Chapter 6

SIX

There’s no mouthwatering French toast or bacon perfuming the house as I peel my eyes open, but there’s heat and a hard cock pressed against my ass. Hot breath tickles my neck as my bed companion snores lightly. Sunshine’s hand has somehow migrated from my stomach to cup my breast. I peer down at the tattooed hand and mash my lips together to keep from laughing. This isn’t the first time this has happened. The last time I teased him about it, he turned fifty shades of embarrassed. It was one of the sweetest reactions I’ve ever seen. This man would never cross any lines unless we discussed them at length first.

It took years for us to agree to sleep in bed together whenever he visits. It was my idea, partly because I’ve always loved having a bed partner to sleep and cuddle with and because he’s Sunshine. Who wouldn’t want to sleep with him in bed?

The world’s lightest fingernail tap, tap, tap sounds at my bedroom door, followed by a church mouse whisper.

Smiling wide, I tuck the blanket further up my chest so our little visitor doesn’t get an eyeful of half-naked Pops in bed, getting his boob feelers on in his unconscious state.

“Come in,” I whisper.

The door creeps open, and her adorable face appears as she tiptoes inside, wearing a pair of unicorn pajamas, her hair still a wild mess from a good night’s sleep. I pat the spot on the mattress over the blanket. Nodding excitedly for snuggle time, Lily climbs into the spot, facing me.

Tucking a lock of dark hair around the shell of her ear, I press a finger to my lips to signal we gotta be quiet so we don’t wake Pops.

She nods and claps a little hand over her mouth to keep from giggling, but her eyes brighten, and I catch a sweet grin peek out from behind her fingers.

The man at my back grumbles.

I freeze, not wanting to rouse him.

Lily’s eyes round to the size of hubcaps.

Do you think we should wake him ? I mouth to her.

Somehow reading my lips, Lily’s head shakes just as footsteps resonate outside my now open bedroom door.

I die a little inside.

Dark’s here.

On days I know I’m not going anywhere and think Lily might want to come over, I leave the back door unlocked. I guess Dark took that as an invitation.

I motion to the door.

Lily mouths what I think is the word, Dad , which confirms my suspicions. He said he was coming to discuss our new job, but I didn’t think it would be this early. The clock on my nightstand reads a little after eight. Yep. This is way too early on a Sunday to deal with my ex.

As if things couldn’t get worse, said dark-haired, gray-eyed man, saunters straight into my bedroom in a pair of gray sweatpants outlining his you-know-what and a comfy, long-sleeve t-shirt. Taking one look at my bed, he opens his mouth like he’s about to lose his fucking mind, and just as I expect him to curse, the body behind me jostles, rubs his still erect cock against my ass, and rumbles, “Go to the fuckin’ livin’ room, Dark.”

My stomach dips.

The hand tightens around my breast.

“Pops, you’re awake!” Lily cheers, wiggling on the bed, oblivious to the awkward situation unfolding.

“Lily,” Dark grumbles and thrusts his hand out for his daughter to join him. “We’ll be in the living room whenever you two finish doing whatever the fuck this is.”

Following her father’s orders, Lily pecks my cheek and scrambles to join Dark. Her much smaller hand is consumed by his as they depart and shut the door in their wake.

I sigh.

Well, that could have gone worse.

Sunshine kisses the side of my neck and snuggles his nose there. “Morning, Sweets.”

My heart flutters.

“Morning.” I wiggle my butt against his morning wood. “Did you smuggle a banana into bed and didn’t tell me about it?”

His throaty morning laughter is music to my ears.

“No?” I faux gasp. “Then who’s sneaking bananas into our bed?”

Drawing me firmly against his body, Sunshine groans against my shoulder as his poor cock bucks. Being the sweetest man in existence, he doesn’t rut against me. He lets it throb, and when it twitches, I feel every movement, every flex, right against my ass, and damn if that doesn’t turn me on. Sex deprivation will do that to a lady.

Sunshine’s fingers trail from their home at my breast down to my bare stomach, where he draws circles around my belly button. Goosebumps break out across my body, and I shiver at his touch. “Sweets, we gotta get up,” his gravelly morning voice whispers against the back of my head.

“I know.” And I do, but it sucks because I fucking adore morning snuggles.

Dropping a quick kiss to my shoulder, Sunshine’s the first to roll away. Climbing out of his side of the bed, he rounds to mine, pulls the covers down, and offers me his hand. I clasp it in mine as he draws me from the comfy confines with a dismal groan. This is not how I wanted this morning to go. I wanted pillow talk and relaxation. Maybe a massage. Sunshine gives the best massages. Dark had to ruin our fun. Again.

Together, we enter the bathroom, where he pees with a hard-on, and I turn on the shower to commence our morning ritual. From beneath the bathroom vanity, I collect his toiletries and set the caddy on the floor in the shower stall. Once he’s done, Sunshine strips down to nothing, and I get an eyeful of all that is him—big, thick cock, heavy balls, and a tapered waist with those gutters you want to lick whipped cream out of.

