Page 30 of Penalty Kill

“Was it big?” he sputtered.

Milo jumped on the bench. “So big!”

That seemed to be the highest form of praise in their minds so I echoed, “So, so big!”

Finn smiled and swam over to us. “Let’s go on the slide, Milo.”

They took off to the other end, and I moved across the pool so I could watch them.

When they reached the top of the smaller slide they both looked to the house and squealed. “Daddy!”

I spun and saw Brandon walking toward us in his trunks. “You’re having a party without me?” he said in fake anger with his hands on his hips.

They giggled and nodded their heads.

“And going on the slide without me?”

Milo shrugged. “It was Sydney’s idea.”

Sure, kid. Throw me under the bus. Brandon looked down at me with a wicked smile before taking a step back. He ran and did a cannonball right in front of me, causing a wave to wash over me.

I was wiping my eyes when he came up grinning. “Oh, sorry. Did I get you?”

I shrugged a shoulder and swam a few feet away. “I didn’t notice.”

Being this close to him while he was basically half-naked wasn’t easy. The last thing I wanted was to get caught staring. Well, again. I was pretty sure he noticed me ogling him in the kitchen the other morning.

But this was more than anyone could handle. He was larger than life with muscles in places I didn’t know could grow muscles. Like that neck? I blew out a breath and focused on the boys.

Milo went down the slide followed by Finn, and they went to their dad asking him to throw them.

He had them climb onto his shoulders one at time and then launched them into the deep end. Each time, they surfaced laughing harder and harder. When Finn started choking from too much excitement and not enough breathing, I told them it was time for sandwiches. They got out and sat at the end of the lounge chairs, adorably wrapped up in towels while eating.

I got back in the water with Brandon, who was leaning against the edge, his arms stretched out on either side of him. It was quite the view. I didn’t think muscles could really look like that, not outside of superhero movies.

And his chest.

Songs could be written about that chest.

“Sydney?”

My eyes trailed up his thick neck, wet lips, and I finally realized he was watching me. “Huh?”

“I said thanks for doing this. They’re having a blast.”

He’d spoken and I didn’t hear him? Oh no. He definitely knew I was checking him out. Bad Sydney.

“No problem. I’m having fun too.”

He smiled and dropped his head back, soaking in the sun. “I needed this.”

He was doing this on purpose. He knew he was attractive, and flaunting it in front of me was just cruel.

I cleared my throat. “How was the trip?”

“Long, but good.” He sighed and met my gaze. “I missed you guys.”

Not the boys. You guys. Me included?