Page 70 of Hungry Hearts

“You’re in this for real? Dating a single mother is a whole different ball game. And one who’s also a widow? She doesn’t need to go through any more heartache. And Ruby’s already attached. If you’re not planning on sticking around, get your ass out of here sooner rather than later. I’m an easy-going guy, but if you hurt my sister-in-law...”

I clap him on the back. “I’m glad she has overprotective family members watching out for her. Maia and Ruby are really special.” I make no promises of sticking around forever, but I’m going to stick around for now.

The castle dollhouse isn’t heavy, and I could have carried it in by myself, but I figured Maia’s brother-in-law would want to have a few words with me in private. I’d want the same.

As soon as we step through the front door, Ruby leaps to her feet and claps her hands excitedly. “Is that a castle? Is it a doll house? Is it for me?”

We set the house in the center of the living room. “Yes, yes, and yes.”

She rushes to my legs and hugs me tight like she did when I first arrived. “I love it so much. More than anything in the entire world. Thank you, Ry-Ry.”

“You’re very welcome, Ruby Cube.” I kneel in front of the house and show her how the doors and windows open. “I wasn’t sure what color you wanted it. We can pick up some paint and paint it together if you want.”

“Can we go now?”

“Not tonight, Princess.” I tweak her nose. “Once your sugar rush wears off, I have a feeling you’re going to collapse hard.”

“She’s a heavy sleeper. No doubt she wouldn’t hear a tornado ripping through the house tonight,” Maia says.

I give her a wicked grin that any adult can decipher the meaning to. “Good to know.”

As expected, her whiskey eyes go wide. Juliana snorts, Nate groans, and dickhead scowls.

“Anyway,” Maia says to break the sexual tension. “Would you like something to eat? We have leftover sandwiches, cake, cheese, and crackers.”

“I wouldn’t say no to some sandwiches.”

“They aren’t organic steak,” dickhead grumbles.

“Organic steak? Never had it. I’m a fan of grass-fed beef though. It’s important that the animals we eat are taken care of and fed properly.”

“Before you slaughter them and serve them on a platter for a hundred bucks a bite?”

Maia is already in the kitchen preparing me a plate, so she doesn’t hear the undercut of Flynn’s voice.

Juliana and Nate are on the floor with Rubes and aren’t paying us any attention. I glide my tongue along my top teeth and make sure Ruby is distracted with her dollhouse before taking his bait.

“I get that you don’t like me dating yourfriend,but I haven’t done anything to deserve this treatment from you.”

“You can never replace him. Adam was the perfect boyfriend, the perfect husband. I’ve never seen two people more in love. They never fought and matched each other perfectly. You can’t compete with that.”

“Perfect. Got it. Maia said the same about him.” Flynn flinches back in shock, surprised Maia has talked about her husband with me. “I’m glad she had so many happy years and so many wonderful memories. I’d be bitter if he was an asshole to her. Maia deserves the best. And so does Ruby.”

He snorts. “And you thinkyou’reit?”

“Hell no.” Again, my words surprise him. “Then again, no one is good enough for those two. All I can do is try my best.”

“You’re only temporary. As soon as she sees through your playboy antics, you know who will be here for her? Me. Our relationship has roots. Something you don’t have and never will. It’s okay though.” He finishes off his beer and shoves his empty bottle at me. “I’m the one she calls when she needs a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen to her, a helping hand around the house. Not you.”

The filter warning comes too late. “Yeah, well, I’m the one she comes to and on when she needs an orgasm and a good fuck.”

I brush past him before I slug him. I hate that I stooped to that level and belittled how I feel about Maia. She’s so much more than a good fuck. I want to be her shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a hand for her to hold.

Fuck.I need to reassure Maia I’m not only here to get her naked. Knowing how petty dickwad is, he’s going to go running to her the first chance he gets to twist my words around. I’m not here for the fucking. It’s an added bonus.

Is that how we got started? Yes. But that’s not what’s keeping me here. Ruby’s laughter fills the living room and Maia looks up from the plate she’s prepared for me.

This is why I’m sticking around. Because their happiness makes my heart fucking full.

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