Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Not that regularly,” he hissed and lifted the bottle, taking several hearty gulps. I tucked pillows behind my back before getting another crack at the wine. Beau settled in around me, throwing the blankets over our heads.
“Is my guy missing our intimate time together?” I teased, cherishing the way he made me feel loved and adored. I also agreed with him, having children really put a dent in our naked alone time. I missed us like this too.
“Yeah, I am. I wish we found a way to fit it in more,” he said, scooting farther down under the duvet, tossing a leg over mine. His lips pressed against my chest. The kiss was light and nibbly, the perfect foreplay for things to progress.
“You have to know that I regularly think you’re naked under all those clothes you wear,” I said, doing my best to hide a smile. It took a second before Beau’s gaze lifted, glancing questioningly at me. I managed to hold my tongue as he worked through my tease.
“You’re dumb,” he finally said.
“I’ve been waiting to drop that joke,” I said, laughing while braving the cold to place the wine bottle on the nightstand. As I decided we’d had enough foreplay, and it was time to make amends for our lack of sexual activity, my cell phone’s irritating ringtone indicated the call came from home.
It was shrill and loud, designed to capture my attention. It did its job.
“Why do you have that ringtone? Make it stop,” Beau complained, peeking out of the cocoon he’d created. It wasn’t his fault that I misplaced my phone, but I still took the blankets with me while I hunted for it on the bed. Luckily, I found it on the fourth ring.
“Hello,” I said, swiping upward to connect the call. I leaned back on my ass, expecting Beau to absorb my body weight. He wasn’t there, so I toppled to the mattress while he ripped the covers away and headed toward the thermostat.
“Daddy,” Ava said, sounding bothered and irritated.
“Ava, how do you know how to call me?” I asked by way of a greeting.
Three days shy of their third birthday, and this was a first from any of them. Of course, I knew they were smart, likely on the higher end of intelligence, but understanding the process of calling us directly was going to change everything. My concerned gaze lifted to Beau who sat on the edge of the mattress. I scrambled toward him, trying to share his body’s warmth.
“Daddy, don’t be mad at me,” Ava started. “I remember your number from Paw’s phone. Abuela won’t let Dory spend the night, and Mia and I want her to. Will you tell her to let Dory stay here?”
“Daddy,” Livie said in the background. “Abuela’s head hurts, and Belle says we need to be nice and quiet, and her hands are full with the four of us.” Her last words were said with scorn at Ava’s selfishness.
“I didn’t say you wanted Dory here. Just me and Mia do,” Ava shot back.
“What’s goin’ on?” Beau asked, tossing the cold end of the duvet over me. His hard body was finally at my back.
“Ava’s figured out how to call me, she learned the number from your cell phone and wants Dory to spend the night. Amelia has a headache, and told her no.”
“Huh,” Beau said, clearly absorbing this new turn of events. “They aren’t told no very often, so when it’s said, they need to listen, or otherwise they go on the naughty list. And they can’t call you unless it’s an emergency. You’re too busy for that. And bein’ told no isn’t an emergency.”
“Daddy, that’s why I called you, because Paw always says naughty list, naughty list, naughty list!”
I pressed the speaker option so I didn’t have to be the heavy. Beau was by far the stricter parent. But Ava wasn’t wrong. The naughty or nice list was a regular concern in our home, causing my smile and Beau’s frown. I pointed to the wine bottle which was now closer to Beau, needing more to get through this conversation.
“And four of us means me, Mia, Livie, and Dory,” Ava said.
“No, four of us is us and West. Four. One. Two. Three. Four,” Livie answered, being our good girl.
“You girls are too smart for your age,” I added, proud of those math skills.
“We know,” Livie said. “Some of our friends don’t know the alphabet.”
“Where’s Belle?” Beau asked, taking the phone.
“Belle’s feeding West, and we’re hiding in our bathroom. I think you’re mad,” Ava responded.
“Girls, Dory isn’t comin’ over, and yes, I’m frustrated. You know better than to challenge Abuela. When she says no, that’s your answer. I want you to be quiet and helpful and only call us if it’s an emergency. This is not an emergency,” Beau explained, moving to hand me the wine bottle. I gulped it like Kool-Aid.