Right now, she needed to feed four kids and get them settled for the night.
As always, the kids came first and she came last.
She got that’s what happened when you had kids. Most days, she didn’t mind. But right now, she’d like a few hours to herself to think about everything going on in her life instead of what fruit or vegetable she’d serve with the pizza and how many bedtime stories it would take to get the kids to go to sleep.
“Can I call my mom?” Danny asked.
Sierra was probably having the night of her life out with Mason at a fancy restaurant that probably didn’t even serve chicken nuggets and had linen napkins and fancy cocktails.
Amy desperately needed an adult beverage right now.
“Let’s fix that cut. You can call her after dinner.” She held her hand out to her nephew and walked with him to the bathroom, leaving the other three loud children tossing paper airplanes trying to outdo one another with the distance they got on their throws.
She didn’t feel like she was getting anywhere but older in her life.
Chapter Eighteen
Mason kicked the front door closed, tugged Sierra’s hand to get her to turn to him, then took her mouth in a searing kiss that made his heart slam into his ribs, then beat double time. She tasted like wine and honey. Sweet on his tongue. A fire in his arms. She gave back everything he poured into showing her how much he wanted her.
He’d waited so long to have her all to himself and in his arms like this.
He didn’t want to waste a second of it. And yet, he had all night to take his time.
She hooked her leg around his thigh, her arms locked around his neck. He grabbed her ass and pulled her in close. About to pick her up and carry her to his bedroom, she jolted and pushed away when her phone rang.
She sucked in a much needed breath and smiled up at him. “Sorry. It’s probably the kids calling to say good night.”
Reluctantly and with a lot of effort, he let her loose.
She swiped the screen to accept the video call and held up the phone so the boys could see her. “Hey, you guys. Are you having fun?”
“Aunt Amy set the house on fire,” Oliver announced.
“What?” Sierra gasped. “Are you all okay?”
“Everyone is fine,” Amy yelled. “I burned a pizza, not the house.”
Sierra’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Sounds like you had some excitement. What else did you do today?”
“All kinds of stuff. I won the airplane-flying contest and ate the most pizza.” Danny beamed his mother a smile. “P.J. beat me on the race car game. Emma wanted us to play tea party, but there wasn’t anything in the cups, so we went out back and played on the swings. P.J. can go really high.”
“You’ve been busy. I hope you helped Aunt Amy clean up.”
“We did. First one to finish their area got to pick the books for bedtime. I won.”
“Awesome.” Sierra’s adoration for her boys and their accomplishments showed in her bright eyes. “Did you brush your teeth and wash up for bed?”
“All done.” Danny leaned in close to the screen. “Where are you?”
With nothing but a blank wall behind her, she had no trouble lying. “At home. I’ll be there first thing in the morning. We’ll have breakfast with Aunt Amy, then come home.”
“Can we go riding with Mason? He said he’d teach me to go backwards.”
“Why do you want your horse to go backwards?”
“Cuz.”
Sierra glanced at Mason. He nodded that he’d take the boys horseback riding. “I’m sure Mason will take you and Oliver riding again. Now I want you to be good boys, be quiet while Aunt Amy reads books, and go right to sleep so you’ll be rested and ready to ride with Mason tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Danny yawned. “You’ll be here in the morning. Right?”
“Yes, honey. I’ll be there.”
“Night, Mommy.” Oliver blew a kiss.
Sierra pretended it smacked her on the cheek and smiled. “Night, baby. I love you both. Make sure you thank Aunt Amy for a great day.”
The boys waved good-bye and Amy took the phone and turned away from the screen, making sure the boys left. “I hope you had a good night because four kids all going in different directions is chaos.”
Sierra chuckled. “You said you wanted to keep them for the night.”
“Because I don’t know how to say no. Except to Rex. Who’s pissed at me, by the way.”
“Because you offered to babysit the kids?”
“No. Yes. We were supposed to have date night and I forgot.”
“Oh, Amy, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well, it is what it is. So while my relationship is falling apart and yours is heating up, I expect details over breakfast about your fab night because I’m living vicariously through you until Rex decides if he’s going to keep me or not.”
Sierra stared at her sister stunned, then found her words. “Um, I’m sure Rex just got caught up and said some things he didn’t mean.”
“Oh, he meant them.” Amy waved it all away. “Sorry. I’m bumming you out on your hot date. You’re still with him, aren’t you?”
Sierra turned the phone so Amy could see him standing next to Sierra.
Amy covered her face with her hand and shook her head. “Oh god. I’m an idiot. Go back to . . . whatever you two were doing. I’ve got the kids. Don’t worry about anything. See you in the morning.” And just like that Amy hung up, and Sierra and Mason stared at each other.
Sierra’s eyes filled with worry. “I had no idea she and Rex were having trouble.”
“Me, either. She always seems so . . . on it.” He shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll work it out.”
“I hope so.”
Mason wanted to erase everything from her mind and bring her back to him. To their special night together. A night years in the making. He wanted her only thinking of them.
“The kids are fine. Amy and Rex will work out their own problems. Tonight, let’s focus on us, because I finally have you all to myself. And I don’t want to waste a second of it.”
Chapter Nineteen
Sierra stared into Mason’s eyes, awed by the depth of sincerity and desire filling them.
Had any other man ever looked at her like that?
In that moment, she let any reservations that they were moving too fast fall away. This was Mason. Her friend. The guy she’d nearly called off her engagement for on a flicker of hope they might have something worth holding on to forever.
And now here was the chance to find out.
He held her face in his hands and stared deep into her eyes. “I’ve been waiting for you and to feel this way again for a long time.” His lips touched hers in a soft kiss that packed a punch of longing and need so raw it echoed through her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, went up on tiptoe, pulled him close, and took the kiss deeper, letting the walls around her heart drop and allowing him and the rush of feelings in.
Excitement.
Need.
And yes, love.
New and blossoming.
Fragile but hardy, with the possibility to thrive if they nurtured it.