Page 84 of Insta-Family (Forbidden Descendants 3)

“It was Ava’s idea,” Lucy broke in before leaning forward and lowering her voice. “I think she’s aiming to be niece of the year or something.”

“Is that so?” Lifting the brim of the baby’s sunhat, I leaned down to make eye contact with Ava herself. “Well, no worries there, kiddo,” I told her. “I have it on very good authority that you’re the frontrunner in that particular contest.”

She broke into a gummy smile and kicked her legs. I chuckled, delighted by how healthy and happy she was.

“So how’s the moving-in going?” Lucy asked.

“Well...” I opened the door wider and stepped back. “See for yourself.”

Lucy looked hesitant at first, but then she entered the garage, and her eyes widened. “Wow. You work fast. And it looks so close to a true apartment now. I’m impressed.”

“Thanks.” Nodding my pride, I unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. “Mmm.”

I’d been expecting a regular ham or turkey, but it was pickle and pimiento loaf, topped with cheese and shredded lettuce. I don’t think I’d had one of these since I was a kid and my mom had kept this kind of sandwich meat around the house. It brought back my childhood, and I enjoyed every bite, even as I wondered if this was the kind of sandwich Lucy had eaten the first time I’d seen her.

No wonder why she’d looked so happy that day.

Across the garage, she was walking around my new living space, carrying Ava Grace with her and studying my things. I liked seeing her here a little too much, so I turned away, asking, “You want a drink? I have some sodas, I think.”

But as I moved to the refrigerator to get us some chilled cans, she called, “No thanks. We’re good.”

I got myself one, anyway, and chased the sandwich down with a long, refreshing, carbonated drink. By the time I lowered my can, Lucy was done examining my apartment and was now watching me.

Heat stirred between my legs. But God, there were so many things I wanted to do to this woman.

“Well…” she sighed out a long breath and lifted her eyebrows. “I was going to offer you some help, but at this point, I think we’d just be in the way.”

“Yeah, I got this,” I said while thanking her with a smile. “You’ve already done too much with breakfast and lunch. I appreciate it.”

She nodded and strolled toward the exit, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eyes as she said, “I guess we’ll just get out of your hair, then. Have fun unpacking.”

I watched her go, frowning slightly. The whole encounter seemed slightly odd to me, but I shook my head and moved on, soon forgetting about it until later that night.

I crawled under my sheets at bedtime and laid down, only to curse and lurch upright when my cheek met something...not soft or pillow-like. “What the…?”

I twisted and found a small, green foil package slipping off my pillow and in between the crack of another one, getting lost in the sheets.

Lifting the pillow, I frowned and picked up the tiny object, blinking until I realized what it was. And then I threw my head back and laughed.

Oh, she hadn’t.

Unable to let this go, I reached for my phone I was charging on the nightstand at my bedside, and I immediately texted Lucy.

VAUGHN: Not just a mint on my pillow, but a CHOCOLATE mint, huh? You’re spoiling me.

But as soon as I sent that off, I realized I hadn’t messaged her since her big, long texting apology weeks before.

God, that felt like eons ago. Yet our kiss still seemed as if it had happened yesterday.

I thumped my head back into the pillows and wondered for about the millionth time if I was doing the right thing. Living this close to her would be like playing with fire. Then again, I couldn’t stay away. Not again.

My phone dinged with a reply, and I looked down, hungry to read her response.

LUCY OLIVIA: We aim to please here at Casa de Gamble.

With a chuckle, I wrote back.

VAUGHN: You succeeded.

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