Page 43 of Frog

“Dad!”

He turned as Cy came striding out onto the deck.

“Your beloved Pack is playing.” He chuckled. “Get in there, old man.”

“You see that,” Owen said under his breath to me as he leaned close before standing up. “I had no idea he even knew Green Bay was my team.”

Owen smiled at his son as they passed each other, and Cy said he would be right back in.

I waited and was rewarded with his hand on my knee and his shining eyes as he looked down at me.

“What?”

“You look really comfortable in my parents’ home.”

“It’s like a damn hunting lodge. What’s not to like?”

“Can I have that kiss now?”

“Oh hell no,” I growled at him. “You didn’t want it earlier.”

“You were disgusting earlier, but now you’re all clean and you smell good and you’re warm.”

I grunted at him as he bent down toward me, and I lifted for his mouth.

The kiss was chaste and sweet until he gently bit my lip and pressed for entrance. I made a noise in the back of my throat as his tongue slid over mine, and I took hold of his jacket. As I pulled him down into my lap, his hands flattened on my chest, and he shifted around until he was across my thighs.

“You should go in,” I told him, breaking the kiss before it flared and consumed us.

“I’d much rather stay here and kiss you.”

“Weber!” Pip squealed from the door before he ran and launched himself at us.

The kids wanted attention, and only mine would do. Since the weather had cleared enough to walk, I took three dogs and five kids for a stroll around the neighborhood. When we got back, it was time to leave since we had a long drive back to the city. Carolyn and Cy both had to work the following morning.

I was not surprised that Vanessa and Victoria loved on me hard, kissing and hugging me and putting their little heads down on my shoulder when they said their good-byes. Little girls with great big hearts just melted me.

I was surprised, however, that Angie and Rachel both hugged me tight as well. Owen clasped my hand and held on to my shoulder, and even Brett gave me the guy clench.

“Don’t be a stranger” was the last thing Cy’s brother said to me.

“My family loved you,” Cy said as we pulled away from the curb, glancing over at me for a second before he headed down the long, winding hill.

I grunted. “They were just bein’ polite.”

“No,” Carolyn corrected me from the seat behind me. “Our family is never polite, and remember what Brett and that guy Ross said about you.”

“Wait, what?” Cy asked, his voice rising as he turned again to look at me, brows furrowed. “Tell me what was said.”

“It don’t matter none.” I soothed him, hand on his thigh, squeezing before I leaned sideways and kissed him. “Get us home.”

He growled, which was adorable.

Once we were there, Cy driving well through pouring rain, Carolyn and the boys came in to have dinner, which ended up being spaghetti and garlic bread, salad and wine. I let Tristan have a sip from my glass because he had learned in class, from one of the girls who did her country report on Italy, that there, kids drank wine from an early age. I had no idea, but Cy agreed with him so he got to have a swallow of my Chianti. He decided to stick with milk.

The kids didn’t want to leave, but Carolyn insisted, promising them that they could definitely have a sleepover later in the week. I told them I would see them all the next morning, and Pip wrapped around my leg, so I had to carry him that way back to the SUV. It was nice that the rain had cleared, leaving a cold, crisp night. After they were gone, I was doing the dishes when Cy came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Tell me what my idiot brother and his friend said.”