similar to the one she uses with Abbott. “If you need me to go easy on you, say the word.”
Grady barks a laugh.
Despite being the best of his class at the Naval Academy where Jarvis found him, the recruit is young and stupid in many other ways. “Who the fuck are you and what game is this?” He looks at Crew and then Jarvis. “Is this a test? You’re trying to get me to hit a woman so you can pummel my ass?”
“No trick, man,” Jarvis assures him. “Carson works here and you’ll answer to her as much as you will me. Pay attention, she’s good.”
“Would you like to start?” Bella asks.
“Fuck, no,” the recruit throws back.
“Baby, do your thing,” I call to her. “He’ll catch up.”
The recruit’s eyes zip to me at the word baby.
“This is your last chance,” Bella warns, shaking and flexing her fingers as she squares her shoulders.
He shakes his head and looks at his audience. We all nod, giving him the go ahead to try to kick my wife’s ass.
Try being the operative word.
He turns to Bella.
Bella smiles … so fucking beautiful. The glint in her eyes reminds me of the young woman I fell in love with years ago.
As instructed, he makes the first move.
Bella weaves.
He cuts.
Bella dodges.
They don’t make contact and the recruit is surprised—frustrated and surprised.
Jarvis raises his voice. “Are you even trying?”
The recruit frowns before moving again. This time he goes for it. A punch comes so close to my wife’s jaw, my insides tighten.
Then, she lets loose.
Kicks.
Strikes.
Jabs.
A leg sweep.
He gets her a couple times but she has no problem holding her own.
This goes on and the recruit realizes my wife is the real deal.
“Look at her go,” I mutter.
Asa winces. “You are one crazy fuck, Carson.”
“She’s amazing,” I add, not taking my eyes off her. “Makes me hard.”
Ozzy sighs.
Bella spins one more time and takes him to the mat, his six foot-plus frame landing with a heavy thud. She pops up like a ninja jack-in-the-box and for the first time shows any sign of exertion. Her breaths come quicker as she brushes the dust off her black workout clothes and steps back, fixing her long, blond hair.
She walks off the mat and comes straight to me. I lean down and kiss her. “You know that turns me on, sweetness.”
She smiles because she knows.
Now I can’t wait for naptime. I’m going to put her in the shower and show her just how much.
Unbuckling Isaac from his carrier, she pulls him away from me as bubbles and drool run down his smiling chin, happy to see his mum, who we’re both obsessed with.
“Mummy is done. Do you want to find Abbott and the cows? Moooo.”
The recruit is bleeding from the lip and sweating his ass off as he climbs slowly to his feet, cursing under his breath.
“Don’t worry,” I call to him. “You’ll get better. It’s why you’re here.”
With our son in her arms, my wife agrees but doesn’t look away from me. “Being here is a dream, isn’t it, love?”
I put my arm around her shoulders and turn her to the open barn doors to find Abbott. I want to get back to our Saturday. “Being anywhere with you is a dream, sweetness.”
Bella
I tag my tea and move through the house to the back door. The weather took a turn tonight and Mother Nature has given us her first taste of fall. But I don’t feel the nip in the air, I’m too emotional.
I settle myself into the thick cushions of the sofa in the sunroom, as I need to steal a second to myself.
I stare out at the sunset, past the shed, the garden, and to the thick foliage, now lit up in golds and reds. It’s beyond the golden hour, the time of the day Cole and I usually have to ourselves. Abbott is in bed and, if the baby gods are in line, Isaac is winding down. This is our time together and we’re rarely apart.
It’s why I’m not surprised when the door opens behind me. Cole was on Isaac duty because Abbott and I are lost in the world of child wizards—my funny accent coming in handy, she says.
“Did I piss you off?”
I choke out a huff and shake my head but don’t look back. He’ll know soon enough and I swipe at the damn tear that escapes.
“Hey.” He walks around the sofa and frowns when he sees my expression. “Fuck. What did I do?”