Sexy bare feet slap against the tiled floor as he stops right in front of me. Biting my bottom lip, I can’t stop looking down at his anatomy because it’s been a while since I’ve gotten such a close-up view. Heat licks up my throat at how fuckin’ perfect all of it is.

A throaty laugh rings through the bathroom, and Sunshine hooks a finger under my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye. Not there . “I’m gonna shower. You wanna join me?” Those intense grays delve into mine, locking me in place. Beat by beat, they fill with hope. Hope that we’ll shower together. That I’ll break this invisible barrier between us. I’ve yet to let him see me as naked as I’ve seen him. While I love my body, I can’t take that step. I can’t show him. Not now, and maybe never. Especially not when his son is in the other room with Lily. Not when my panties are soaked, and my pussy aches. Things could happen, and while we skate that line, we never cross it. We’re family. We’re friends. He’s my person and has been since the day he picked me off that floor as a teenager, crying when my mother was dying.

A resigned smile flashes across Sunshine’s face before he leans in, presses a long kiss to my forehead, and retreats.

Opening the shower door, he speaks over his shoulder. “I’ll be out in a bit, Sweets. You’re gonna need to leave unless you wanna watch me play with my cock.”

With that, I go, because I can’t watch.

In the bedroom, as I get dressed, my mind swirls with vivid images of what he’s doing, how he’s stroking himself, and wondering if it feels good. Duh. Of course, it does. That’s why we masturbate. But still… how good ?

A long-sleeved sweatshirt and black leggings work for today’s lazy fashion as I exit the bedroom and join Dark in the living room while Lily devours a bowl of cereal at the island in the kitchen.

Not wanting to sit beside my ex, I drop into my oversized black chair across from him.

Glaring at me, arms tucked over his chest, he leans forward. “Are you fucking my father?” His words are a harsh, pissed-off whisper, quiet enough that Lily won’t overhear.

“No.”

His head rears back in surprise. “No?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but no.” Not that I haven’t thought about it. Obviously. I have two eyes and a fully functioning brain.

“Never?” he presses.

“Never.”

Throwing his body back into the couch cushions, Dark’s eyes squeeze shut for half a beat before they reopen and search mine. “Thank fuck.” He expels a harsh breath.

Yeah.

Sure.

Thank fuck.

This is coming from someone who has a woman he has sex with any time he wants.

Tucking my legs under me, I pull the throw blanket off the back of my chair and drape it over my lap. “Now, what do we need to discuss about this new job of mine?”

Dark produces a manila file and slides it across the coffee table.

For hours, we discuss the details down to the minutia of who, what, when, and where. When Sunshine finishes getting ready for the day, he takes Lily to her bedroom for one-on-one Pops time, to read and play Barbie’s, but not before he checks on me. Because let’s face it, Dark walking in on this morning will drive an even bigger wedge between them, and there’s no telling how much of a dick Dark will act because of it.

So far, he’s been okay, even when I force us to stop long enough to make tea and turkey sandwiches in the kitchen. He glares at his father whenever it suits him, but his mouth remains shut on the bedroom matter.

From a mason jar in the fridge, I pour three shot glasses to the brim with a health tonic I make fresh—lemon juice, ginger, local honey, a dash of orange juice, turmeric, and cayenne. I set the glasses before each guy and leave the last for myself.

“Where’s mine?” Lily asks from her stool as she plucks a chip from her plate and devours it.

“Are you sure you want one, Lily Pad?” I check because she’s tried the tonic before and nearly threw up. It’s potent. Not for the faint of heart.

“Yes. Please.” She taps the counter where she wants her shot glass to go.

Dark chuckles, smiling down at his daughter seated beside him. He squeezes her shoulder in pride.

Not wanting to leave her out, I pour my favorite little girl a quarter shot and set it right where she wants.

She’s the first to lift it in the air.

Sunshine follows suit, then Dark, and I’m last.

“What should we celebrate?” Lily asks excitedly, the sweetest smile alighting her face.

“To good health?” I shrug.

“To a safe return home,” Dark announces, looking straight at me as he clinks his shot glass with Lily’s.

“To a safe return home,” Sunshine parrots, also staring at me before he taps his tonic to Lily’s.

“To a safe return home.” Following suit, I clink my glass against everyone’s, leaving Dark and Sunshine to finish the honor.

From the opposite side of Lily, Sunshine toasts his son, who returns the gesture with a glare. Together, we down our shots following Lily’s joyful, “To a safe return home!”

The juice is smooth and tangy on the way down—a welcome flavor from years of drinking the stuff.

Not everyone’s reaction is the same. Lily’s face pinches in revulsion, and she forces it down, but not before she gags the tiniest bit. Dark pats her back as he grunts but ingests the tonic like a shot of whiskey with no complaints. Sunshine loves the tonic. He shoots half the glass and savors the flavor before he finishes the second half.

Watching them draws a small smile to my face as the warm fuzziness fill me up inside.

This is my family.

Yes, even Dark.

As the three familial clones finish their lunches, I collect the glasses and place them on the top rack of the dishwasher to run later. Then it’s back to work because I have a job to do.

California, here I come.