42
AURORA
“Gram, should you be without your walker?” I glance back into her apartment at the folded piece of equipment leaning against the wall.
She shuffles a little closer to Reece—if that’s even possible—and squeezes his bulging bicep. “And let go of this hulking specimen? I believe not.”
He peers down at her, his blue eyes glinting with amusement. “I can see where your granddaughter inherited her flirtatiousness from.”
“And her good looks. Don’t ya think?” She gives a cheeky wink.
He tips his head back in laughter. Gram can’t be five feet tall, and he’s well over six. Their height difference only adds to the comedy she’s providing.
“Wait until Maryanne sees you,” she rambles on while I grab her coat. “She’s been bragging nonstop about her granddaughter being an influencer on Instant.”
“Instagram,” I correct. Since her stroke, she tends to confuse words. I lock her door and drop the key into the day bag the nurses packed for her.
“Insta. Instant. Same thing.” She dismisses me with a flick of her wrist. “Anyhow, apparently, she’s made millions on Only Face. Millions? Bullshit,” she answers her own question. “No one is prettier than my princess.”
“I agree,” Reece says, his voice deep and enticing. He’s never been hotter than in this moment, smirking at my grandmother while she eats him right up.
The prospect of bringing her new beau through the parlor has her moving along faster. At this rate, we might make it home in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
We enter the ‘Bar and Lounge,’ reminiscent of a brightly lit 1920s speakeasy, and she waves as if she’s the Queen of England.
A woman with fluffy, stark white hair rolls her eyes and purses her lips.
That has to be Maryanne. Beside her is an elderly man with a scowl that rivals Ethan’s, who’s glaring hard at Reece.
Gram stands taller and adds a little pep to her step. “You must come to the Valentine’s Day dance,” she says for all to hear, patting Reece’s forearm. “It’s Great Gatsby themed.”
She’s not looking at Reece. Her gaze is fixated on Maryanne and the mystery man. It appears Gram is suspicious of more than Maryanne’s granddaughter earning millions on Only Fans.
“Sure thing, darlin’,” he drawls and covers her hand with his.
“Oh, wow.” I scan my card to exit. “Pulling out the Southern charm for my grandmother. I see how it is.”
They head toward Ethan’s SUV parked at the curb, and she glances over her shoulder with a teasing smile.
“Aurora Belle Embers, don’t be selfish. You have plenty of men to share.”
Reece snorts and opens the door for her. He holds her elbow to assist her until she’s settled. “Wait until Ethan meets you. He thought his hands were full with Aurora and Jackson. He ain’t seen nothing yet.”
“Which one is he?” she asks with feigned innocence. “The daddy?”
I roll my eyes. She knows damn well who he is.
Reece matches her mischievous grin. “Exactly.”
The journey home passes swiftly. Throughout the ride, she rubs my belly, holds my hand, and beams with such joy, it fills me with a sense of guilt for not devoting more time to her. Hopefully, life will calm down, and she can visit more frequently.
It helps that Reece is a medic and understands the nurse’s instructions, even though Gram ignored them.
She seemed as irritated as I was by the nurse shamelessly ogling him, and of course, she put up a stink.
Who cares about emergency heart meds when you have a tattooed Viking to keep your pulse pumping?
“Your manicure is gorgeous.” She lays her hand on top of mine for comparison. “They can’t do that acrylic stuff, but I got the gel nails.”
Like my own, her nails are painted teal blue, the same color as the hockey team. I don’t remember her getting manicures before, and now that I’m noticing, she’s wearing a Huskies shirt under her cardigan and matching sneakers. Her hair is perfectly styled in a sleek bob, and her skin is glowing.
With a pointed stare, I arch a brow. “It looks like someone has been sending you gifts.”
She raises her nose in the air. “The LA Huskies sent me a PR package,” she boasts. “And a spa gift certificate.”
I grin so hard, my cheeks hurt. “I bet they did.”
“Yup. I even watched the game last night in my apartment with Steward.” She waggles her brows suggestively. “Your boys did well.”
“Yes, they did.” I nod. “Were you not able to watch before?”
“I have cable and Nextflix now.” She flutters her eyelashes. “As a member of the PR team, I can’t go without seeing the games…with all my friends…and snacks.”
My eyes connect with Reece’s in the rearview mirror. He shakes his head and chuckles, “Poor Ethan.”
After the oohs and ahhs over everything from the ‘fancy pants gate’—her words—and the ‘truly delightful courtyard,’ we’re finally walking through the door. Turkey, spices, loud voices, and a packed dining table greet us upon entering.
Gram freezes, and her grip tightens on my arm. “Holy shit on a cracker, there’s more of them.” Her wide eyes, full of awe, find mine. “You have one for every day of the week.”
The room erupts with laughter, and my face burns hot enough to fry an egg. “Gram! They don’t all belong to me.”
Two of them are a complete surprise. I had no idea Desi and Dante were spending the holiday with us. Grant andCharlie were invited, but I wasn’t sure they’d be here.
“It’s like I always say,” Gram pauses for dramatic effect, “we don’t slut shame in this household.”
My eyes prickle with tears, and I can’t help but join the hilarity. “You’ve literally never said that. Ever. In your life.”
“Wait.” My brows rise as I take in the sight before me. “The five of you are going out? Together? That’s…dangerous.” And suspicious.
