“Aw, spoilsport.” Rock yelled back from the bottom of the garden. “You’re taking sides with them. No fair.”
“Don’t let Mommy come out there,” she yelled back. “It won’t be pretty.”
At her words Rock came bounding up the garden, a huge grin on his face. “Okay, guys,” he said, “it’s all yours.” He threw the beach ball up into the air and let it fall back down to the ground.
“Yay.” With whoops of joy the children scampered out to scoop up the coveted toy.
As soon as they were out the door Rock sauntered in, walked up to Dana as she tore up leaves of lettuce, and hugged her from behind.
“What you gonna do?” he whispered. “Lock me up?”
She gave a snort. “I’ve done it before.”
For that, he bent his head and gave her a nip on the neck. “So let’s go play lockup. I’ve got handcuffs.”
Dana opened her eyes wide and dropped her handful of lettuce back into the bowl. Then she turned to give her husband a stern look. Or at least she tried. It was kind of hard to be stern when you had a grin on your face. “Rock, behave. The children-”
“Are gone back down to the bottom of the garden. They’ll be busy with that ball for a while. And beside, Nanny’s with them.” He pulled her into his arms. “What say we run upstairs? You can punish me for being a bad boy. Without the police this time.”
That made Dana laugh out loud. “Naughty, naughty.”
Rock didn’t wait to hear anymore. He swept her up into his arms and took the stairs two at a time. And as he took her into the room and laid her on the bed, Dana thanked the stars for her wonderful family and this man whose love was hot and passionate and absolutely crazy.
Rock St. Stephens, the love of her life, would never escape her…even if it meant keeping him under lock and key.
He was hers – to have and to hold and to love – forever.
THE END