by Kaylee Ryan
“Well, if you don’t mind,” Reagan says.
“Not at all,” Dawn assures them. “Besides, Kendall tells me that your brother has some good-looking friends, so we need to chat.” She links her arm through Reagan’s and we follow the hostess to our table.
I look over at her mom. “Sorry about that. She really has no filter.”
“No need. You’ve met my children, right? Not to mention that she’s right—or you are, rather. Those boys, all five of them, are more handsome than should be allowed. All good boys too,” she adds.
“I have to show you this outfit,” Reagan says once we’re seated. She reaches down and digs through her bags. “Look at this.” She holds up the smallest pair of Levi’s jeans I have ever seen. With it is a short-sleeve plaid shirt. “Isn’t it adorable?”
“It really is. Those jeans are too cute,” I agree.
“They had shorts too.” She holds up a tiny pair of blue jean shorts. “This having a nephew business is going to cause me to go bankrupt. I’m going to have to increase my schedule at the shop,” she comments.
“What do you do?” Dawn asks her.
“I own my own salon on Main Street, called Reagan’s.” She grins.
“I am long overdue,” I tell her. “I don’t think I’ve had my hair done since moving back six months ago. It’s on the to-do list.”
“Six months? I can’t tell; your hair is beautiful as ever. I’ve always wanted your hair.”
“It’s the curls. She can hide it. Now me, on the other hand, not so much. I went to Macy’s salon, but I wasn’t impressed with how she cut it. I can’t get it to lay right. You up for the challenge?” Dawn asks her.
“You know it. Call me next week, and I’ll work you both in. Better yet, what are you all doing tonight? We can meet at the shop later.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I tell her.
She waves off my concern. “No problem. I’ve been off several days helping Ridge get settled, so it’ll be good for me to get back in the swing of things before Monday.”
“I’m in,” Dawn announces.
Well, okay then. “All right, if you’re sure?” I say.
“Positive. What’s the fun of owning your own shop if you can’t use it whenever you want? Meet me there at six? Give me your number, and I’ll text you the address.”
I rattle off my number and not a minute later my phone pings with her text. We spend the rest of our lunch catching up, she and her mom showing us the deals they got for Baby Knox. He’s spoiled already. Splitting the tip, we part ways with the promise to meet Reagan at the shop at six. It gives us just enough time to run home, unload our loot from today, and change before heading back out.
We find Reagan’s shop without any trouble. I’ve driven past it several times and never put together who owned it. Small world.
She greets us at the door, her phone to her ear and a concerned expression on her face. “Come on in,” she says, holding the door open for us. “Dammit.” She hits end on the call and then calls again.
Dawn and I stand just inside the door, watching her. Whoever she’s trying to call still doesn’t answer.
“Sorry, guys. I’ve been trying to call Ridge for the last hour. He’s on this ‘I need to learn to do this on my own’ kick, but when your sister calls you need to answer the damn phone,” she rants.
“I’m sure everything is fine,” I try to calm her down.
“But what if it’s not? He’s a new dad, new at all of this,” She dials again, placing it on speaker phone.
The loud ring echoes throughout the shop. This time, she hits ends and runs her fingers through her hair.
“Why don’t we just drive over there? How far is it?” Dawn asks.
“Like fifteen minutes, at the most. You guys don’t mind?”
“Not at all. I’m sure it’s fine, and seeing for yourself will put you at ease,” I say.
“I’ll drive,” Reagan states, reaching for her purse and keys from the nearby counter.
Dawn and I follow her out and wait for her to lock the shop. Within minutes, we’re on our way to check on Ridge. He’s probably going to wish he’d answered his phone once he sees the three of us on his doorstep.
Reagan pulls up to a sprawling brick ranch. It’s well landscaped and looks every bit the family home.
“Come on,” she says, climbing out of the car.
Neither Dawn nor I argue, just follow her up on the porch. She doesn’t knock. Instead, she tries the door and it’s unlocked, so she walks in and motions for us to do the same.
