Page 89 of Beating Heart
We settled around the firepit, and Hayes was next, because these guys loved to dish out shit. “So much for keeping it casual. You look at the girl like she hangs the fucking moon.”
Because she may as well hang the moon.
We’d been spending a lot of time together because she lived next door, and hell, we just liked hanging out. It wasn’t just sex for us.
At least it wasn’t for me. Which was a foreign concept to me.
But yes, the sex was mind-blowing.
Apparently, Emerson hadn’t been having a whole lot of sex with her ex over the last few years, and she’d gone a few months since she’d had any at all, so she was making up for lost time.
And I didn’t get out much, as it was difficult as a single dad, so I hadn’t had consistent sex in—well, six years. Since the day my son came into the world and everything changed.
But now it was the three of us, cooking dinners together and doing puzzles with Cutler. We watched movies every night and sat out on the lake while my son played with Winnie.
When we weren’t at work, we were together.
And when my boy was sleeping, we were sneaking down the hall to my room to have sex.
Fan-fucking-tastic sex.
And I was here for it.
For as long as she was.
“Whatever. We’re friends. She’s my neighbor, and she’s cool. And fucking beautiful. And smart, and—” I glanced up to see all of them gaping at me.
Romeo clapped his hands together once and barked out a laugh. “Look at our boy. He’s growing up.”
I flipped him the bird. “We’re having fun. It’s nothing serious.”
“Then why the fuck would you not tell me she’s an Olympic volleyball player? If it’s not serious and you’ve known me my whole life, why would you do me dirty that way?” Kingston said over his laughter.
“She played collegiate volleyball.” I chuckled.
“I love that you think anyone who beats you has to be an Olympic athlete.” Hayes smirked.
“Well, you were recruited to play college ball, and you’re a fucking firefighter. You’re in fabulous shape. How the hell did she beat you?” Kingston pressed. Hayes had been offered a college football scholarship right out of high school, but he’d turned it down to become a firefighter and to support his younger sister, Saylor.
“Well, I don’t spend a lot of time diving for balls anymore. I try to put out burning buildings, you dicknugget. Stop pouting. The girl beat you. Maybe you’re not that good.”
“Saylor thinks I’m the best at everything.” King puffed out his chest, and laughter filled the air around us.
“So, we’ve got the big proposal this weekend. People spend less time prepping for a wedding than you did for this damn engagement.” River kept his voice low, making sure no one else could hear us.
“Hey. Go big or go home. And you all have the plan for after and where to meet, right?”
“You sent us a fucking itinerary. Of course, we know the plan,” Hayes grumped before turning to me and raising a brow. “Let me guess, you’re next?”
I coughed and covered my mouth before shaking my hand in front of me. “You’re fucking crazy. She’s not staying. We’re just having fun.”
“But if she were staying?” Romeo asked.
“She’s not. So, there’s no sense going there,” I said, glancing over when the sound of my son’s laughter pulled my attention away.
Emerson was tickling Cutler as he sat on her lap, and his head was back, mouth open, as he bellowed out in joy.
“Yeah. Just having fun, my ass,” River said under his breath.
