Page 47 of Only Temporary

“Blake is the biggest douchebag in school, and you’re letting our little sister go out with him.”

I tense at his words, as does Kellan. Tatum glares over at Cason. It’s clear he’s taken on a big brother role to all the kids too, and he does not look happy. “What do you mean douchebag?”

“I mean, he’s a fucking douchebag player wannabe. He fucks with all the girls. He plays sports and thinks he’s God.”

Tatum’s glare moves over to Kellan now. “You didn’t check up on this kid?”

“What did you want me to do? Get a background check on him? None of that stuff would come up anyway,” Kellan says defensively.

“Okay...” I interrupt. “We all need to trust Raegan and her instincts. If she says he’s nice, he’s probably just fine.”

All three pairs of eyes are laser-focused on me now, and I almost shrink back, but I keep my shoulders straight and lift my chin. They may be a little intimidating, especially together, but I know I’m right. Raegan wouldn’t take it well that they’re passing judgment behind her back. And she’s not some fragile flower who needs her big brothers to speak for her.

They all huff and fold their arms at the same time. It’s almost creepy how alike they all are. Kieran, on the other hand, looks bored as he goes back to his book, and Braylen is bouncing around the room, unbothered.

Raegan comes out, dressed in her black dress and adorably wearing sneakers. She looks grownup but very beautiful and still has that naive vulnerability I know worries me and her brothers. We all watch her until she glares at us. “What?” she snaps.

“You look beautiful,” I say with a smile and nudge Kellan.

“Uh, yeah. Very pretty.”

“Don’t be gross,” she says to him. “Are we going or not?”

Kellan grabs his keys. “Yup. Let’s do this.” Cason and Raegan head out to the car as Kellan walks closer to me, keeping his voice low. “Will you be here when I get back?”

I try not to look to see if Tatum is paying any attention, but I do hear him playing with Braylen, so I think we’re still under the radar. “I’ll be here,” I assure him, and he rewards me with a smile.

He leaves, and I sit back down next to Kieran, asking him about his book until Kellan comes back ten minutes later. Tatum leaves, and Braylen and Kieran head to their rooms, and soon it’s just Kellan and me on the couch.

“God, I wish we could go to my room,” he rumbles in my ear and sends wanton shivers down my spine.

But nope. Phone sex was bad enough. We have to be careful.

“How about we watch a movie until you have to go pick up the kids instead?”

“Oh yeah, that sounds way more fun,” he deadpans, and I squeeze his thigh gently, but that’s the only touch I allow myself before I scoot over and leave a little space between our bodies.

You never know when a kid is going to come barreling down the hall in this house.

“I need another date soon,” he says, leaning his head back against the couch as I choose a movie.

“I think that can be arranged.”

The way he looks at me, so heated, it makes my blood pump harder in my chest and okay, head down south, but I’m being good.

“How about next Friday?” I suggest.

“I’ll talk to Tatum and um... make sure he keeps Braylen out of trees.” I chuckle at that.

“Good luck. I think that child will find something to climb inside instead.”

“Maybe we can skip dinner and just go straight to your place, just in case.”

I swallow hard at the implication, and now I know I’m the one who looks like a kid on Christmas, my excitement palpable. “Yes. That. Good plan. You’re very smart.”

He laughs, but we make it a date. When he goes to pick up the kids from the dance, I stay with the younger ones until he gets back. After quick updates and some teen attitude—finding out the dance wasfiiiiinefrom them both—I head out and back to my place, confirming through texts one last time that we will get our own date night next week.

Now I just have to get through the work week while it drags along, thinking about the sweet man I’ll get to have in my bed.

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