“Why are you not answering your phone?” she hisses in a low voice.
“It’s on vibrate. He’s been fussy, and I finally got him to sleep.” Ridge’s deep voice is low as he hisses back his reply.
“We dropped what we were doing to come and check on you. I was worried,” Reagan whispers.
“We?”
It’s then that Reagan steps out of the way and reveals Dawn and me standing behind her.
In no way am I prepared for what I see. My mouth waters and I know I’m staring, but at this moment in time, I have no fucks to give. Ridge is sitting on the couch, shirtless and sporting worn jeans with holes in them, looking sexy as hell with bare feet and his tattoos on full display. I want nothing more than to trace them with my tongue. This alone is not what’s causing my girly bits to take notice though. What has my body screaming his name is his baby boy, cradled in his arms. This man—tall, dark, handsome, looking like sex personified—is holding his baby boy close to his chest.
Ovary explosion!
“Hey,” he says softly, his eyes capturing mine. “Good to see you again.” He chances a quick glance at Dawn, but then his eyes are right back to mine.
Is it legal for him to be this sexy?
Chapter 15
Reagan brought the cavalry—a beautiful one, at that. I’m trying hard not to be pissed at her. I know she’s worried about me and it comes from a good place, but does she think I can’t take care of my son?
“What are you doing?” she asks.
I pull my eyes from the lovely Kendall and address my sister. “I told you, he was fussy. At the hospital, they said skin-to-skin contact, so I tried it and it worked.”
“You could have answered your phone.” I can hear the hurt in her voice. My anger instantly fades.
“I read that babies can feel tension, so I shut it off, shut out the world. My son needed me,” I explain. I just about said ‘Knox comes first, always,’ but I don’t want to hurt her any more than she already is. I love my sister, but this little guy, he’s a part of me. Whatever he needs, no matter what.
“I get that, but holy fucking shit, Ridge. I was scared something happened.”
“We’re fine, Reagan. What are the three of you up to?” I ask, keeping my voice low.
“I ran into Kendall and Dawn at the mall today. I was meeting them at the shop to do their hair, and they got there just as I reached my manic freak-out mode. I’d been calling you for over an hour.”
“I see. Well, you all might as well make yourself comfortable. The guys will be here in about an hour. There’s gonna be beer, pizza, movies—you know, just a regular Saturday night with a single dad and his buddies.”
Dawn laughs. Kendall has a beautiful smile that graces those pouty lips of hers.
“What do you think, ladies? Kendall? You up for seeing some of the guys?” Reagan asks her.
“She’s in,” Dawn speaks up.
“I’ll run out and pick us up some more snacks and drinks.” Reagan looks at Dawn and Kendall. “Any special requests?”
“I’ll go with you, if you don’t mind? Ridge, do you care if I use your kitchen? I have a craving for buffalo chicken dip,” Dawn says.
“Sure, have at it.”
“Great, we’ll be right back.” Reagan winks at me, grabs Dawn by the arm and pulls her behind her.
“I guess I’m staying here,” Kendall says as the girls rush out and slam the door.
Knox stirs in my arms, and I make a mental note to smack my sister.
“He’s not been sleeping?” Kendall asks, keeping her voice soft and low.
“No, he has, but not today. He’s been fussy all day.”
“Gassy, probably. It’s common in babies. I’d be happy to take him, if you have things you need to do,” she offers.
“Actually, I would love to take a shower. Are you sure you don’t mind? I know you didn’t sign up for babysitting.”
“Please, it’s no hardship to hang out with this little guy. I get my baby fix and you get to no longer smell like ass. It’s a win-win.” She winks at me.
She’s fucking adorable.
I stand from the couch and make my way to where she’s standing in the doorway. Carefully, trying not to wake him, I transfer my son from my arms to hers. Her scent invades me—sweet, just like her. “Shhh,” I say softly as Knox stirs. Poor guy. He’s had a rough day, for sure.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, I’ve got you,” Kendall coos to him.
