She reaches for the waistband of my jeans, but I place my hand over hers to stop her. She sits back, settling her fine ass against my cock. “I want to. It’s not fair to you.”
I chuckle. “I got what I wanted, what I needed. I got to make you lose control.”
“Ridge,” she says hesitantly.
“We better head back. They’re going to think we ran off.”
“Not without Knox,” she says, and my heart soars at her admission. He’s a part of me, and she accepts that.
I kiss her again quickly before helping her off my lap. She wraps her arm around my waist and settles into my side as we walk back to the house.
Inside, the guys have the TV sound low. Dawn is sleeping, her head on Mark’s shoulder. Seth and Kent have their eyes glued to the fight, while Reagan and Tyler are talking to what sounds like a soon-to-be-upset Knox.
“He’s hungry,” I announce, alerting them that we’re back.
“I was just getting ready to make him a bottle,” Reagan says.
“I got it.” I kiss Kendall on the temple then take my son from my sister. “Hey, bud, you hungry?” He quiets at the sound of my voice. “Let’s go make you some dinner.” I carry him into the kitchen with me, making his bottle one-handed like I’ve learned to do over the past few weeks.
He whimpers pitifully.
“I know, little man. It’s almost ready.”
Once the bottle’s ready, I head back to the living room. “I’m just going to take him upstairs and feed him. I’ll be back when I get him down.”
“You need help?” Kendall asks.
“No, babe. I got it. You didn’t get to eat. Help yourself, and I’ll be down in a bit.” I wink at her and head upstairs to settle my boy in for the night.
I relax in the chair Ridge and I shared earlier and stare at the screen. I’m not the least bit interested in what’s going on; instead, my mind wanders to what just happened. How I let myself go with him.
“Kendall,” Reagan says, grabbing my attention. “You not going to eat?”
“Yeah, I’ll just wait for Ridge.”
My answer causes her to grin, and I feel my face blush. I wonder if she can tell her brother just rocked my world in his backyard. Just as my mind starts to drift again, we hear the crackle of the baby monitor as Ridge enters Knox’s room. Looking around the living room, I see the receiving end sitting on a small table next to the TV.
“You doing better, little guy? You seem to be in a better mood,” Ridge says to Knox.
Reagan chuckles, as do the rest of us. He’s so good with him. I don’t think he even realizes it.
“Daddy’s doing better too, but you already know that, don’t you? I think Kendall has worked her charms on you just like she has your old man.”
I stare wide-eyed at the monitor. I should stand to turn it off—this is his private moment with his son—but I can’t move. Instead, I tune everything out except the sound of his voice.
“We’re lucky, Knox. She wants both of us. Oh, you like that idea, do you? I see your smile.” Knox coos at him. “You’re probably too young for this conversation, but my dad once told me to trust your gut and when you find the one to not let her go. In this case, she’s not just mine—she’s ours. We’ve found our one.”
We’re all listening to him, so I stand to turn it off. Just as I reach the monitor, he says something that has tears welling in my eyes.
“I think your mommy would approve. She just wanted the best for you, for you to feel loved and know you’re wanted. I love you, little man, and Kendall . . . Well, she’s important to me, and I hope that whatever this is grows. I think that would make your mom happy. I know it would me. What about you, huh?” Knox coos. “Good, glad we’re on the same page. Good talk.” He chuckles and I reach for the receiver, turning it off.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly release it before turning to face the room. I don’t make eye contact as I walk straight to the chair Ridge and I were sitting in and focus my gaze on the television.
“Kendall,” Dawn tries to get my attention. Of course, she would wake up to hear what happened.
I don’t look at her, just keep staring at the TV as if I didn’t hear her.
“He’s different with you,” Tyler says. His deep voice makes it impossible to ignore him.
I’m trying to work this out in my head—how I respond to him, how to act after what I just heard. My heart feels like it could beat out of my chest, and there are millions of butterflies in my stomach.
“Hey, did you eat?” Ridge asks, sitting on the arm of the chair.
I’m so zoned out I didn’t even know he was back. “No, I, uh . . . I waited for you.”
He grins a boyish grin. Standing, he holds his hand out for me and I take it, allowing him to lead me to the kitchen. Ridge grabs my hips and lifts me up to sit on the counter, settling between my legs.
“You okay?” He cups my face with one hand, keeping a tight grip on my hip with the other.
“Yeah, I uh . . . I heard you. We all did.” I can’t lie to him. I don’t want to start out that way.
“Heard me?” he asks, confused.
“The baby monitor. It was on, and we all heard you.”
He grins. “Good, now those fuckers who I call friends will keep their eyes off you.”
Wait, what? “You’re not mad? And what do you mean ‘keep their eyes off me’?”
“No, babe, I’m not mad. I meant every word. I have nothing to hide. And those four knuckle heads in there, they watch you.”