after the auction last night, and I laughed and laughed with his brothers. They’re as funny and smart as Tristan is. “When will I see you?” I whisper.
“Are you getting needy, Anderson?”
I smile. “A little.”
“About fucking time.” He pushes the hair back from my face as he stares down at me. “Tonight,” he replies.
“Tonight?” I stare at him. “You don’t have to come tonight. We have to ease the kids into this, and I know you hate the couch.”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m coming tonight. I won’t stay over.”
“Okay, but remember, we’re just friends at this stage to them.” I hunch up my shoulders. “I really need them to be okay with this, Tris.”
“They will be.”
“Harry . . .” I wince.
“Is a nightmare,” Tristan replies.
I widen my eyes. “Stop that. I’m allowed to call him a nightmare; you are not. Just like I’m allowed to call you a nightmare, and they are not.”
He rolls his eyes. “However you put it. I’ll see you tonight. Let’s go out for dinner. The five of us.”
“Really?” I frown. “That’s very Brady Bunch.”
He grabs my behind and brings me closer to his pelvis. I can feel a hint of hardness in his trousers. “Does the guy fuck the mother in the bathroom of the restaurant on The Brady Bunch?”
I giggle. “Surely not. And don’t get any ideas. That is not happening. My children will never know that we have sex. Like ever.”
He gives me a sexy wink.
“I mean it, Tristan.”
“I wouldn’t.” He smiles.
“Why are you smiling, then?”
“Because I know what a horny fuckmaster two thousand their mother is.”
I burst out laughing in surprise. “A horny fuckmaster two thousand?”
“Yes, it’s the latest sex toy.”
“And what does this toy do?”
“Deep throats like a champion. With a churning pussy that melts my cock.”
My mouth falls open as I feign horror. “You will never see my deep-throating skills again if you keep going.”
He smiles against my lips as he kisses me.
“I had a great weekend.” I smile up at him. “The best.”
“Hmm.” His eyes close, and I feel his dick harden up against me.
“Didn’t you say you had a meeting?” I ask.
“You must be a faulty model.” He kisses me again.
“Why is that?”
“The horny fuckmaster two thousand doesn’t speak. I specifically asked for one without a voice box.”
I burst out laughing again. “Go to work, you fool.”
I pull my dress over my head and smooth it down. It’s navy and fitted and hangs just below the knees with spaghetti straps. I look at myself in the mirror.
The kids are back home from my parents’ and are downstairs waiting for me to get ready so that we can go out to dinner. I haven’t told them yet that Tristan is coming.
Not quite sure how to broach it with them, to be honest.
I smile as I go over the glorious weekend Tristan and I just had together. I’m on cloud nine.
I’m not fighting with the kids over him. I don’t want that to be the big defining moment when they have to adjust to me dating again. I’m just going to ease him in as our friend, and then one day they will hopefully get along enough so that they like having him around.
Sounds easy in theory . . . right?
There is a knock at the door, and my heart jumps. He’s here.
I hear footsteps running to the door. “Tristan!” Patrick yells in excitement.
“Hello.” I hear his deep voice echo through the house.
“What are you doing here?” Harry barks.
“I’m coming to dinner. Where’s Mom?”
“Mom only booked for four,” Harry says.
“Well, that’s funny,” Tristan replies. “Because I booked the restaurant, and I booked for five.”
I smile as I listen to the banter.
“This is a family-only dinner,” Harry replies, unimpressed.
“Be quiet, Harry,” Patrick snaps. “You’re ruining everything.”
“Yes, Wiz,” Tristan says. “Good advice from your little brother.”
I smile. He has a nickname for everyone. Even the cat is called Muff Cat—Muff won’t do.
I walk around the corner and down the stairs. Tristan looks up, and our eyes meet. He smiles softly up at me as my stomach flutters.
“Hello,” I say.
“Hi.” He smiles dreamily.
The air circles between us, and I just want to run into his arms—but I can’t, of course. My three bouncers are here to protect me.
“Thank you for coming,” I say as I hit the bottom step.
“That’s okay,” Tristan replies. “I had nothing better to do.”
Harry folds his arms with an exaggerated eye roll. “Oh great, this is all I need,” he huffs. “The night is ruined.”