Leaning down, I kiss the top of his head, his baby smell mixed with her sweet scent. I lean in to them, placing my lips next to her ear. “Thank you, sweet girl,” I whisper. Standing to my full height, I hightail it out of there and to my room, needing a cold fucking shower all of a sudden. I have no business hitting on the beautiful Kendall; my life is ten shades of fucking crazy right now. I need to learn how to be a dad, take care of my son, run my business, and do it all well. I don’t have time for distractions.
Must stay clear. That’s my mantra.
I take my time in the shower, trying to tamp down my desire for Kendall. She’s beautiful, and today when she walked in . . . there’s just something about her, something I would have explored two weeks ago. Today though, I have more than just me to think of. Life is funny like that; it has a way of changing on you when you least expect it. I need to learn how to live in this new reality. I know that’s what I need to do, but the beautiful woman who is downstairs taking care of my son, she’s suddenly front and center in my mind. I know that I have to keep myself in check, but I can’t seem to stop thinking about her all of a sudden. Figures that I would find someone who interests me at the time in my life when distractions just are not possible. I quickly finish getting dressed so I can get back to them, both of them. I may not be able to touch her, but I’m dying to get my eyes back on her.
I hear voices in the living room. When I reach the end of the hall, I see Kendall feeding Knox, looking like she’s done it a million times, and Tyler is sitting close to her on the couch—too close. His arm is resting on the back of the couch behind her as he leans over and watches my son eat. It pisses me off.
“Tyler,” I growl. What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Hey, man, he’s got a good appetite.” He motions his head toward Knox. “Of course, if I had a beautiful woman holding and feeding me I’d eat like a champ too.” He winks at Kendall.
Rage. Toward one of my best friends, I feel rage. “Ty, you want to give them some space?” I’m being a dick, but fuck if I care right now.
Tyler’s head snaps toward me and he furrows his brow. I raise mine to him. He knows what I’m trying to say. Are you going to move, fucker? I can tell by the look on his face that he’s confused. Join the club, my man. I don’t know what’s come over me, but I do know that I don’t want him that close to her, or flirting with her. Hell, let’s just go with I don’t want him near her. Period. End of.
“You getting enough rest, man?” he asks. He still hasn’t moved away from her.
“Plenty,” I snap, and then try another tactic. He’s obviously not getting the hint. “Can you help me in the kitchen?”
“Sure, man. Kendall, you need anything?”
Fuck me. She doesn’t need him to take care of her.
“I’m good, Tyler. But thank you,” she says in her sweet-as-sin voice.
I watch as he removes his arm from the back of the couch, pats her knee, then finally stands to follow me into the kitchen. I turn and stalk away from him.
“What’s up?” he says, taking a seat at the island.
“Not her,” I say flatly.
“Come again?”
“Not her. You can’t have her.”
The fucker grins. “She yours?”
Yes. “No.”
“One of the guys, then?”
“No,” I say through clenched teeth.
He shrugs. “Fair game then, brother.”
Un-fucking-believable!
“Not her, Ty.” My voice is tight as I grip the counter.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, looking down at my hands and then back up to meet my gaze.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “What’s wrong?” I laugh humorlessly. “What’s wrong is I’m losing my motherfucking mind. That’s what’s wrong.”
“I’m going to need more than that,” he pries.
“Drop it.”
“Nope. Spill it,” he bites back, an amused smirk on his face.
“Fuck off.”
“Really? That’s how it’s going to be?”
I glare at him.
“I got nothing but time.” He leans against the back of the chair and crosses his arms.
The sound of the front door opening pulls my attention. I relax when I hear Reagan’s voice.
“Hey, you two.” Reagan kisses Tyler on the cheek and places two shopping bags on the counter. Dawn follows suit, setting two more right beside it.
“Hi, I’m Tyler.” He holds his hand out for Dawn.
“Dawn. Nice to meet you.” She grins up at him.
I take a deep breath and release my grip on the counter. Maybe he’ll leave Kendall alone now.
