Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95906 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 480(@200wpm)___ 384(@250wpm)___ 320(@300wpm)
That maybe we were too different and I didn't have much to offer their brother.
I sighed as I watched the kids splash each other in the huge pool that was located on the roof of the building Con lived in. I'd assumed it was a public pool for the residents of the building when Con had shown it to us, but it had turned out to be his pool and his alone. I couldn't even wrap my head around the amount of money Con had to have to not only own the luxurious two-floor apartment, but a private pool on the top of a building as well.
I was still desperately trying to fulfill my responsibility as housekeeper and cook but given that the luxurious apartment was pretty much spotless and that Con wasn’t home much during his last couple weeks of training, I’d found myself with too much time on my hands.
Too much time to think.
To worry.
“Uncle Con!” I heard Rory yell.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Con making his way toward us. My heart leapt at the sight of him. It was hard to believe, but he looked even more built than he had when I’d first seen him at my brother's graveside more than a month earlier.
When Con reached me, he leaned down to kiss me. I was sitting on a lounge chair that was just a handful of feet from the pool. I’d been trying to read a book on Christopher’s ereader but I hadn’t been able to focus on the words before me at all.
“Hey,” Con murmured, his voice soft and sweet as he came around the lounger. I automatically pulled my legs up so he could sit. I found myself holding my breath as Con stripped off his jacket and dropped it onto the end of the lounger. Excitement raced through my belly as I realized that in a few hours when the kids went to bed, he'd be all mine to do anything I wanted with.
“Hey,” I responded. “Good day?”
“Better now,” Con said. And then he kissed me again, this time more deeply, though he kept the kiss relatively tame considering the two pairs of young eyes on us. “How about you?”
“Good,” I said with a nod. “The kids can't get enough of the pool.”
Con glanced at the kids who’d gone back to splashing each other.
“How about you?” he asked carefully as his dark eyes held mine. “Did you have a good day?”
I sighed because there was just no hiding anything from the man. “Better now,” I replied.
Con held my gaze for a moment and then he was reaching behind himself and pulling off his shirt. I was about to ask him what he was doing, but before I could say anything, he scooped me up into his arms and then he was striding toward the pool.
“No, Con, don't you dare!” I said as I squirmed in his hold, but his grip was firm.
“You can get back at me tonight,” Con whispered in my ear and then, as the kids cheered us on, he ran the last little bit to the pool and leapt off the edge with me still in his arms. I let out a sharp shout and then instinctively closed my eyes and held my breath. Once we hit the water, Con released part of his hold on me, but one arm stayed around me as he pulled me to the surface with him.
I sputtered as the shock wore off and the warm water washed over my skin. I'd only been wearing a T-shirt and sweats, but they were quickly bogged down with water. I knew how to swim, but I was more than happy to wrap my arms around Con's neck and hang on to him as we bobbed in the water. Con's laughter was infectious and soon I was chuckling right along with him—until a big splash of water caught us both in the face and we just stared at one another as we realized what had just happened. Then we both slowly turned our heads to stare down the kids who didn't look even a little bit guilty for splashing us.
“Bring it,” Con said to me as he eyed the children in mock anger. The kids were giggling and backing up even as they readied their hands to splash us again. Rory was wearing floaties on her arms, so she was able to paddle away from Christopher just a bit so she could take aim at me. Her eyes danced with laughter.
“Oh yeah, it's brought,” I said as I reluctantly let go of Con so I could face down my niece. I reached out my hand to return the high five Con was sending my way and then it was game on.
Less than three minutes later it was over when I switched sides and joined my niece and nephew in barraging Con with sprays of water. My man called foul and then put his hands up in mock surrender. As the kids celebrated our victory, Con pulled me into his arms.