“My nieces Eliza, Peyton, Shannie and Liesl call me Buck. So do Kyler, Gib, Thane, Anton, Parker, Braxton, Spencer, Westin… Shoot, I know I’m forgetting a couple that can talk now.”
“You consider all your McKay cousins’ offspring your nieces and nephews?” Ginger asked.
“Pretty much. Me’n Kade were with them all the time growin’ up. And we’re ranching together, so the kids think of me the same as their other McKay uncles.” He winked. “I’ve gotta admit to havin’ a real soft spot for Kade’s girls.”
“Anton and Ky are cool,” Hayden offered. “They’re always talking about all their cousins.” He dumped cereal in his bowl and poured soymilk over it.
“Seems my cousins’ wives are in a race to see who can have the most kids in the shortest amount of time.”
“Who’s winning?”
“Colby and Channing were, but with Cam and Domini adopting Liesl and the twins a few months back…they’re tied. Four and four.”
Ginger looked at Kane. “Lots of twins in the McKay family tree.”
He nodded. “Mostly fraternal. Kade and I are the only identical twins in our McKay generation, but it seems genetics—and adoption—is makin’ up for it in this next generation.”
Kane’s phone buzzed and he plucked it out of his front shirt pocket. “Mornin’ Ma.” Pause. “No.”
Another pause. “Because it ain’t a story Ginger wants spread all over town.” He held the phone away from his ear as his mother railed on him.
Ginger detected humor in his tone, not anger as he said, “Sorry. No, I am sincerely sorry, Ma. Yes ma’am.” Then he hung up.
He gave Hayden a conspiratorial wink. “See? My mama still makes me apologize too.”
“Wow. What did you do?”
“Forgot to tell her I’m helpin’ out over here.”
“Oh.” Hayden tucked into his cereal, hiding behind the box.
“What time do we have to leave for the basketball game?” Dash asked Kane.
“’Bout two hours.”
“I’ll be ready. I have a few things to finish up in my room.” Dash left the table and his door closed behind him.
“As soon as you’re done with breakfast, you need to hop in the shower, Hayden.”
“Aw, Mom. I’m probably just gonna get sweaty at the game. I’ll shower when I get home.”
“No dice.”
“Why do you make me shower every day? It’s a waste of water,” Hayden grumbled. He shoved the cereal box aside and challenged Kane. “Do you shower once a day?”
“Nope.”
A triumphant expression crossed Hayden’s face. “See?”
Kane mock-whispered, “Sometimes I shower twice a day.”
“No fair.” Hayden picked up his bowl and drank the last of the soymilk as he walked to the sink.
Before he made it to his room, Ginger yelled, “A shower means getting your hair wet and scrubbing it with shampoo.”
“Aw man” echoed back to her and she and Kane smiled at each other.
“You busted him on a technicality, Mom, nice goin’.”
“Were you determined to do your part to save the environment when you were a boy by not showering? Because this is a foreign concept to me.”
“Once Kade and I had a contest to see who could go the longest.” He grinned. “We tied at three weeks until Ma couldn’t stand the smell of us and hosed us both down in the front yard.”
“I knew an iron-fisted disciplinarian lurked beneath Kimi’s sweeter-than-honey demeanor.”
“She puts the ‘mean’ in demeanor. She’s small, but she’s mighty.”
Then playful Kane vanished and he stared at her with the inscrutable gaze that caused her nerve endings to twitch.
“What are you thinking about?”
He practically growled, “How badly I want to throw you over my shoulder and drag you to bed.”
The rush of lust unfurled her flirty side. “What would you do with me, once you had me where you wanted me?”
“Fuck you. After I f**ked you on the bed, I’d f**k you against the wall. Then I’d bend you over the chair and f**k you from behind as we’re watching ourselves in your mirror. Then I’d f**k you in the shower.”
Ginger’s heart galloped. For a man of few words, he used them well. She could almost feel the soft mattress against her spine and his muscular body covering hers from chest to feet. She could almost feel the hot, hard thickness of his c**k filling her as he braced his hands by her head. He’d look into her eyes, alternating his sexy penetrating stare with bone-melting kisses. Wordlessly urging her to new sexual heights as he rammed his flesh into hers, until they both exploded with satisfaction.
“Ah sugar, you’re playin’ with fire, eyeballin’ me like that.”
“Same goes,” she shot back.
“It’s gonna be a long goddamn day,” he muttered and exited the kitchen.
Kane’s mother, being the snoopy sort, showed up just as they were getting ready to leave. “Ma.
What’re you doin’ here?”
Kimi McKay had to stand on tiptoe to kiss her son’s cheek. “Just being neighborly. I brought over a casserole and a few of the cookies Eliza and I made.”
Hayden peeked in the bag. “Cool. Sprinkles.”
“You like sprinkles?” Kimi asked.
He nodded.
“Maybe sometime your mama will let you come over and bake cookies with me. Been years since I had a little boy in my kitchen helpin’ me out.”
“That’d be fun. Me’n Buck had a cooking class with Domini.”
“I heard. What did you learn?”
Hayden scowled. “That I can still taste broccoli even if it’s hidden in food.”
Kimi laughed. “No broccoli in the casserole, I promise. Now you guys better get goin’. I’ll stick around. Keep Ginger company. You know, in case she needs something.”
Kane froze. Dammit. How could he force his mother to leave without it seeming like he was trying to get rid of her?
He couldn’t. Kimi West McKay knew that. She’d counted on Kane being polite in mixed company because that’s how she’d raised him.
A well-played move by the blonde tornado.
His mother lovingly patted his arm—and then heaved him out the door. “Have fun, boys!”
Dash wore a funny smirk as he rolled down the wheelchair ramp. “I see Kimi still rules the roost.”