Chapter 32
Thirty-Two
Leo
The doorbell goes, and I hurry to answer it.
Even though it’s not my house.
Smitty smirks at me, but doesn’t comment, probably because he’s commandeered two-week-old Reese and is focused more on her than giving me shit.
Luna’s sitting with Faye and Kailey, looking tired but happy, and Aiden hasn’t stopped moving since we came in, making sure Luna has water and snacks and is comfortable. Babying her and doing it so smoothly (e.g. without pissing her off with his fussing) that I’m taking notes.
The rest of us have had to fend for ourselves.
But no one’s complaining—we’ve been here often enough that our guest privileges are revoked. We can get our own beers.
Plus, Harp is bringing food.
I open the door to find…
“Oh,” I say, disappointment heavy in my tone.
Lainey’s eyes dance. “Ouch.”
I wince, say quickly, “Sorry, I was expecting Harper.”
She pats my arm. “I’m teasing. She just pulled up, actually. I’m just going to drop my stuff inside and help her unload.”
I let her in then hurry outside and down the driveway.
Ollie is standing next to Harper, surveying the contents of her trunk with a skeptical expression.
“You like cookies?” Harper asks.
He nods.
“Harper makes the best cookies,” I chime in and they spin to face me.
“Leo!” Ollie exclaims, rushing over then seeming to catch himself, skidding to a halt a foot away from me.
“Hey,” I say, crouching down in front of him and offering my fist for him to bump.
He hesitates then presses his little fist against mine.
“Oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, or sugar?”
We both look up, see Harper holding a large container of cookies.
“Oatmeal raisin for me,” I say, and yeah, I’m eager as fuck.
But Harper makes excellent cookies.
She rolls her eyes at me, but she hands me one then looks at Ollie. “How about you, sweetheart?”
An energetic nod. “Chocolate chip.”
“And that’s the right choice,” she teases me.
“What about for me?” Smitty asks, his volume making Ollie jump. “Sorry, big guy,” he says, softening his tone. “I just really like cookies.”
Ollie smiles. “Me too.”
“Sugar cookie for me, Harp-tastic.”
Harper huffs out a laugh. “For the record, I fully approve of dessert before dinner, but we do need to get the food inside before it gets cold.”
I kiss her cheek, nudge her toward the house. “Why don’t you take the cookies inside. The guys and I will grab the food.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean—”
“I know. But let me do this?” I tuck her hair behind her ear. “You already banned me from your kitchen.”
An exasperated breath. “Just for the day.”
“I must have missed that part when you were shoving me out the door.”
“I did not—”
“Why were you shoving my man out the door?” Sawyer says, clapping me on the shoulder.
She gasps and mock glares at him. “All right Mr. Ninja Skills, don’t you start either or you won’t get any food.”
Sawyer mimes zipping his lips and he moves by us, reaching into the trunk for a foil-wrapped pan.
Her eyes sparkle as she turns her fake glare back to me. “And, for the record, it’s not my fault your knife skills are subpar.”
I lean close, murmur in her ear. “But is it mine that I was distracting you?”
Her cheeks go pink. “If you kept doing what you were doing, I never would have finished dinner.”
“But it would have been fun,” I point out.
Stealing kisses while Harper kicks ass in the kitchen is spectacular.
The batch of burned mini-quiches? Less so.
And was what finally got me banned.
Her voice is just as low as she murmurs, “Do I need to remind you that you’re the one who’s been limiting our fun?” She skates a hand down my chest, pauses low on my stomach.
And…I’m hard.
In front of my teammates and a child.
Christ.
I snag the container of cookies from her, put the lid on, and position it strategically.
She smirks. “Problem?”
I nip at her jaw. “You’re going to pay for that, Mama.”
She shivers again, those cheeks going even more pink.
I flick my tongue out, tasting the fluttering pulse in her throat, then take a breath and force my dick to cooperate. Once I’m no longer at risk of indecent exposure, I pass her back the cookies. “We’ll get the food, baby. Now go get off your feet.”
Soft hazel eyes. “Thanks, handsome.” She brushes her lips over mine then walks inside.
Smitty gives me an approving look as I reach in for some of the food.
But I’m more focused on the fact that Ollie’s talking.
Like seriously talking in his adorable little kid lisp.
“…and then I told Pruti that my mom says it’s okay if we don’t share sometimes, but we still have to take turns.
And then Pruti said she doesn’t want to take turns.
And then Mr. Kyle said that the toys were everyone’s in the class and we have to share or take turns.
That it was non…non-neg…” His face screws up. “Not gosh able.”
“Nonnegotiable?” Sawyer asks as he walks by me, Ollie at his side.
“Yup.” His little legs move in a hurry to keep up with Sawyer’s long ones. “So Pruti got to play with the truck for one more minute and then I got a minute and we tooked turns…”
His voice fades, but I watch as he chatters all the way up the drive and into the house.
Smitty and I look at each other, lift our eyebrows.
“Dude,” he whispers.
“I know,” I whisper back. “You going to loop Luna in?”
“She probably already knows.” He snags half of the remaining containers. “Which means Sawyer’s toast.”
“Part of me feels like I should warn him.”
One big shoulder shrugs. “Warn him all you want.” His eyes lock onto mine. “You know what it’s like to be on the other side of it.”
I think of Harper’s smiles, her laughter, the softness in her face when I do something to make her happy.
I think of her body and the baby and the way she’s so passionate about food.
I think of her crochet project and her mom. I think of her asshole of a father and the nightmare my parents created for me.
And I think of finding the strength to take the first steps forward.
And how fucking incredible it feels to finally stop being a chicken shit and go after what I want.
Because I’ve fallen completely, totally head over heels in love with Harper.
And…that’s not scary, doesn’t make me want to run.
Nope. It makes me want to stay.
“Yeah,” he says, bumping his shoulder against mine. “You get it, Ricky boy.”
“So do you,” I tell him even as I groan over the nickname. That. Will. Just. Not. Die.
“Damn right, I do.”
“With you and Luns at the helm that Blue Line Matchmaker doesn’t stand a chance.”
“That’s what I’m saying!” he exclaims as he turns and marches into the house.
I’ve likely lit a fire under Smitty’s ass that he doesn’t need.
But…c’est la vie.
Watch out, Sawyer and Lainey.
I have the feeling they’re not going to know what hit them.
Though—as Smitty said—having come through the other side of it, I think they’ll feel the same thing I do.
Peace.
Which is why I’m smiling as I snag the rest of the food, close Harper’s trunk, and walk all the way into the house.
Ready to spend the night with my family.
And the woman I’ve fallen in love with.