way his masculine, hardworking fingers drape over mine. It sends a thrill through me. “You got two months.”
A burst of laughter works through me. “You say that like I had better make my mind up.”
Pulling his hand away, he winks, licking his lips. “You’d better.”
Atlas bounds over to us, jumping from side to side, unable to keep still with cheese sauce covering his cheeks. “Journey, can you come over tonight and watch movies? It’s not a school night.” Before I can answer him, he points to his half-eaten nachos. “Hey, Dad, can you finish those? If you can’t, can I borrow ten dollars?”
Lincoln laughs as Everett stomps around the corner and points his finger at Atlas. “Oh no, you don’t! That’s cheating.”
Atlas rolls his eyes and then drops his head forward, groaning. “Imma need that ten dollars, Dad.”
My attention turns back to Lincoln when he touches my hand again, his fingers brushing over my knuckles. “Will you come over tonight?”
“I’m not having sex with you,” I whisper, leaning in.
His eyes move to my lips, a sudden heat to them. “I’m not asking for sex.”
“Just so you know, it’s off the table.”
He nods. “Got it. No sex.”
BEING AT THEIR house with all of them there makes me nervous, but in some ways, comfortable. I lounge on the couch next to Lincoln like I have a place here. And in a strange sense, I think I do. I had a place in their lives before I even knew it.
Bear comes into the living room with Atlas on his shoulders. “Uncle B, is this a good plan for you?” Atlas asks, leaning to the side. In the process of him hanging off his shoulders, Bear loses his balance and stumbles.
Lincoln’s quick to jump to the rescue and catch the two of them. All three fall onto the couch next to me.
Atlas laughs. Bear does too, but poor Lincoln took the brunt of the fall and is now being licked in the face by Coho.
Frowning, Atlas tugs on Coho. “Dad, he licks his butt. That’s gross.”
Lincoln groans and pushes Coho off him. “Yeah, I know.”
We all laugh, aside from Lincoln, who disappears to wash his face. Atlas takes a seat next to me and hands me a blanket. “Are you having a sleepover with my dad tonight?”
I choke on my own spit.
Bear rests his chin on the edge of the couch, smiling. “Yeah, Journey. You sleepin’ over?”
“No, I’m just here for the snacks,” I tell them, reaching for the bowl of popcorn Fletcher hands me as he too makes his way into the room.
Fletcher winks at me. I think he knows that’s not the truth.
Two hours and a movie later, I change my mind on the no sex. Every time he looks over at me, it sets my body on fire and a jolt of electricity through me. My heart tells me one thing, and my head tells me another. I’m going with what my body is telling me, and it’s saying, fuck this guy because he’s leaving, and you don’t want to let this chance go. Okay, I know that’s not the right thing to do, but come on! Look at him all relaxed on the couch, his arm draped casually across the back and leaning into me. It’s too much. I can’t handle it any longer. Then to top it off, Atlas fell asleep on him, and seeing him running his hand over his son’s back has my ovaries bursting. I had no idea ovaries had feelings. Never had I thought about wanting to have kids until this moment right here.
And if you’re saying, Journey, control yourself, you’re clearly not sitting next to him and having him stare at you like he wants to rip your clothes off and suck your blood. So shut up. I’m not listening to you.
As if he’s privy to my internal dialogue, he looks over at me, lifting his son into his arms. “I’m going to put him to bed. I’ll be right back.”
Nodding, I smile and peek over at Bear, who’s asleep on the floor next to Coho. He never moved from where he fell earlier.
After he puts Atlas to bed, he returns and sits closer. Our bodies touch, and if I had to guess, he’s totally doing this on purpose. I try to push him away, too, but it doesn’t work. He laughs. Fucking laughs. “Maybe you should go sit over there,” I suggest, curling my arms around my center and pulling the blanket up