and she soon had Taylor out of his shell and into her lap on the kitchen floor. Abby helped me mix up the eggs and get bread in the toaster. I was heating up the pan for the eggs when I felt Steph’s eyes boring into my back. I froze and turned around.

“What?” I asked cautiously.

“What, what?” She shrugged and played innocent.

“Come on. Out with it.” I waved my rubber spatula around. “I can feel your displeasure from here.”

She snorted and stood, setting Taylor back on the ground.

“Well,” she began. “I just have this thing about eggs. And you’re about to do it wrong.”

I looked from her to the eggs to the pan, then to the kids who were watching us with rapt attention. Then I handed her the spatula.

“Okay, you cook eggs then.” I started to sit down with the kids.

“Well, wait. Do you want me to teach you?”

Honestly, I wasn’t sure of my answer. But I did know there was a right or wrong one here according to Steph, so I straightened quickly.

“Of course.”

She rewarded me with a blinding smile and proceeded to explain, with shocking detail and enthusiasm, how to cook scrambled eggs. She was a wonderful instructor though and even had the kids join in. When we sat at the table with our food and dug in, I had to admit the eggs were weirdly good.

“I always thought a scrambled egg was a scrambled egg was a scrambled egg.”

She shook her head furiously, waving her fork around. “It’s an art form. I researched it.”

My eyes widened a little. “That’s intense.”

She shrugged and smiled. “I like food.”

Our eyes met. “Are there other things in life you can be that… intense about?” I laced my voice with innuendo.

She quickly cut her eyes to the kids and then back to mine. “What do you mean, Uncle Lawry?”

Abby and Taylor were absorbed in their food and having a nonsensical conversation about who was going to ride a racehorse first.

“I mean are there other areas of life you feel as passionately about that you would focus your attention on with such… eagerness?”

Her sculpted eyebrow rose. “Well, as a matter of fact, I do try to apply the same fervor to anything that interests me. Anyone who… inspires me.”

We regarded each other, smirking suggestively.

I leaned back in my chair. “That’s good to know.”

She looked at me, a little puzzled, her eyes following me as I cleared the dishes. Once the kitchen was cleaned up, I strode to the front door.

“All right! Barn chores!” I clapped my hands to get the kids’ attention, and they clambered toward me, tugging on their shoes and running out before Steph could make sense of it.

She looked down at herself, wearing my oversized clothes with bare feet.

“Lawrence, maybe I should just stay here. I look ridiculous. I haven’t even showered!”

I walked over and took her hand, kissing it softly. Then pulled her close to kiss her forehead.

“We’re going to a barn. Why would you shower? You look beautiful. And yes, you have to come. I want to show you around. Put your dirty clothes back on if you want and meet us in front here. We’ll wait, but I can’t make them wait patiently, so hurry.”

I swatted her ass as she turned to the stairs.

She swiveled toward me, a hand on her hip. “What did you mean, ‘that’s good to know’?”

One corner of my mouth rose as I stepped close to her once more. My hand caressed her hip and slipped beneath her shirt to the satin skin of her waist. I leaned down to brush her lips with mine and whispered in her ear, continuing to tease her skin with my fingers.

“Because I was fully aware of your passion, your attention to detail, your enjoyment of sex, the physical side anyway. I was aware of your ability to learn and to teach and to apply yourself. Now I know that as long as I continue to interest you, to inspire you, that you’ll apply yourself to us. To me. To everything we have.”

As I spoke, my mouth traveled down her neck, trailing along her collarbone, and my hand grazed every piece of her I could reach under her shirt. Her breath was shallow and rapid, and at my last words, she swallowed. Hard.

“I thought we were just talking about sex.” She laughed nervously.

I pressed a kiss to her lips and pulled away.

“It’s never just sex, sweetheart. Never has been.”

I winked and walked outside. “Hurry up, queenie. Times a-wastin’!” I called over my shoulder.

Chapter 19

Steph

I
stared after Lawrence, blinking rapidly as his screen door slammed shut. The things that man said to me. He was like a verbal orgasm.

Squeals from the kids being chased around spurred me into action. I darted up the stairs, then grimaced when I changed into yesterday’s clothes. What had I been thinking when I drove up here without so much as a clean shirt? Regardless, it had turned out better than I could have hoped. Though I didn’t really know what was going to happen beyond today.

When I stepped out onto the porch moments later, I paused to take in the sight in front of me. Lawrence was behind the wheel of a Mule. Not like the animal. They don’t have wheels. But like the farmer’s version of a golf cart. Anyway, he was behind the steering wheel with Abby and Taylor on each knee, both of them yammering away at a rate of about a hundred words per second. Most guys I’ve known would have been annoyed, or lost their patience, or flat out just not put themselves in this situation. But Lawrence was smiling and joking and keeping up with them. It probably helped that he was kind of a big kid himself.

I walked over to the vehicle and smiled as I slid into the passenger side. I propped a foot on the dash and gripped the bar above my head, grinning over at the threesome. “So what’s the plan?”

Lawrence smiled back as the kids yelled, “To the barn!”

We took off, tires spinning as much as a Mule’s tires will spin, which was more significant than you may think. Now that it was daylight, I got my first view of the farm. It was stunning. Winding lanes ran between white wooden fencing, bright against the emerald grasses. The fields were dotted with horses here and there and had a low layer of mist, giving the morning a peaceful feel. I sat back and let the wind blow in my face, knotting my hair into a mess I’d never escape from.

The stable area was set up sort of like a little commune. Three white shedrow-style barns with green trim had been placed to form a large courtyard. I silently counted stalls. Twenty in each barn. The open end had three quaint cottages. All the buildings matched in color and style, down to the same windows. The center of the courtyard was landscaped with a manicured lawn, small shrubs, and a rubber jogging track for the horses.

Whoa.

We pulled up to park alongside one of the houses. A few people were up and about, getting ready for the horses to come in for the day. Wheelbarrows full of hay were walked around the outer aisles of the shedrow so a section could be thrown in each stall. The kids were bouncing up and down and darted across the courtyard, disappearing into one of the barns. I cringed when they trampled the lawn.

“What’s that look for?” Lawrence looked sideways at me.