Page 154 of Dark Surrender

His booming laughter vibrates through my spine as someone’s concealed rod sears against my backside. “No, they’re not.”

Twisting in Dark’s arms, I wrap mine around his thick neck. He takes the opportunity to cup my bottom underwater. “Behave,” I scold half-heartedly.

He looks down at my wet chest and licks his lips. “How can I? Look at you.”

I pinch his shoulder. “Dark. We’re here for Lily. Not for you to get… excited.” My eyebrows bounce. Thank heavens for stay-proof eye makeup.

“I can’t help when that happens. That’s why we’re in this part of the pool.”

“To hide it…”

“Yeah. You stood up and…” Dark rolls his eyes in the back of his head like he just got his toes curled. “You’re too damn hot.”

Knowing we’re gonna get ourselves into a whole bunch of trouble if he doesn’t quit with that sinful mouth, I shove off Dark’s pecs and swim away to find Lily, who emerges with her final dive ring.

“You got em!” I cheer, and Lily beams.

The metal gate to the pool opens with a screech, and four sets of flip-flops clack, clack, clack around the perimeter. The people attached to those flip-flops have me smiling so wide my cheeks hurt.

Kali waves, as does Sunshine.

But the best is Tarek and Fog.

The gate opens again, and in lumbers Lace in a bright yellow banana hammock.

Lily pulls the funniest face when she sees him, and Lace must notice when he pulls off his sunglasses and points them at her. “I’m comin’ for you, little girl.”

Lily screeches in girly excitement and swims like a fish into the deeper water as Lace and Dark’s two sons drop all their stuff in a pile in the grass and race each other to the deep end, where they all run and jump in with the biggest cannonballs.

We laugh as the entire pool area stares at the tattooed behemoths.

Sunshine notches his chin at Dark, and they both join the guys in the deep end, but not before Dark kisses my cheek.

Thankfully, Kali leaves them to act like fools, and I wade into the shallower water for us to sit on the bottom step and watch them do their thing with Lily at the center of their attention.

Wearing a brown bikini with her hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head, Kali bumps her shoulder into mine. “How’s it going?”

“Now that all the eye candy has shown up, I think I’m finally safe from being stared at.”

Kali throws her head back and laughs. “They do draw attention.”

“I didn’t know the boys were coming.”

“They wanted it to be a surprise, but didn’t wanna make it a whole thing. They just wanted to see their dad.”

“I’m glad they came home.” More than glad. This is good for Dark. He needs it.

“Me, too. My family is finally back together and expanded.” Kali winks my way, and I do my best not to smile like a fool, even though it’s nice to hear that I’m part of a family. A real family. It’s not every day you become friends with your man’s ex-wife and his kids, who have all been more than welcoming.

As the men and Lil steal the show, Kali and I chat like old friends. I tell her about Lil’s room that is coming along in our house—she has black walls. Yes. Black. We chat about how Sal’s settling in. Sex at the shop yesterday. Kali does the same, given she needs someone to talk to about her walking in on her son and his boyfriend getting it on in her greenhouse this morning.

That one has me doubled over until I can barely breathe

“It wasn’t that bad.” Kali snorts, head shaking. “Just a lot of butts and moans.”

A woman walks past us in the pool, sending small waves our way, even though she has plenty of open space.

Wiping water from her chin, Kali rolls her eyes and leans in. “That’s the mom of the girl Lily’s been havin’ issues with for years.”