“We’re offering because we want to. That’s all. I want to help give Callie and Cam a great party any way I can. Just let us help, babe. Those kids mean something to us. They mean something to me.”
There was no way I could stare into those rich brown eyes after hearing him say such wonderful things about my children and deny allowing them to help in any way.
“Okay, fine.” Stacia and Emmy let out squeals of delight. “But let’s not go overboard, okay? I know it’s a big birthday, but they’re still just five. No need to get crazy.”
I got the distinct impression that the girls chose to stop listening as soon as I agreed. They leaned in together and scribbled frantically in my notebook, saying words like “petting zoo” and “pony”, and the scariest of all “Elmo performers.”
When I looked away from them, Brett’s eyes were still on me and that smile that made my insides melt was at full wattage.
There was no fighting my smile in return.
Brett: Where are you?
I’d exchanged numbers with everyone so we could all stay in contact while planning the kids’ birthday party, and for the past week, I’d been getting at least one text from Brett a day. Some were sweet, wishing me a good day, some were teasing, some asked about the kids, and some were flirty and playful—those were my favorite.
Me: At the park with the kids.
When we woke up, the sun was shining brightly in the sky. The temperature was just perfect, humidity low, with a nice fall breeze; it was the perfect day to get the twins out for their daily dose of vitamin D.
Brett: Awesome. On my way.
Me: I don’t recall inviting you.
Brett: Didn’t have to. I can read your mind. You want me there, admit it, beauty.
Me: You’re an ass. Also, don’t you ever work?
Brett: I could ask you the same thing.
Me: Ha! Day off, asshole.
Brett: See you in 5. Try to hold your enthusiasm in.
“Mommy, watch!” Callie called out as I laughed off Brett’s last text and dropped my phone back into my purse. I spent the next few minutes watching Callie and Cam take turns going down the slide. So far, the trip to the park had been successful with only one wrestling match breaking out between the two over who got to slide first.
“Cameron Michael. Don’t pull your sister’s hair!”
“But she’s bein’ a poop face!”
“No name calling or I’m taking away your Spiderman toy when we get home.”
Good Lord, where did kids come up with these insults?
“Got to give the kid an A for creativity. Don’t think I’ve ever heard the name ‘poop face’ before.”
I let out a started yelp and spun around at the deep rumble of Brett’s voice in my ear. Only an inch or two separated his body from mine, and the close proximity was doing crazy things to my head.
“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” I grumbled, trying my best to ignore my body’s desire to lean in closer to him. “You scared the crap out of me.”
His gravelly laugh was like music to my ears. “Sorry, beauty. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from my face and it took everything in me to suppress the shiver his touch caused.
I tried my hardest not to notice how sexy he looked in just a plain white t-shirt and jeans, the perfect amount of scruff that covered his cheeks and chin, those gorgeous brown eyes of his hidden beneath the brim of a tattered ball cap, but I just couldn’t do it. His clothes did wonders for his body. And even if I didn’t know the perfection that lay beneath, I’d still have found his body mouthwatering. Self-consciousness hit me like a freight train as I glanced down at my frumpy get-up. A day off for me meant yoga pants and ratty t-shirts, my hair up in a sloppy bun and I wore no makeup whatsoever. Why, oh, why couldn’t I have been bothered to put just a little effort into my outfit?
“Brett!” the kids shouted boisterously as they came barreling toward us.
I took a quick step back, immediately missing the heat from his body as they plowed into his strong legs, not even budging him a muscle.
“Did you come to play with us?” Callie asked with a bright smile.
“Of course I did. I missed my little buddies.” He swooped down and grabbed Callie by the waist and tossed her in the air, delighting in her shrill laughter before putting her safely on the ground and doing the same to Cameron.
“Come slide wiff us!” Cameron shouted before he and Callie took off in that direction.
Brett followed after, shooting a wink at me over his shoulder. Damn that sexy wink! Being friends with this man was killing me. If him being hot as sin wasn’t bad enough, watching him climb up that stupid slide and go down with both kids in his lap just about did me in. That was it. I needed at least an hour alone with my vibrator if I was going to make it through this friendship. It wasn’t lost on me that every other mom in the park was keeping a close eye on Brett’s every movement. I couldn’t blame them. There was nothing more attractive to a mother than a sexy man getting down in the dirt, not the slightest bit embarrassed to sit in a sandbox if that’s what made the kids happy. But that didn’t stop the nagging jealousy from rearing its ugly head every time one of them dared to get a little too close. Thankfully, I had to hand it to him; he had a talent of smiling politely as he brushed them off and went back to playing with the twins.