Page 13 of King

But every time he thought about hitting send, he hesitated.

And heneverhesitated. It wasn’t his style.

A low chuckle sounded beside him. “Jesus, man. Just text her already.”

King turned his head, finding Gabriel dropping onto the barstool next to him, a beer in his hand, eyes glittering with amusement.

King grunted. “Didn’t say I was going to text her.”

Gabriel snorted. “Didn’t have to. You’ve been staring at your phone for days.”

King rolled his shoulders, taking a slow sip of his beer. Outside, a bunch of the Littles were playing in the yard. Giggling and chasing each other, completely lost in their own world. It was adorable, and he could picture Ella playing with them.

King found himself drawn to them, watching as Harper and Ivy knelt on the pavement, lost in another round of sidewalk chalk, while a couple of others squealed as they tumbled down the playground slide. It was peaceful here, familiar. But it wasn’t settling the tension winding through him because all he wanted was for Ella to be out there, too.

Gabriel followed his gaze, his smirk softening. “Why are you being so stubborn? You can have what we all have. I saw the way she looked at you.”

King arched a brow. “What?”

Gabriel glanced toward the Littles. “She looked at you like Eden looks at me. Like Ivy looks at Steele.”

King didn’t respond right away, just exhaled slowly through his nose. He’d thought that, too, but hadn’t wanted to assume.

Gabriel huffed out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Text her. She’s waiting for you to take the lead. Little girls often struggle with making decisions. You know that. She probably wants to text you, but she’s second-guessing it. So quit being a wimp and take charge. Send that text.”

King clenched his jaw, taking another pull from his beer.

He wasn’t wrong.

There was something about Ella. Something he couldn’t shake, couldn’t get out of his damn head. She was soft but not fragile, sweet but not naïve. She was playful in a way she didn’t even realize, and the way she had reacted to the club’s women at the BBQ? He had no doubt about her being Little. Which meant he needed to take the lead.

Gabriel leaned back, smirking. “Good luck. I’m gonna go push my girl on the swing before she has a full-blown tantrum that turns into her getting her bottom spanked.”

King laughed because as he looked out at the playground, it looked like Eden was already in the middle of a tantrum as she scowled at Gabriel and kicked her feet wildly trying to get the swing to move on its own.

With a long breath, he looked at his phone again.

And this time, he didn’t overthink it.

King:You eat any real food this week, dollface? Or you still surviving on candy salad?

As soon as he sent it, it was like he could finally breathe.

King barely had time to set his beer down before his phone buzzed in his hand. He smiled, already knowing it was her before even looking at the screen.

Ella:Excuse you, candy salad is a very sophisticated dish.

King huffed out a laugh, shaking his head.

King:Yeah? What’s the main course? Gummy bear stew?

There was a short pause before his phone buzzed again.

Ella:Don’t be ridiculous. Gummy bears are for dessert. The main course was a balanced meal of Goldfish crackers and a juice box.

King let out a low chuckle, running a hand over his jaw.

Christ, this woman.

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