Chapter 7
Kieran
MY FUTURE WIFE
*Momma Bear Carson’s phone number*
KIERAN
A dream come true
I finally got a response
I can die a happy man
MY FUTURE WIFE
wasn’t a response
KIERAN
OH MY GOD IT HAPPENED AGAIN
My wet sneakers hit the grass as I run through my backyard. Winding this way and that through the trees, I stop, my chest heaving as my shirt, soaked all the way through, sticks to me like a second skin.
With the water gun I had quickly DoorDashed held to my chest, I try to calm my breathing and listen for the pitter-patter of feet, but the yard is utterly silent. I’m not sure how long we’ve been playing for but I’ll keep going just to hear the sound of Emmy’s small chuckles and Layla’s squeals.
Who knew I’d be obsessed with the sound of laughter?
My fixation with Layla’s laugh aside, a date is on the line.
A fucking date!
I can’t believe she agreed to it.
Keeping close to the tree, I slowly peek my head out—only to rear back with a cry of shock as water directly squirts the middle of my forehead.
“Ahh!”
Layla’s boisterous laugh explodes through the air, alongside a hesitant bark.
Bambi has just recently started testing out her vocal cords. Since she’s deaf, it’s deeper than most barks I’ve heard, especially for a female dog. Nevertheless, it’s the most adorable thing.
“I’m going to get you for that!” I sputter, flicking water off my face.
“Quick, Queen Emmy, run!”
Emmy squeals and as I peek out around the tree—not being doused by water this time—I spot Bambi chasing after Layla. She’s holding Emmy’s small hand, urging her little feet to move faster.
I tell myself that I’m standing here to give them a head start, not because Emmy’s carefree smile has my stomach performing somersaults and the sight of Layla with my daughter makes me want to do despicable things.
Before I can dart out, Bella beelines for the trees, her feet kicking up leaves in her mad dash.
She doesn’t get far before she’s screaming out in surprise as my best friend squirts her in the back.
Grayson bends at the hips a second later, dropping his water gun, wrapping his arms around her waist, and lifting her in one fell swoop. He runs off with her between the trees.
“Put me down, Grayson!”
“Never!” he calls out as he vanishes from my sight.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I make my move, sprinting for the nearest tree and dropping low. Bambi’s deep bark rings out from the other side of the yard.
Got you.
I push off the tree, keeping my water gun down low. Except Layla suddenly emerges, knocking me to the side and striking me in the chest with an icy spray of water.
“Jesus, woman!”
Her manic laughter chases me as I hightail it away. She must have hid Emmy somewhere with Bambi.
Coming to an abrupt stop, I curse. “Why the hell am I running?”
I spin and lift my water gun, my smile downright dirty.
Layla’s mouth pops open in surprise, and I don’t hold back in the slightest. Her scream is so high-pitched I’m surprised a glass doesn’t break in the distance.
She tries to run away, the sight of her hair clinging to her face drawing a deep belly laugh from the depths of my soul.
She was right. Maybe we all needed a little fun.
Bella is urging Emmy to run faster in the distance, Bambi’s barks coming more and more, but they’re still in the opposite direction of us.
“Ahh!” Layla screams when I don’t let up. “Truce! Truce! Truce!”
I take my finger off the trigger as Layla holds her arms up in surrender, but I keep the gun aimed on her. “Truce? Sorry, sunshine, but I want that date.”
She flicks water out of her eyes, laughing. “Truce, white flag, handshake, I don’t care what we call it but just give me a break from the cold!”
Her teeth begin to chatter and I instantly feel terrible. I lower my gun, only for hers to rise on a snicker. “Sucker.”
I don’t have enough time to shoot off an attack before water is exploding across my chest and face, my white t-shirt clinging to me. I can’t even see to shoot her back.
Suddenly, my foot catches on a branch behind me and I go down on my ass—hard.
Layla stops, gasping. She rushes to me, her knees landing beside my chest. “Are you okay? I swear you went down in slow motion. I didn’t mean to—”
I cut her off with a spray of icy water directly on her stomach.
Her eyes widen before she launches at me, smashing her entire weight against my chest. A deep oomph flies from me as she scrambles for the water gun in my hand.
In the far distance, I can hear Grayson calling out for Bella to relent but I can’t focus on their water fight when I have a very wet, very persistent Layla climbing all over me.
Fuck me. If she doesn’t stop wriggling my dick is going to make an unwanted appearance.
“Damn, sunshine. If you wanted me this bad all you had to do was ask,” I tease.
