Page 17 of Kent's Honor
The two toddlers walked across the concrete patio holding hands. “At the last daycare I had Nicky in, the teacher always told me he didn’t play nice with the other children.”
Tilly laughed. “My very first nanny quit because Annabelle was too much for her.”
“But she’s so calm.”
“Annabelle? Calm?” Rex said as he stepped through the sliders. “Your son has put a spell on that child because she’s normally a holy terror.” He waved a baby monitor. “Lucas is awake.”
“He’ll want milk,” Tilly said.
“I’m on it.” Rex breezed by, stopping to give his wife a brief kiss.
Dixie turned her attention to the backyard and gasped as Kent placed his hands on the side of the pool, pushing his upper body out of the water, showing off what could only be described as a twelve-pack. The water beaded off his tanned skin, gliding down like condensation on a frosted mug.
“Not too bad to look at,” Tilly whispered.
Dixie jumped, startled. “Oh, I wasn’t?—”
“Oh yes, you were.”
“Okay, maybe a little.” Every time she could, she stole a glance at Kent. She’d thought she’d been hiding it well, but now that he was shirtless, it would be hard to take her eyes off him.
“I’m told he works out all the time. Rex says it’s because he’s sexually deprived.”
Dixie’s cheeks burned as her jaw dropped open. “I doubt that. He’s got to have tons of women throwing themselves at him.”
“In the almost four years I’ve known him, he’s never had a girlfriend. Rex has known him for about ten years and said he’s seen him with two women.” Tilly held up two fingers. “Two.”
That had to be impossible. Then again, the last time Dixie had sex was over a year ago and before that had been when she’d gotten pregnant. “Maybe he’s just really discreet.”
“Why don’t you go find out?” Tilly raised her glass. “I dare you.”
Dixie waggled her finger. “No… no… no. I’m not interested.”
“And I’m not blond.” Tilly opened the door. “Hey, Kent, can you come here a minute? Dixie needs help with something.”
“I can’t believe you just did that.”
Tilly looked over her shoulder and winked. “I think Elle could use some help with the rug rats.”
Dixie pressed her backside against the counter, steadying herself as she heaved in a deep breath, her mind trying to find something, anything, that she could possibly need help with so she didn’t look like a complete ass.
“What’s up?” Kent inched closer, his muscles flexing with each step.
“Um… Um… I need your keys. I think I left my bag with my bathing suit in the car.”
He raised his hand, his finger landing on her shoulder. Holding her breath, she glanced down just as he flicked the string to her suit.
“Oh.” Nah. She didn’t look like an ass. She looked stupid. “Guess I wore it.”
“Guess so,” he murmured, his bare toes touching her flip-flops. “Anything else you need help with?”
His dark-mahogany orbs twinkled with a mischievous glint that stole her breath and made her flesh line with goosebumps.
“I think I’m good,” she managed to ground out.
He stood so close, her chest heaved into his hard body.
“I think you need to be kissed.”