Reece and I returned home from dropping off Gram to find Jax, Ethan, Grant, and the twins in the entryway, dressed in jeans and button-ups, reeking of expensive cologne.
“We’re introducing the twins to LA,” Grant answers a little too quickly.
Jax bends down and pecks my lips. “It’s a recon mission. G-man is stalking a girl, and on our way back, I’m grabbing my bike from Kyle’s garage.”
That gives me pause, and I glance at Ethan.
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “I’ll keep him out of trouble.”
“You’re not meeting Patty, are you?” I tease.
It’s Jax who responds. “If PR Patty shows up, I’m cutting her brakes. Fucking stalker.”
“Aren’t you going to stalk some girl?” I point out.
“I’m not. G is.” He smirks. “Rejection has left him devastated.”
Grant ignores that snide remark, widens his eyes, and sucks in an audible breath. “I thought Patty was getting fresh with Coach. I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed.”
Jax huffs and yanks on his boots with attitude while I stare at Ethan, arms crossed over my chest. He’ll never live this down.
The broody man shakes his head and twirls the car keys around his finger. “Don’t start. It’s absolutely nothing. The idea is ludicrous.”
Desi scoffs. “You have a model girlfriend and a pro-athlete boyfriend. Whoever she is, she doesn’t stand a chance.” He shoots me a smile full of dimples and winks.
I peer up at Reece beside me. “You’re not going?”
“Someone has to stay with you.”
Well, now I feel bad. “You can go. I’ll be fine.”
He tugs my ponytail. “I’m teasing. I have work to do with Charlie.”
As the others pile out the door, Ethan hangs back to give me a lingering kiss. “Read a book. Take a relaxing bath. I got him.”
“I know you do.” I return his kiss. “Thank you.”
Instead of reading, I put on a bikini, grab a towel, and head out to the heated pool for a moonlight swim. I float on my back and gaze up at the stars while the ocean waves crash against the shore and the wind rustles the palm trees.
I’ll never forget this night. It was a dream to have my grandmother over and see her so animated. She was the life of the party and loved every minute.
During a lull in conversation, she announced Ethan reminded her of her late husband, my grandfather. Jackson nearly collapsed to the floor with laughter, choking and breathless.
“Aurora stayed home with me,” she began. “I worked as a seamstress, and I’d entertain her by teaching her how to sew scraps. She’d help me prepare dinner, but as soon as she heard the rumble of her grandfather’s truck, she’d abandon everything and run for the door.”
Pain lanced through my heart at the memories, and I set my head on her shoulder.
“She’d jump and twirl to show off the newest outfit we’d crafted,” Gram continued. “Then, she’d unlace his work boots, and he’d slip them off. He’d pull her into his arms, and that’s where she’d be until bedtime.”
“Not much has changed,” Reece muttered with a fond smile.
“You can blame my Leon.” She patted my cheek. “He was my second husband and had no children. He spoiled Aurora like his own.”
He was more of a father than my biological father ever thought of being.
I may have shed a few tears when we brought her back to the nursing home.
“You okay?” Reece’s deep voice interrupts my thoughts.
I swim to the side of the pool, where the big guy is frowning down at me. “Yeah, I’m good. All finished?”
“Hardly.” Flickering blue-green light reflecting off the water dances across his face.
“Boo.” I rest on the pool’s ledge with my arms folded and kick my feet. “I was hoping you’d join me.”
He crouches, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Were you now?”
I reach for a kiss, and he leans in. Our mouths meet, and I grip his shirt. The fabric bunches in my fist, and with a forceful yank, he loses his balance and topples over with a low growl of my name.
My giggle mingles with the loud splash of his body hitting the water. He breaks the surface and pushes his wet hair away from his face. His black T-shirt clings to the well-defined muscles of his shoulders, chest, and abs, and I bite my lip. Fuck, that’s hot.
His eyes, bright with shock and a twinge of mischief, lock with mine. “You little devil. I could’ve landed on you or kicked you. You’re lucky I don’t have my phone on me.”
I hadn’t considered electronic devices. “Oops. I had to do something drastic, or you’d never get into this pool with me.”
He creeps closer, and I move away.
“You’re being very naughty.” He lunges, seizing me by the hips, and pulls me to him.
I don’t resist at all. I wrap myself around him and weave my fingers into his hair. “I can be naughtier if you’d like.”
Rough palms glide over my ass, and a shiver runs down my spine. My skin erupts with goosebumps. His scorching touch fuels my desire, and my nipples harden.
I slip beneath his shirt and trace the indentations of his muscles.
His lips part, his brows lower, and his pupils dilate. “Charlie is staying tonight.”
He flexes his hips. His thick erection presses against my center and drags a whimper from my throat. I’m still a little sore from the other night, but it’s a delicious soreness, the kind that only arouses me further.
“Kick him out.” I’m kidding. Sort of.
He groans, low and husky. “I wish, princess. We’re working on something big.”
“I know something big I’d like to work on.” I writhe my hips and grind against his hard length to drive my point home.
“Fuck.” His fingertips dig into my thighs. “What’d I tell you about teasing?”
I ghost my thumb over his pierced nipple, running my finger along the tiny bar. “What if I’m not teasing?”
He glances at my lips, and without hesitation, our mouths come together in a desperate tangle of tongues and low moans, hands exploring each other for the first time.
Breathless, he breaks the kiss far too soon. “If I fuck you, I’ll never leave. It’s already hard enough to concentrate on this case.”