“Don’t you know me? I’m insatiable.” He nips at my earlobe. “Insatiable for you.”
“Uncle Dillon!” Easton shouts, bounding into the room a few seconds later.
Dillon groans, burying his head in my shoulder. “He has the worst timing.”
“Or impeccable timing.”
“What’s up, buddy?” Dillon says, keeping his arms around me.
“Will you play in the treehouse with me?”
“Absolutely.” Dillon never refuses him anything.
“Awesome. I’ll meet you outside!” he says, racing out of the room like a tornado.
“I see someone got laid,” Ash says, grinning, a few hours later when she arrives for our lunch-slash-yoga date.
“Jesus, Ash. Tone it down, would ya?” Dillon points to where Easton is sitting at the kitchen table drawing pictures of Reeve and Lainey with the angels in heaven.
“Shit, sorry. I didn’t see the little munchkin. All I saw was Viv’s radiant glow.” She waggles her brows.
“You know what you need to do, Auntie Ash,” Easton says in a singsong voice, sliding off his chair and walking toward us. He slaps out his palm. “Hand the goods over.”
Dillon chuckles, beaming at his son as his sister removes a dollar bill from her wallet and hands it to E. “I’ll be coming to you instead of the bank for a loan soon.”
Easton grins before turning to his father. “Uncle Dil? What does got laid mean?”
I snort laugh, grabbing my gym bag and my purse, wiggling my fingers at my man. “And that’s my cue to leave. Good luck handling that one.”
“You’re mean,” he mouths. “And I’ll make you pay.”
“I look forward to it.” Bending down, I kiss my son on the lips. “Be good for Uncle Dillon. I’ll see you later.”
Easton throws his arms around me. “We’re going to practice with my guitar. Love you, Mommy.”
I pull him up into my arms and hug him tight. “I love you too.”
“Where’s my loving?” Ash asks, fake pouting.
“You don’t deserve one after the shit you’ve landed me in.” Dillon sulks, and it’s priceless.
Easton projects himself from my arms to Ash’s, giving her a quick hug. “Love you too, Auntie Ash.”
“Right back at ya, cutie.” Pretending to whisper, she says, “Give Uncle Dil hell, and don’t forget he hasn’t answered your question yet.”
Oh my God. Dillon is going to kill her if the thunderous look on his face is any indication.
We’re still laughing when we step outside, climbing into Ash’s car.
Leon gets behind the wheel of the security SUV, trailing us down the driveway.
“Don’t you ever get sick of having bodyguards following you everywhere? We need security when the guys are on tour, and I hate it even if I know it’s for our protection.”
“It’s all I’ve ever known, and I’ve gotten used to it. Besides, Leon and Bobby are like family now they’ve been with us so long, and they are discreet. Most times, I forget they’re even there.”
“Have you given much thought to going public with Dil?” she asks, pulling out of my driveway onto the road.
“It’s been on my mind,” I truthfully reply. “I know it’s best to get in front of these things, and I know that means we’ll need to put out a statement or give an interview.”
“You will, and I know you’re worried about what people will say, but fuck them. Seriously, it’s none of their business.”
“I’ll talk to Dillon about it tonight, but I’m thinking maybe we could do it after Christmas.” That gives us a month and a bit to plan it and enough time for me to recover my lady balls.
“So, you two finally bumped uglies,” she says, taking the exit for the highway.
“We did.” I can’t contain my grin. “It was incredible. Even better than I remembered. We barely got any sleep, and I can’t wait until tonight so I can jump his bones again.”
“Blech.” She makes a face. “TMI, sister.”
I laugh, buoyed up by great sex and Dillon’s love. “Your brother is a fucking beast in the bedroom. The things he does to me.”
“Yeah, Viv. I know you’re all loved up and sexed up, but you’ve got to quit that shit, or I’m seriously going to puke.”
I giggle, and her expression softens as she reaches across the console to squeeze my hand. “All joking aside, I am made up for you. Seeing both of you so happy after everything makes me incredibly happy.”
“I’m happy too. It’s like it used to be, but better, if that makes sense.”
She nods. “I get what you’re saying.”
“I still get moments where I feel the odd bout of guilt, and I still miss Reeve, but I’m done with being sad all the time. It’s been almost seven months. It’s time to live again.”
40
VIVIEN
“We’ve got a bit of a situation,” Leon says as Ash and I emerge from the locker room, showered and changed after our yoga class.
“What situation?” Ash asks, thrusting her shoulders back and adopting her serious business face.
Sympathy splays across Leon’s face as he looks at me. “The media knows about you and Dillon. There are a ton of paparazzi out front.”
My face pales, and bile swims up my throat. Ash grips my hand. This is what I was afraid of.
Leon gestures behind him to where Bobby and another two bodyguards are waiting. “You were in the middle of your class when the news broke. I didn’t want to interrupt you, so I called in reinforcements. There’s no back door in this place, so we’ve got no choice but to go out the main entrance.”
“How bad is it?” I ask.
“Bad.”
“Right, fuck those assholes.” Ash straightens up, eyeballing me. “Ignore them, and don’t look at them. We’ll figure out what to do when we get back to the house.” She looks at Leon. “I assume my brother is aware?”
He nods. “It was Dillon who called to warn me. He wanted to come and get you himself, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.”
No shit, Sherlock. It would have been a complete clusterfuck if Dillon had shown up here, and I’m glad he listened to sense for once.
“Okay, let’s do this.” Ash grips my hand tighter. “You ready?”
I nod even though I’m never ready for this shit.
Leon and Bobby cover us from both sides while the other two bodyguards cover us front and rear as we make our way outside.
The second Leon opens the door, a ton of reporters and photographers rush toward us, shouting questions and sticking cameras in our faces. I keep my head down, ignoring them as we’re jostled and pushed from all angles. The bodyguards are taking the brunt of the shoving, doing their best to protect us, but it’s a total shitshow as we battle it to our car.
“Vivien, is it true you’re having an affair with Reeve’s twin brother?”
“Vivien, were you sleeping with Dillon when Reeve was still alive? Is that why you were arguing in the car the night of the accident?”