"I like to keep that tradition," she adds.
"See? More proof that you're amazing. And yes, now I am trying to charm you."
Victoria laughs heartily, turning to me. "My panties are still on, Bennett."
"Challenge accepted."
The tension between us is rising to dangerous levels again, but the sound of footsteps and voices cut right through it. Seconds later, Lucas bursts inside the kitchen.
"The new batch of cookies is ready. Awesome." Without further ado, he heads to the counter, attacking the cookies.
"I'd better go shower."
Sienna and Chloe enter the room, joining their brother by the counter.
Grabbing my gym bag, I say, "Sorry to interrupt the cookiefest, but would anyone care to point me to the shower?"
"It's down the hall, second on the left."
***
"I had a great time today," I tell Victoria later, as I'm preparing to leave. I usually plan the hell out of my weekends, be it friend visits or working out at the gym, only leaving a few hours unscheduled in case my family is up to something spontaneous—and they always are. It might sound weird to plan time for spontaneity, but I'd never get to keep up with what everyone in my family is doing otherwise. I want to make the most of every free moment, and I found that's best achieved by planning ahead.
Today was different. I cleared my schedule until dinner and came here without any expectation beyond teaching Lucas some moves and making Victoria blush. It's been a wildly different day compared with how I usually spend weekends, but I found it surprisingly nice, and I don't want it to end. I have a hunch anything that involves Victoria would have that effect on me. And the kids are definitely a bonus.
"Thank you for doing this, Christopher."
Damn it. My name in her mouth is a trigger. She opens the door for me, and I step outside but linger in the doorway, inches away from her lips.
"He's going to kiss her," Lucas whispers. Damn. He and the girls were sup
posed to be in the kitchen. I can't see him from my position in the doorway, but he's obviously watching us.
"No, he won't." That was Sienna.
"Kissing is gross," Chloe chimes in.
Jesus. Where are they? I peek behind Victoria, but I still don't see the little buggers.
"But maybe we'll have another sister," Chloe continues. That girl jumps to conclusions fast.
"She'd be our niece," Sienna says. "Besides, kissing is not how you make kids."
"How do you make kids?" Lucas asks.
"You have to—"
Right, time to break up that conversation. Victoria seems to shake off her stupor, swirling around.
"Kids, eavesdropping is not polite," she says.
"But he wanted to kiss you," Lucas says. The kiss police emerge from behind the staircase leading upstairs. "We have to protect you."
I'd be perfectly on board with his plan if he were referring to anyone else except me.
Sighing, Victoria turns to me again. "In this house, there will always be someone listening," she whispers. A strand of her hair has caught at the corner of her mouth. I brush it away with my fingers, but instead of retracting my hand, I touch her lips, watching with satisfaction as they part in surprise.
"In that case, I can't wait to see you outside of it again."