Page 339 of Power Play

“Take your boots off before you start decorating,” Cade told her.

“I’m not decorating.”

“You brought pillows.”

“They’re emotional-support pillows.”

Briggs appeared beside her. “The pool changes colors.”

Bliss gasped. “It does?”

“And there’s air hockey.”

She turned toward the stairs.

“Take off your boots,” Cade called after her.

Bliss kicked them toward the wall without slowing. Briggs followed her downstairs, both of them shouting before they reached the bottom.

Cade closed his eyes.

“Twenty-three and twenty-four,” I said.

“I’m going to kill both of them.”

“You’d miss her.”

“I’d miss one of them.”

Rider entered through the open door carrying another grocery bag and a case of beer, snow dusting the shoulders of his coat.

“I regret coming.”

Briggs shouted from downstairs, “There’s a regulation pool table.”

Rider’s expression changed. “I regret it less.”

He looked at my face and then at Cade. “Hockey?”

“That’s the story,” Cade said.

Rider lowered the groceries onto the island and walked toward me. He didn’t ask permission before clasping my hand and pulling me into a hard, brief embrace.

“You good?” he asked near my ear.

“No.”

“Need me to throw anyone into the second cabin?”

“Not yet.”

“Sled option remains available.”

I pulled back. “No assaulting women.”

“I would cushion the sled.”

“That doesn’t help.”