He considered her for a moment then nodded. “How about this? I’ll take you to The Ranch, that resort I belong to. We’ll have as much privacy as we want. But we’ll also have all kinds of things at our fingertips if you want to seek out some adventure.”
The kink resort. Exciting. Terrifying. She licked her lips. “All right.”
Pike’s hand wrapped around her neck and drew her closer, his thumb mapping the hollow of her throat and his position over her making her feel small. “Then Saturday, you’re mine.”
The words held both promise and warning in them, making her heart beat faster. But before she could respond, her phone beeped and broke the spell.
Pike released her and sat back. “Your brother?”
She grabbed her phone and checked the screen. “Yeah. His dinner party’s over. I better get going.”
“Or you could stay.”
She sat on her calves. “You know I can’t.”
“You and Reagan can take my bed. I’ll take the couch. You shouldn’t disturb her if you don’t have to.”
She glanced over at her sleeping daughter. The snoring was now two-fold between her and Monty. Carrying her downstairs and putting her in the car would wake her up. And she was more than a little cranky when awakened in the middle of the night.
“I hate to take your bed.”
He smirked. “You’re always welcome in my bed, mama. Even if I’m not going to be in it with you tonight.”
She eyed him for a long moment, tiredness and practicality eventually winning out, and then typed out a message to her brother.
Oakley: Going 2 stay at Pike’s.
Devon: What???
Oakley: Totally PG, Rae sleeping, don’t want 2 wake her
A few seconds passed before her brother responded again.
Devon: Use condoms.
Oakley: Dev!!!
Devon: Responsible big brother
She laughed and rolled her eyes.
Pike smiled. “What? Your brother headed over with a shotgun?”
“No. He told me to make sure I use protection.”
“I like this brother.”
“I think he likes you, too. You know, in that way.”
Pike grinned, unrepentant. “Ah, good taste then, too. Is he hot?”
She shoved his leg, relieved that the consuming tension from a few moments before was dispelled. She could breathe again. They’d made a decision. They could handle it. “Oh, I see. You don’t care the gender as long as the person provides proper adoration?”
He chuckled. “You haven’t Googled me and learned all about my steamy gay affairs?”
She blinked. “There’ve been steamy gay affairs?”
He glanced toward Reagan’s sleeping form and cocked a thumb toward the kitchen. “Ice cream. Then I’ll answer any sordid question you have.”