Page 395 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
Jake reached out and grabbed his brother, pulling him in a hug as Landon moved in to tickle Clint while Jake had him trapped.
"Mom! Help! Mom... I'm the baby!" Clint screamed.
Jake laughed and released him before picking up his plate and walking back toward the kitchen. "Mom, where's Kari?"
"Speaking of Kari," Landon mumbled and glanced over at Jake as they walked back to the kitchen. "She's beautiful, man."
"Stay back," Jake growled softly.
Landon lifted his hands. "I'd never hit on a girl you had feelings for. Give me some credit. I'm a whore, but I'm not that bad."
"Well hasn't run dry yet." Clint chuckled and snagged a piece of bacon off Jake's plate.
Their mother reached over and grabbed Clint's ear. "Put that back right now, mister."
"Ouch. Okay, Mom. Let go. Jeez." Clint dropped the bacon back on Jake's plate.
Jake sat down at the breakfast nook and cut into his pancakes before looking up at Landon. "Where's Jessica?"
"She's with her family." He shrugged. "What do I care?"
Clint moved up to stand beside him and gave him a silly look. "Are you kidding me right now? You have it so bad for that girl."
"And?" Landon glanced over at Clint. "We're just friends, dude. We'll always just be friends."
"Aren't you guys living together?" Jake lifted his eyebrow. "Momma mentioned it."
"It ain't right." Jake's mom walked toward the back door. "Kari is out here having coffee with your daddy, baby. Come out when you're done."
Jake smiled. "I love that girl."
"You gonna propose?" Landon asked and moved to sit on the counter.
"Yes, but stop changing the subject." Jake extended one of the pieces of bacon to his brother.
Landon snatched it up as Clint growled. "Not fair."
"Here, you pig. I bet you guys went through a damn pound of bacon before I ever even got up." Jake handed Clint the last piece. So much for protein at breakfast. He probably owed it back to the two of them. He'd stolen a lot from their plates over the years.
"We did, but you know Mom's bacon is the best in the world." Landon ran his fingers through his hair. "Jessica and I just moved in together. I'm praying that it goes somewhere, but I can't push it. She thinks of me as Landon, her bff. We've been friends since we were kids. She's got the fucking bubble bath picture to prove it. She thinks that they're cute and I'm wondering if she wants to recreate the moment so I can poke her in the ass with my erection by accident."
"Oh Lord." Clint turned and walked toward the door. "Nice catch, bro. Kari is a cutie. She looks like a good girl. Is she?" He glanced over his shoulder and laughed as Jake got up. "Kidding. Jeez. Cut a guy some slack."
"You not hooked up with anyone either?" Jake got up and walked his plate to the sink. "What's the matter with you two? Life is too short to sleep alone."
"Oh, he's not sleeping alone, it's just never the same girl." Landon hopped down from the cabinet. "He's more of a whore than I am. It's getting scary."
"Boys." Jake reached out and wrapped his arm around Landon's neck, moving them toward Clint so that he could pull him in close too. "Sex isn't shit without love involved."
"I call bullshit. It's amazing." Landon smiled cheekily.
"You don't know anything. I'm telling you. You're missing out." Jake glanced over to his youngest brother. "Why are you whoring around? You're a great-looking guy with so much to offer a lady."
"Too much effort." Clint pulled out of Jake's hold. "Why? Kari got a sister?" He laughed and ran toward the door, slipping out before Jake could reach him. The little shit needed to be tossed around the yard a little. Both of them did. It had been too long.
"Does she, though?" Landon moved up and pressed his hand against the window, looking out to the backyard. "I think Clint would do good to settle down."
"So would you." Jake reached over and squeezed his brother's shoulder. "Clint is still in college. It's going to be awhile for him. He's still dying his damn hair, which looks ridiculous."