“Knock, knock.” Seth’s voice, although he’s attempting to be quiet, carries throughout the house.
“Well, hello, beautiful,” I hear him say.
“Motherfucker.” I stomp off to the living room. Are all four of my fucking horn-dog friends going to hit on her?
“You’ve been holding out on us,” Kent says, his eyes glued to Kendall.
“Kitchen. Now,” I demand.
Five sets of eyes—four large one small—stare back at me. I give my friends the look, the one that says ‘do that shit now.’ Once they’ve left the living room, I walk over to Kendall, sitting on the end of the couch.
“How you two doing?” I ask her. “You want me to take him?”
“No. I mean, not unless you have to. I love holding him. I don’t usually get to snuggle them at work, and this little guy is great at snuggling.” She lifts him so her lips meet his little cheek.
I should be thinking about germs, about how this girl who I’ve seen less than a handful of times since high school is loving on my son. Instead, I’m thinking about how lucky my little man is to get to feel her soft lips against his skin.
I’m truly fucked. I need sleep or a night out or something. This is not me. I’ve lost my damn mind.
“No, you’re good. I just don’t want to take advantage. You’re my guest, after all.” I reach out and tuck a loose curl behind her ear. Her hair feels like silk.
“No, you’re not, I like holding him, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah, sweet girl. That’s more than okay.”
“So, what are we watching?” Tyler asks.
He’s leading the pack into the living room. Fuck, I forgot that I need to warn them all away from Kendall.
I toss the remote to Tyler and settle in next to Kendall. I can use the excuse that she has Knox. At least that’s what I’m telling myself—and them—if they ask.
“I think the ladies should pick,” Reagan chimes in.
“I agree,” Dawn adds.
Tyler smirks. “What about you, Kendall?”
She looks up at him then down to Knox. “I’m good with whatever.”
“You’re hogging my nephew’s cuddles.” Reagan mock-glares at her.
“Hey, you left me here, that’s your own fault. I’m not g
iving him up until Daddy says it’s bedtime.”
“He’s hard to resist,” Reagan says. “Come on, ladies first and all that,” she says to Tyler.
He takes the seat next to her on the loveseat and pats her head, handing her the remote.
Seth and Kent sit on the floor, kicked back against the chair they both insisted Dawn sit in. That leaves Mark to take the seat beside me. I visibly relax knowing they won’t be next to Kendall. Irrational, I know, but fuck if I can make it stop.
Chapter 16
Baby Knox is sleeping soundly in my arms. Every once in a while, his little lip sticks out, and it’s the most adorable thing ever. I try to keep my attention on him and the movie, but I’m not really sure what’s going on. I may be looking at the screen, but really I’m just thinking about Ridge. About how close he’s sitting to me. How his thigh rubs against mine. How incredible he smells. How, for the first time in months, my body is reacting to a man. I thought Cal had ruined me, broke my desire to ever want to go down the path of dating ever again.
“You’re good with him,” Ridge says, just low enough so only I can hear.
I’m lusting after him, and I’m hit with a feeling of guilt. He just lost his . . . girlfriend? Wife? Fiancée? And here I am thinking inappropriate thoughts about how it feels to sit close to him. He’s feeling out how to live without her, how to raise his son without her.
There is something seriously wrong with me.
“He’s such a good baby.”
“That’s what they tell me, but I have nothing to gauge it on.” He chuckles. “To me, he is. He hardly ever cries. He was fussy today, but it was like he just wasn’t feeling it, you know?”
I nod. We all have those days, even babies.
“I’m proud of you, brother,” Reagan says.
Apparently, we weren’t talking as softly as we thought.
“You know him so well already. You’re a good dad, Ridge,” she says, a sad smile on her lips.
“You going to hog him all night? Can I take a turn?” Mark asks me. I look to Ridge for permission. Not that he would care that his friends are holding his kid, but it’s not my place. Besides, I did vow to not give him up until bedtime. I was just messing with Reagan, but I wouldn’t complain.