Page 10 of Hello Tease

“Wait a couple years for Maya to be a teenager and being a detective will sound a lot more attractive.”

“True,” she replied, then she focused her attention on Larkin, who was trying to keep her beer away from her grabby baby.

“Mind if I hold him?” Liv asked. “I love a squishy little babe!”

“Are you sure?” Larkin asked. “He’s a handful.”

“Of course.” Liv reached for Jackson, and even though he fussed for a second, she soon had him laughing by making silly sounds and faces.

Larkin rolled her shoulders before sitting back in her folding chair and taking a sip of beer. Her eyes trailed over to the sandbox where Emily, Maya, and Leah were balancing sand toys on their heads. Her eyes formed a soft smile to match the curve of her lips.

When she looked at me, her smile turned a little shy, like she knew I’d been watching her. She took a quick sip of her beer and asked, “So there are three of you Madigan boys?”

I smiled at the phrase. I’d spent my whole life in Cottonwood Falls being one of those “Madigan Boys.” I explained, “There are five of us. My youngest brother’s in college. Fletch, Hayes, and I live here—Fletcher’s the doctor in town and Hayes owns the body shop—and Ford lives in Dallas.”

“Hayes?” she asked, looking around.

“Late,” I said, “As usual.”

She arched a brow. “Does that bother a... rule-abiding citizen such as yourself?”

I couldn’t help my smirk. “You’ll get it when you see him. He makes his own rules.”

“Ah,” she replied with a smile. “Sounds like my sister. She never did what was expected of her.” There was something more to her tone that had me curious.

“Do you wish you hadn’t done what was expected of you?” I asked. The shock in her eyes was apparent, and I added, “It’s my job to read people.”

“Get out of my brain,” she said with a nervous laugh. “And no. I love my kids. But I wouldn’t mind a view of the Eiffel Tower right now either.”

“I don’t know,” I replied. “I think this view’s pretty great.”

I wasn’t sure what I expected from her, but it was definitely not the laugh that fell off her lips.

“Are you flirting with me, Officer Madigan?”

I hadn’t realized we still had an audience until Liv laughed heartily, and Fletcher stifled a chuckle of his own.

“She got you,” he mumbled.

“I hate you.” I replied.

Then I heard a loud engine approach. “Thank God,” I said, pushing up from the table. “Hayes is here.”

6

LARKIN

I watchedfor a second longer than I should have as Knox retreated into his house. His physique in those jeans and T-shirt from behind? Just as good as the front.

Even more of a reason to stay away.

Fletcher, Knox’s brother with dark brown eyes and hair to match, pressed up from the table, saying, “I’m going to see if he needs any help with the food.”

After he got up to leave, Ford looked nervously between us and said, “Yeah, me too.”

With all the guys gone, Liv looked at me over Jackson’s nearly bald head. “You sure know how to clear a room.” My cheeks heated, until she added, “Teach me your ways.”

I let out a laugh. I liked her already.

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