Page 57 of The Kissing Part
Olivia pushes her sunglasses to the top of her head. “And I appreciate that, but I’m too heavy for you.”
“Try me.” His voice sounds husky and inviting.
Claire and friends get quiet. Now all eyes are on nineteen-year-old Finn. Mackenzie’s little brother sounds all man and flirty as hell with an older woman. Not that Olivia is old at twenty-three. It’s just a big difference compared to nineteen.
“I’m not good at games,” Olivia says lamely.
While Finn tries to coax her in with an interesting sequence of hand gestures—you, me, pound chest, champions—Nathan rises out of the water with Mackenzie on his shoulders. Harper gets Cooper to lift her up.
Owen bends in the water for me, and I climb on. We rise up together.
“We need four pairs to make it even,” Finn says to Olivia.
“I’ll do it,” Madison says, rising from her lounge chair.
Finn makes his way to the side of the pool. “Thanks, Aunt Mad, but I really want Olivia.”
He gets out of the pool and walks over to Olivia. Water drips off his trim muscular body. Her jaw drops as she looks up at him from her lounge chair. Damn, I can’t hear the conversation from here.
A few moments later, he sits next to her and grabs a towel to dry off. She looks mystified by his presence.
“Play without me!” Finn yells over to us.
“Park!” Madison calls. “I need you for chicken.”
He glances at us in position in the pool. “Are they ready for the fiercest competitor in the world?”
Harper rubs her hands together. “I can take her this year.”
Parker pulls off his shirt and jumps in the pool. Madison joins him a moment later, stopping to give him a hard kiss before climbing on his shoulders.
Owen rushes toward Nathan, and I battle Mackenzie on his shoulders, who’s stronger than she looks. Geez, talk about fierce. Good thing I work out daily.
Owen retreats and rushes forward at an angle, giving me just the advantage I need. Mackenzie goes down, and Nathan tips sideways too.
I look over just as Harper and Cooper get toppled by Madison. Parker turns her toward us.
“Oh shit,” I say.
Madison laughs like a loon. Her twenty-something sons—Mason, Michael, Maddox, and Miles—gather by the side of the pool, cheering her on and taking bets. What must their house have been like growing up with a tough mom like Madison? They probably had gladiator fights in the backyard.
Owen rushes forward, and Madison grabs my arms, so I grab hers. We grapple for a few moments before Owen retreats.
I’m sure I have Madison-sized finger marks on my arms, but there’s no time to check because Parker and Owen rush forward again.
This time she goes for my shoulder, trying to knock me off balance.
“Hang on, Shayla!” one of Madison’s sons yells. “My money’s on you.”
Oh, that’s nice.
Splash!I’m down.
I pop up to hear Madison yelling at one of her identical twins. “That’ll teach you to bet against me. Ha!”
“Someone had to take the opposite side,” he says. “What’s the point of betting otherwise?”
She inclines her head. “Good point. Still I’m glad you lost.” She raises her arms in a V of victory. Her sons cheer for her.
