38. Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Hunter
Her lips taste like honey and I could kiss them all day long. “Eww,” Charlie yells from behind me, and we pull ourselves apart from one another to look at her.
“What’s so gross?” I ask with a smirk.
“You.” She rolls her eyes.
“That is not very nice, Charlie.” Blake comes to my defense, but I stick my hand out to stop her.
“No, no. The lady is allowed her opinion.” I laugh. “That just means I’m going to have to chase her down and tickle her until she changes her mind.”
Charlie gasps and takes off running. I chase her until she trips over her own feet and goes tumbling to the grass. I close the distance between us and slide up next to her, grabbing her in my arms and tickling her relentlessly. She giggles and squirms and kicks to get free. “You will never escape me!” I growl and tickle her more.
She begs and pleads and even pulls my beard. “Stop it!” she screams.
“Not until you take it back!”
She laughs. “Never!”
After a little while longer, Blake comes to the rescue. “Just tell him he’s not gross and you can be free.”
Charlie sits up on her elbow and squints her eyes at me. She studies my features and then looks at my beard. “Nope, he is still gross, Mommy.”
I gasp and feign hurt by placing my hand on my chest and falling onto my back. This causes Charlie to laugh and jump on top of me, attempting to tickle me back.
I play pretend for as long as possible, making groaning sounds and laughing as she tickles each known spot. Then Blake grabs her off of me and saves me from the torture of little hands. I lay on my back and spread out my limbs like I am dead. “Oh, thank God. You saved me.” I gasp.
Charlie laughs in her mother’s arms, and Blake laughs, too. It’s good to see a little bit of happiness on her face. She deserves it.
Sam walks out the front door and spots me on the ground. She smirks and gives me a questioning look. “What in the world are you doing down there?”
I shrug and get off the ground. “I was attacked by the tickle monster.” I point toward Charlie who giggles.
Sam shakes her head and walks over to Blake. “Well why don’t you guys go for a ride so me and Charlie here can paint our nails in peace?”
Charlie gasps and looks at her mother for confirmation and Blake looks at me. “Will she be okay?”
Sam scoffs. “Of course she will!” she pulls out her phone and points it over to Blake. “But just so you will be able to see it with your own two eyes. There are cameras in the kids rooms and I will give you access to the live feed.”
Thank God for Sam. She really is a miracle worker when it comes to having fun with the kids here.
Blake looks at her smiling daughter and then reluctantly sighs. “I guess if that is what you want to do.”
“Yes!” Charlie wiggles out of her arms and runs toward Sam. “I want to paint my nails!”
Blake and I watch as the girls walk back inside hand in hand and I place my palm on the bottom of her back. “Are you okay?”
She side eyes me and nods. “Is this really okay? Am I taking advantage of Sam’s hospitality by having her watch Charlie so I can be alone with you on your bike like a child?”
I feign hurt. “Like a child? Are you trying to say that I am childish for riding a motorcycle?” I take a step toward her and watch as she takes a step back.
She shakes her head. “No,” she says quickly.
I look down my nose at her and smirk. “Mhmm. Well, we are just gonna have to show you how much of a man I am I guess.”
Her lips part but she doesn’t say anything. I can tell her nerves are pulled tight as she thinks about what that might implicate. But I don’t put her out of her misery. She will just have to wait and see.