Chapter Six
“Shhh!” I tried to hush the two giggling girls as we hid inside the tunnel on the playground.
“Macy?” Leo called for the second time, this time he was closer though, just outside the entrance to where we were huddled.
I held my finger up to my lips and Macy and Jayla both covered their mouths, attempting unsuccessfully to smother their laughter.
I poked my head out the end to find Leo standing just outside smirking. At first, I thought he must have been standing on something because his face was almost level with mine and we were in a tunnel well above the ground. But he wasn’t. He was really just that tall.
I grinned, my face only inches from his. “No boys allowed. Sorry.” Then I dived back in the tunnel, the sound of his deep laughter coming from behind me. It was low, like a rumble. Maybe like the sound you heard as an avalanche came hurtling down the hill toward you, and you only had seconds to react before it encompassed you.
That was what it reminded me of.
It was smooth, but deadly, and sent tingles through my body.
Macy giggled, the sound resounding off the plastic wall around us. “That’s not a boy. That my daddy!”
I gasped like this news shocked me. “It is? Are daddy’s allowed in?”
She seemed to consider that for a second. “I don’t fink he fit.”
“You’re right, he’s quite tall, isn’t he.”
Both she and Jayla’s little heads bobbed in agreement.
I poked my head back out the tunnel. “Apparently daddies are allowed, but we’ve come to the conclusion that you’re too big,” I told him with a cheeky smile.
His smirk only grew. “True in more ways than one.” My body flushed, feeling the insinuation in his comment. “Guess I’ll need to change tactics.”
I frowned as he disappeared underneath the wooden playground. I looked around for him, not sure where he’d gone. When I heard Macy’s delighted squeal, I ducked back inside to see her laughing as two strong hands pulled her from the other side of the tunnel.
Her laughter was loud and high pitched. “Hadwee! Save me!”
Jayla stared at me in shock. I wasn’t sure if she thought something was actually wrong or if she just didn’t know what was going on.
“Come on Jayla! Operation… rescue Macy!” I pumped my fist in the air, and she grinned. We both scurried out of the tunnel. I jumped off the wooden platform onto the soft bark below, turning around then lifting Jayla down too. “Over there!” I hollered, pointing to where Leo was standing behind the slide with a squirming Macy over his shoulder.
Leo grinned and ducked under the playground, backing away from our advances.
“Blizzard, bro, I’m under attack!” he yelled as he maneuvered strategically through the wooden poles.
“Hadwee!” Macy called again through a fit of laughter.
I pulled Jayla with me as we ducked and dived, trying to cut off his escape. But suddenly her hand slipped from mine. I turned just in time to see Blizzard carrying her in his arms, running back toward the clubhouse, laughing maniacally. Jayla giggled as she wrestled against his hold and soon he was gone.
“Dang it! I’m a man down,” I huffed.
“I’d give up now if I were you,” Camo called from the decked area just off the patio as he watched us in amusement. “Leo is military trained. You won’t get near him.”
I frowned. I needed a new strategy.
“Release the prisoner!” I yelled, pointing at him.
“Not a fucking chance.” He laughed.
I needed to bring him to me, so I began to climb back up the wooden playground. Leo smiled as he watched me, but I could tell he was curious about what I was up to.
Instead of sliding inside the tunnel, I climbed over the wooden rails and stood on top of it. His smile began to shrink. The tunnel itself was six feet or so off the ground. So standing on it made me almost feel a little sick.