She curses me under her breath, the water still squirting her as she tries to wrangle it from my hand. “You’re such a cocky bastard!”
“A cocky bastard you’re throwing yourself on.”
Growling with frustration, she lunges once more, right as I wrap an arm around her stomach and flip us, pinning her arms down and between my knees.
“Kieran!” she screams, her eyes flaring.
I put all my weight on her, chuckling to myself. She grunts, trying to wriggle out from beneath me as I lift the water gun and aim at her heart. “Any last words?” She lifts her chin in defiance, making one of my brows cock. “Damn, you’re stubborn.”
Her chest is heaving, her breathing labored as a blush spreads across her cheeks.
“What’s the matter? Liking this a bit too much? One of your many dreams of me coming true?” I tease shamelessly.
If I thought she was blushing before, it’s nothing compared to the scarlet traveling up her neck now.
Wait, has she dreamed about me?
She grits her teeth trying to buck me off, her sudden movements making my thoughts float away. I’d get off her if I knew she really wanted me to, but I can tell she’s having fun with this. Despite the determination in her gaze, her lips are twitching as she fights a smile.
“You’re insufferable!”
I lower my head, savoring the way her breath hitches. “Did you mean dashing? Charming? Sexy?”
She snorts. “Did I stutter?”
“No, but judging by your breathing, you’re close to.”
“Ugh!” She sucks in a deep breath, no doubt about to call for backup, and that’s when I take my shot. Squirting her stomach with the water gun, she cries out, goosebumps now lining her skin.
Yanking myself off, my laugh turns manic as she lifts her water gun, aiming at me. “You’re going to pay for that.”
With a lopsided grin, I hold out my arms. “Do your worst, sunshine.”
Layla practically stalks toward me until she’s right at my chest, so close I have to look down and she has to tip her head back, searing me to the spot with those gorgeous, heart-stopping, drop-to-my-knee-and-marry-her eyes.
“You like toying with me?” I taunt.
“With you?” she says slowly, her voice lowering to a soft whisper. “Always.”
She doesn’t even seem to notice the way her hand falters, her body swaying forward.
“For someone who despises my advances, your body sure seems to like getting close to mine.”
She sneers, lips parting.
Screams suddenly ring out as Bambi and Emmy come barreling through the trees, her little chest huffing and puffing. Her big brown eyes are ignited with such enthusiasm the moment between Layla and me dies a swift death.
Crouching low with my arms out ready to catch her, I swoop her into my hold right as Bella appears between the trees, skidding to a stop beside Layla. “Get him!” she yells.
Layla doesn’t hesitate. I step out of the line of fire just as the girls lift their water guns and hit Grayson the moment he rounds a tree, knocking him over on his ass.
Bella and Layla burst into a fit of giggles alongside Emmy, whose little body starts to shake not only from her chuckles but the cold water.
Bambi runs between her parents, barking every now and then as if she has no idea who to go to, her loyalty torn.
“I think it’s safe to say the girls won,” Bella declares with a smug grin.
Layla looks over her shoulder at me. “Isn’t that right, Kieran?”
I choose to go along with it, even though knowing I won’t get my date—for now. I heft Emmy up higher on my hip. “We lost, buddy,” I say, turning to Grayson as he sputters out a cough.
Bella whoops, high-fiving Layla, and they cheer at our demise.
“Where the hell did you get these water guns from?” Grayson grumbles. “I swear when we were kids they didn’t have this type of kick.”
“You’re telling me, I think I’m going to wake up with bruises in the morning.” Walking over to him, I hold out my free hand and help him up. “I’m going to call it and take Emmy inside to get her warmed up.”
Grayson nods, peering over my shoulder, and by the heated look that fills his eyes, he’s staring at Bella. “We’ll do the same at ours. The guys should be done unpacking the new furniture but if you need a hand later just let me know.”
Clapping him on the back we walk side by side toward the house, the girls trailing behind, whispering to each other. “I seriously can’t thank you enough.” Swallowing the lump in my throat, I all but choke out, “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Grayson wraps his arm around my shoulder, careful not to bump Emmy. “You would have been okay, but I’m glad I can be here for you. I mean it, Kieran, if you need anything, anytime, I’m just across the road.”
I nod, the setting sun peeking over the roof of my new home. I can’t believe I bought a house on a random Tuesday.
Grayson rubs the nape of his neck. “Fair warning, I may have told my mom. She and Dad immediately left their vacation and are on their way to help.”
My breath hitches.