Page 22 of Body Check

He knew damn well what private training sessions cost, and it wasn’t like the equipment would come out of his personal budget.

“Well,” Dakota said, sounding surprised but pleased. “I’m glad to hear it. Hey, by the way, how’s your head feeling now?”

“Uhh, it was hurting when I woke up but a lot better now,” Gavin admitted. “Which is a big relief after days of it nagging at me.”

“No luck with the hookup?” Dakota asked in a sympathetic tone. “It wasn’t the miracle cure we hoped for?”

Gavin huffed. “No idea. I never got the opportunity to test that out. I got jerked around by the one guy I told you about, as predicted. I reached out to a couple of other guys and eventually heard back from them but, uh, I’d already fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of working on my laptop, so … I didn’t see the messages until I woke up at about four A.M. At which point, I wanted to be comfortable and asleep in my own bed, you know?”

“I get that. Well, better luck next time,” Dakota said.

“I’m not holding my breath,” Gavin said with a laugh. “But I appreciate the sentiment. And thank you again. I really needed this today.”

“Good.” Dakota gave him a warm smile. “That’s what I like to hear.”

FIVE

Dakota got out of the shower, towel drying his hair as the baby let out a wail.

That sounded like a hungry cry, and a moment later he heard the soft pad of feet down the hall as they passed by the bathroom door and his sister’s sleepy voice saying, “I’m coming, I’m coming.”

He smiled.

Lily’s demanding cries were a familiar part of Dakota’s morning routine and although he was eager to get a place of his own as soon as possible, fortunately or unfortunately, that would take a while.

Dakota dressed in the clothes he’d laid out earlier, then opened the door to let out the steam while he put product in his hair and tossed the last of his toiletries in his travel kit. He carried the kit into the bedroom, tossing it on his open suitcase as he mentally ran through what he’d need for the team’s road trip.

Reasonably convinced he’d remembered everything, he zipped it shut and set it on the floor, straightened the covers, then took a final look around the room.

It wasn’t home, not exactly, but it was the next best thing. He’d come to Boston in search of a fresh start and a little coddling from his big sister and he’d found so much more. He just hoped he wasn’t overstaying his welcome yet.

He wheeled the luggage into the entryway of the three-bedroom townhouse, then went in search of Violet. He found her standing in the kitchen in her robe, half-asleep and rumpled, her silky blonde hair wadded on her head in a messy bun.

Lily was still finishing her bottle and Dakota reached out and tickled her cheek, smiling at his niece.

“Morning,” he said.

“Morning.” Violet’s voice came out sleep-roughened and low and she cleared her throat before speaking again. “Ready for your trip?”

“Yep. I think I have everything.” Dakota put a slice of sprouted grain bread in the toaster, then pressed it down. “What about you? Are you looking forward to having the place to yourself again for a week or so?”

Violet arched a sculpted eyebrow. “I have a husband and two kids. I’ll hardly be by myself.”

Dakota grinned and pulled a jar of sunflower seed butter out of the cupboard, along with a knife from the drawer. “Fair enough. But surely, you’ll enjoy not having me underfoot.”

“Oh yes,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You’re such a burden. Cooking meals for us whenever you’re able, cleaningup after yourself, watching the kids so Jeff and I can get an occasional date night … you’re a real nightmare of a houseguest.”

He laughed. “Okay, so it’s not like I’m theworst. I just know you bought this place with the idea of having a quiet, peaceful life and?—”

“And then we were dumb enough to have two children,” she shot back. She grinned down at Lily, her tone turning to playful baby-talk. “Weren’t we? And all that peace and quiet went right out the window, didn’t it?”

Lily gurgled happily around her bottle and Violet glanced up at Dakota with a roll of her eyes. “Stop feeling like a burden, you dummy. We love having you here. You aren’t cramping our style.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Jeff said, carrying their toddler in on his hip. “We might get up to all sorts of things in the living room without you here.”

Violet snorted. “Yes, because we did that so often before Dakota and the kids came.”

Jeff grinned at her, pressing a smacking kiss to her temple. “Well, there was one time?—”

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