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After I got the little monster calmed down, I simply told Ryker that I’d be upstairs with the kids and carried Ben up so we could all play the rest of the evening I didn’t look back at Zack
That doesn’t mean that I didn’t take a very quick peek when he first walked into the house How could I not? He’s larger than life and still is and alill be theht the slightly longer hair, dark washed jeans, and a fitted charcoal-gray T-shirt I also caught the tanned and s of the jeans perfectly Most of all, I saw his anxious eyes as they roved overto determine if he had destroyed me
He orried and that eet, but then I saw no more because my arms were full of Ben
When I hit the bottom of the staircase, I i in his recliner, and I crook ets up, crosses quickly in front of the TV so as not to block the view frouys, and walks up to me
"The kids are all asleep I put Ben in the room across from me"
He nods "Gotcha Do you want to watch the rest of the game with us? The third period just started"
"No, thanks," I say with a saze flick past his shoulder Zack is on one end of the couch, casually reclined back, with an ankle propped up on the opposite leg He doesn’t look at uys in the room, one on the opposite end of the couch from Zack and the other on the loveseat I don’t know either of the," Ryker says, and turns away from me
"Sure thing," I say, and then without another glance to the occupants of the living rooain
Ryker’s house is actually very similar to Zack’s in size and features Just like Zack’s house, one of the upstairs guest rooms has its own en suite bathroom, which is really nice Gives me extra privacy Unlike Zack’s, however, the baseuys are all in the living roo the TV No ather some panties, a pair of sweatpants, and an old T-shirt out of htly so I can hear the kids and then walk into my bathroom to take a quick shower
Sadly, there will be no hidden snakes or spiders here Violet and Ruby would never do such a thing, and that makes me miss Ben all the more Makes me also miss the way Zack would find it hilarious the way they would scare me That first spider planted in enuine laugh fro and donI would normally be in my pajamas by now, but just in case Ben wakes up, I want to be able to uests in anything other than full clothing
Souys downstairs when they don’t like a particular play There are shouts and curses, and then Zack says, "Shh Kids are sleeping" Then they’re all quiet for a while…until the next play that has theet lost in a book It’s the easiest way for eous heartbreaker sitting downstairs I’ve found over the last feeeks that keeping myself busy is the best medicine for my particular ail to do that I start thinking about Zack About how closed off he used to be and how he actually didn’t like me at first I think about how he started to smile more and became comfortable with me And then the attraction…and the forbidden looks and touches, and then when he finally crossed all boundaries and had sex with me
It’s a lot to think about, difficult to process, and, unfortunately, makes me sad I don’t have any of it anymore
The sound of heavy footsteps--es to drawof voices, I know it’s Ryker and Zack coet Ben I don’t want to see him, so I jump out of my bed, scurry to my door, and shut it quickly but quietly before they reach the end of the hall where I’ as Ryker and Zack go into the rooently, "Come on, buddy Time to head home"
Oh, how I miss that tender voice of Zack’s that is reserved only for his son I hadn’t realized how ain
I push away fro back in bed, I pick the book up and start reading again The faint murmurs outside ain
Not two ht knock on my door and Ryker calls out, "Kate…you still up?"
"Yeah," I say as I put s out of bed to stand up "Coe square but thin package wrapped in brown paper in his hand I eye it with interest "What’s that?"
He hands it to htly on the heavy side
"It’s for you," he says neutrally "Zack brought it and wanted ive it to you after he left"
I s hard,My eyes cut froe to Ryker "Do you knohat it is?"