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I duck into the fridge to hide my burning face from my sister-in-law, my armpits suddenly damp.
“It’s okay.” I try to sound nonchalant.
“C’mon—it’s just us girls here.” She drops her voice lower. “What’s it really like? Does he walk around without his shirt on? I bet he’s ripped, what with all those stunts he has to do.”
Oh my god. My sister-in-law has a thing for Colt.
Pulling the open bottle of red wine from the fridge, I shrug. “We keep things neutral. Really platonic between the two of us.”
“Hmmph.” She frowns, her lips pressed together. “Sounds boring. You need to live a little, Trix! Get out there and do all the things. Before you tie yourself down.” She gazes wistfully out to the living room and I take a big slug of wine, feeling like I’m in the middle of a therapy session. I hope things are okay betweenmy brother and Ana, but I really don’t want to get dragged into their marital woes.
“I will, eventually. Right now, I’m focusing on getting my shop open and moving forward with the business.”
“Right, that makes sense.”
The timer dings on the oven and Ana grabs mitts from a drawer and pulls out the roasted bird, checking the temperature with a thermometer.
“We’re all good here. Time to eat. Danny—come help with the food!”
Danny saunters into the kitchen, seemingly unaware of his wife’s feelings, and the three of us round up all the food. We carry it to the dining room table, set for the six of us.
Colt’s giving Lucas, my older nephew, a piggyback ride. Judging by Lucas’s high-pitched squeals of joy, he’s loving it. Colt glances at me from across the room and smiles, Lucas’s chubby fingers wrapped around his neck, and my chest constricts. I’ve never seen Colt interact with kids and family; I’ve only been privy to his swagger and wild side. This Colt is different, better. More real.
“Okay, guys, it’s time to eat.” Danny takes his spot at the head of the table and Ana sits at the other end, across from him. I take the seat next to my brother and Colt carries Lucas over to the table. He clambers down from Colt’s broad back and scurries to the seat next to his mother on the other side of the table. That leaves two open spots, one beside me and one across from me, and I can practically see the conflict marching across Colt’s face. Neither position is acceptable according to our terms, but he can’t kick Lucas out of his seat.
Colt goes to take the seat across from me and next to Lucas, pulling the chair out, but William darts over and slides in. Colt stares down at the chair, William’s tiny body already folded into the seat.
“Thanks, Colt. This is my spot.” William stares up at Colt with wide, innocent eyes and I stifle a groan.
“No problem, bud.” Colt sidles around the table, sitting down next to me.
“Thanks for cooking,” I say, then take another big slurp of wine. Maybe the pinot will drown the butterflies winging around my stomach.
“No problem at all,” Danny says, cutting chicken into bite-sized pieces for my nephews. “Glad you both could come over.”
“Me too,” Ana chimes in, sipping her wine and staring straight at Colt. Danny doesn’t even notice, he’s so busy plating the kids’ food. Colt shifts in his chair, inching his body closer to mine. A large, warm palm lands on my upper thigh and I stiffen.
Touching is not part of our dinner arrangement.
CHAPTER 16
TRIXIE
Itry to scoot away, but there’s nowhere to go. Colt squeezes a little tighter on my leg, one corner of his mouth tipping up, and I kick him under the table. He doesn’t flinch, making small talk with my brother like absolutely nothing out of the ordinary’s happening beneath the table. Meanwhile, every nerve ending in my body’s lighting up and I’m lightheaded. I pick up my wineglass to take another drink, then think better of it and set it down again.
“Did you boys know Colt is in movies?” Danny asks William and Lucas, handing the plates over to my nephews.
“Really?” Lucas’s eyes go wide as he stares across the table at Colt in awe. “That’s so cool! Are you Spiderman?”
Colt chuckles, the deep rumble causing achy twinges between my legs. His laugh is sexy as hell, all low and gravelly, and I wish I wasn’t sitting at my brother’s dinner table right now. I’d much rather be sprawled out on the little round table back at the apartment, Colt’s face between my thighs.
“No, dude. Not Spiderman. But I do climb really high sometimes, just like Spidey. But I have a spotter and a net and take a bunch of safety precautions—do not try this at home.”
“Right. No climbing,” Ana warns the boys and they both bob their heads up and down obediently.
“Except for the tree. We can still climb the tree, right?” Lucas asks, his brows squished together.
“Yeah, you can climb the tree. If Mom or I are around to help. But not by yourself. Got it, champ?” Danny asks and Lucas shrugs.
