sees this,’ Killian snorted.
‘Very responsible,’ Kelley scowled. ‘You know there’s a very real possibility she could end up laughing her way into premature labor.’
‘Thanks for the concern,’ Killian smirked, ‘but trust me Bean and Button aren’t in any hurry, a fact Hope reminds me of at least every half hour.’
Kelley glowered at his brother as he lifted his phone and snapped another picture.
‘That one’s for Grandma.’
‘Oh great,’ Kelley rolled his eyes, ‘just give the old lady a heart attack, why don’t you?’
‘Oh please, it’s not like she hasn’t seen you naked.’
‘Yeah when I was like five,’ Kelley snapped.
‘All right that’s enough you two,’ Gus intervened.
The sound of a door rattling had him looking across to the RV. Killian watched the look on his brother’s face with great interest as Ava climbed down the steps. She was wearing denim shorts and a tank, but her red sneakers, which were now ruined, had been replaced with army boots. She scraped her long thick wild hair back, wrapping it into a messy knot.
‘Dude you’re drooling,’ Killian whispered in amusement.
‘Huh?’ Kelley replied, not listening to a word he was saying.
‘What’s going on?’ Ava stopped in front of him and glanced down at her new frying pan.
‘Bailey stole my towel,’ he admitted sheepishly, ‘she has a freakishly strong grip with her jaw. You sure she’s not part python?’
Ava’s lips twitched as she turned and tucking her fingers into her mouth, she let out the loudest, shrillest whistle he’d ever heard. After a few seconds Bailey bounded back into view still carrying the towel which now looked as if it had been chewed to death in a shark attack.
‘Hand it over,’ she stared Bailey down, who let out a token woof of resistance. ‘Bailey,’ she warned.
Trotting over reluctantly she spat the soggy mess at Kelley’s feet.
He leaned down ignoring the loud wolf whistle behind his bare ass and picked up the towel, dangling it between his fingertips.
‘Thanks,’ he replied dryly as he stared down at the dog who looked completely unrepentant. ‘I don’t suppose you have another one?’
‘Sorry,’ Ava replied trying not to smile, ‘hang on a minute though.’
She disappeared back into the RV, reappearing moments later with the small tartan blanket they’d been sharing.
‘All right boys, show’s over,’ she dismissed them.
‘She’s right,’ Killian decided to take pity on his brother. ‘Let’s get set up and get to work.’
They all moved away murmuring amongst themselves as Ava approached Kelley and stopped directly in front of him, with barely a few inches between them as she glanced down.
‘That a frying pan in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?’
‘Both,’ he smiled slowly.
She leaned in and wrapped the blanket around the back of him, covering his rather fine ass as he lifted the frying pan and she continued to wrap the blanket around him like a kilt.
‘There,’ she smiled as he handed her the frying pan, ‘very William Wallace.’
‘So, you do read.’
‘No,’ she laughed lightly, ‘Mel Gibson fan.’
‘Mel really?’ he asked in disbelief.
‘’Fraid so,’ she nodded.
‘Thank you for coming to my rescue,’ he swayed closer to her.
‘You’re welcome,’ the barest hint of a dimple appeared in her left cheek as she looked up at him. ‘Sorry I abandoned you, I panicked.’
He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Impulsively she rose up on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek, feeling the rough scratch of a day-old stubble against her lips.
‘I think we can do better than that,’ he murmured, enchanted by her.
Every thought drained from her mind as his lips pressed against her mouth, soft and warm. The whole world seemed to tilt as he wrapped his arms around her and dipped her backward sinking deeper into the kiss. It was only when she heard the familiar click of a camera, they both looked up, blinking like deer caught in a set of headlights as she still clutched the frying pan.
‘That’s one for the family album,’ Gus grinned.
‘Dad,’ Kelley hissed.
‘Go on,’ Ava laughed and righted herself, giving him a little shove with the pan. ‘You’d better go find some clothes.’
‘I’ll call you later,’ he dropped a light kiss on her lips as he headed toward his car and climbed in.
‘Well this is going to be interesting to watch,’ Killian grinned to his father.
Ava turned around to find the two Ryan men watching her.
‘Don’t you both have something to do?’ she asked pointedly, her cheeks flaming slightly with embarrassment.
‘As a matter of fact, I do,’ Gus adjusted his gun belt, ‘dinner at