29. Knox

Ford’s teamwon the game, and that wasn’t even the best part. Afterward, one of the stadium employees brought us out to the field, where the Diamonds had played the Brentwood Badgers. There were still tons of professional players, reporters, and coaches milling around. Emily looked like she was in heaven, stars in her eyes at seeing all these people in real life.

We found Ford doing an interview with a pretty reporter and stood off to the side, Jackson in Larkin’s arms and Emily sitting on my shoulders so she had the best view of it all.

Once Ford finished the interview, he walked over to us, holding his helmet by the face mask in one hand, his brown hair slick with sweat. “Brother,” he said, coming to give me a hug. He grinned at Larkin and Jackson and then said to Emily, “Is my biggest fan ready for a tour?”

Emily nodded so fast and squirmed down from my shoulders like a little wiggle worm, making all of us laugh. She ran up to Ford and said, “Where do we start?”

For the next half hour, he walked us round the stadium, introducing Emily to everyone from the head coach to the security guards, treating everyone with equal deference just like Dad taught us growing up.

When we finished touring the locker room and meeting some of the players, Emily’s eyes were drooping, and I had to carry her. We said our goodbyes to Ford, who said he’d be home later, and then left the stadium.

My brother’s house was a good half hour away, longer in traffic, and both the kids had just fallen asleep when we pulled into his expansive driveway. The home cost him seven figures and had more bells and whistles than we ever had growing up. It was set on two acres and had a tall stone fence around the entire property to give him some privacy and security.

The landscaping was simple, but impeccably done with mature trees dotting the grass and casting a generous amount of shade. At the end of the long driveway, his house loomed, an upscale, modern home with a white brick fa?ade and sharp black features, from the double front doors to the grids in the expansive, reflective windows.

“This is gorgeous,” Larkin said next to me. “Are you sure they allow the likes of me here?”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that passed my lips. “If you’re not allowed, I’m sure as hell not.”

She giggled. “In all seriousness, I’ve never been inside a house like this before.”

“What should we do?” I asked, coming to a stop in front of the house in the circular drive. Then I put the truck in park and waggled my eyebrows. “Jump in his bed? Streak through the backyard? Skinny-dip?”

Her cheeks tinged pink. “There are a lot of naked activities in that list, Knox Madigan.”

I bit my lip, giving her a smoldering look. “Can you blame me, with you looking like that? Those denim shorts have been driving me insane all day.”

She ran her hands over her thighs like she was half surprised by my comment. But she seemed to reset her expression and said, “Well, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that kiss.”

My stomach muscles tightened because damn, I hadn’t either. If we hadn’t been surrounded by a stadium of people, including her children, I would have taken her right then and there.

I reached for her thigh, loving the softness of it under my palm. Squeezing lightly, I said, “You are irresistible in the best possible way.”

She put her hand atop mine, the heat building between us.

“What do you say we get the kids inside?” I asked her. “Before I get carried away and take you right in this driveway.”

Her chest arched distractingly, drawing my gaze to the swell of her breasts, and when I looked back up at her eyes, I saw a look just as hungry as I felt. Her voice was breathy as she said, “That’s probably a good idea.”

We got out of the truck, me going to Emily’s side and her going to Jackson’s to get them out. Emily was still sleepy and decided to ride on one wheeling suitcase while I pushed the other in my free hand. Larkin held Jackson on her hip while situating the pack and play in the stroller, and then we paraded to the front door of my brother’s mansion.

Something inside me said, Take note. This moment is special. And I couldn’t second-guess my inner voice. Our first family trip. Emily’s first professional football game. The first time Ford saw Larkin as more than my neighbor. The first time Larkin and I would stay overnight in the same house... Regardless of our pasts, we had so many firsts together.

We reached the front door, and I punched the code into the digital display, then the deadbolt clicked. I held the tall door open to let us inside.

Emily stared at the grand entrance with country-style art on the walls and said, “Can I see if it echoes?”

Larkin laughed. “Is it okay, Knox?”

“Heck yeah,” I said. “Give it your best, Em.”

With a grin, Emily yelled, “ECHO!”

It bounced off the gallery white walls and stone floors, and even the rugs in the living room had no chance of absorbing the echoes that came back. She giggled, and then Jackson let out his own yell, like he was trying to say echo too.

I grinned. “Yeah, buddy. Echo!”

He smiled and squirmed in Larkin’s arms.

“Let me show y’all the bedrooms,” I said, leading them to the hallway off the living room. “There are six bedrooms in this house, but the five guest rooms are on this side of the house.” I stopped at the first bedroom, a massive space with a metal four-poster bed, a sitting area at a window overlooking the grounds, and its own en suite bathroom. After setting Larkin’s bags at the door, we went to the room right across the hall, almost identical to the one we saw before. Then I put my bag at the bedroom next to Larkin’s. We hadn’t talked sleeping arrangements before arriving, and I didn’t want her to feel pressured or uncomfortable.

After checking out the rooms, Emily asked, “What are we doing now?”

Larkin looked at me and said, “Would you be okay watching the kids while I take a quick shower?”

“Of course,” I replied. “I’ll give the kiddos the grand tour.” And try not to think about their mom in the shower the entire time.

Easier said than done.