Sawyer gestured his bottle towards Winnie. “I’ve never been violent, but the idea of anyone else touching her makes me want to break bones. Except you two. So, how does this work?”
I looked from him to Beck. “And what are we going to do to keep her from turning to a nomadic life to run away from us?”
Beck growled out his frustration. “I think we just tell her that she isn’t getting rid of us.”
“Haven’t we been trying?”
“Maybe not explicitly enough. She still thinks this is a hook up. Even though it’s absolutely ridiculous to think any man would do what we’ve been doing for a hook up.” Beck groaned when Winnie stood up and tried to discreetly adjust her swimsuit bottom. “So, we tell her this isn’t a hook up and that she can’t get away from us.”
Sawyer swore. “We sound like psychos if we do it that way.”
I watched as she looked over at us and then quickly away. “How about I tell her that I love her?”
Beck punched me in the arm and tapped his beer to Sawyer’s. “We were waiting on you to realize it.”
I frowned. “You knew?”
Sawyer mimed beating his chest as he mocked me. “You’re ours! Ours, ours, ours!”
Beck laughed a little too hard, until I hit him back. He grunted and clutched his stomach. “Dickhead.”
Sawyer moved slightly behind Beck. “I don’t know if we can do this thing with him. He’s a little too volatile, don’t you think, Beck?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What about you two?”
Beck hit Sawyer as he stood up. “I saw you try to hide behind me. What about us?”
“You love her?”
Sawyer grinned and elbowed Beck. “He’s pretty slow these days, isn’t he?”
I moved to hit them again, but froze when I looked up and saw Stacey stalking out of the house and into the party. I’d never liked the woman, and I had always thought Sawyer was an idiot for marrying her to begin with. She’d made him miserable. “What the fuck?”
Sawyer followed my gaze, and his smile instantly faded. “What the fuck is she doing here? Did you invite her?”
Beck snorted. “Is that a serious question? I didn’t invite her to shit when you were married to her.”
“Fuck. I’ll handle it.” He stopped when he saw Nick and Silas run to their mother and hug her tightly. Scowling as he looked back at us, he shook his head. “No wonder Winnie wants to get away from us.”
My chest thumped painfully again, and I sought Winnie’s form out across the yard. She was standing with her back to where Stacey was ,and I decided I’d intercept and get her over the shock.
44
Winnie
Arough,warmhandslid down my bare back, and Jack’s unique scent washed over me. I shivered at the feeling of him touching me after two days without contact. His other hand settled on my hip, and he used his grip to pull my hips back into his. Fire shot through my veins, and I grounded myself with my hand over his.
“Jack…” I looked around and saw that none of the kids were watching us, even though they could look over at any second. “The kids.”
He pressed a soft kiss to my shoulder. “What about them?”
I bit my lip when his other hand stroked up my arm and rubbed my neck. A whimper escaped my lips, and I dropped my head forward to hide the look on my face. “They could see.”
“I’m just rubbing your neck, baby. What are you thinking that’s got you so scandalized?” Even as he teased me, he nipped my neck with his teeth and slipped his hand around to my throat. “I’ve missed you. Not just this, but getting to hold you while we talk afterward.”
I was putty in his hands, unable to do anything but give in to my feelings. “I missed you. And Henry.”
He turned me around in his arms and cupped my face in his hands. The look on his face was intense, and full of an emotion that scared me. He was letting me see more than ever before, and my heart was racing to meet him halfway. “Win, I—”