Girls' Night Out

Visits to Petal - 2

by

Lauren Dane

Chapter One

“I’m just saying that it’s a shame to waste all that pretty on a bunch of ladies when you could stay home and use it all up on me.”

Maggie looked over to where her husband lounged on the couch, long legs propped up on the coffee table. Even after all the years he’d been hers, he still made her heart kick up every time she looked at him.

Kyle Chase worked with his body. His skin, even in early December, was kissed by the sun. His broad shoulders were muscled from all the landscaping work he did every day.

His hair was in dire need of a cut but she wasn’t complaining because it only made him hotter.

She caught his gaze in her reflection after she secured a curl back with a last pin. “I’ll still have some pretty left when I get home later. Plus, you have a bachelor party to go to.”

He got up and moved to her, that look on his face, and she really considered not going to Lily’s bachelorette party.

Hands on her hips, he turned her slowly and pulled her close, the heat of him surrounding her, his scent all around. “I think we have some ice cream left. You surely remember how much I like eating it.”

Yeah, off her belly. Or the small of her back. A flush worked through her, leaving her faint.

“I do love seeing you get all blurry-eyed over me.” He grinned and kissed her long and slow. “We can drop the kids off at my parents’ and then come back here instead of going out. I feel a little tickle in my throat.”

“Stop being a bad influence.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

He stole another kiss and she gave over to it because, well, why not?

“Everyone thinks you’re the good one. If they only knew.” She laughed as he kissed up her neck, grabbing two handfuls of her behind to keep her close.

“I am the good one. That’s why you’re still with me after all these years despite my crazy family.”

Her family now too. The one she’d been born with hadn’t been much, but being loved by one Chase meant you got the whole package. Three big, handsome brothers who all had wives she considered her closest friends. A nosy, bossy and loveable mother-in-law, and a father-in-law she was grateful her husband took after. Crazy, yes. Noisy, yes. But she loved each and every one of them and wouldn’t want to live a life without them barging into her house at all hours of the day and night.

The kids made noise in the other room, which was pretty much the only thing that enabled her to keep from ripping his jeans open right then and there.

When he pulled back, he still wore that smug guy face. But he deserved to wear it. “You’re a menace to all my ladyparts, Kyle Chase.”

He laughed. “Good to know, Red.”

She brushed her fingertips through the hair at his temples. “Damn, I love that little bit of gray. So sexy.”

“No one would even miss us.” He kissed her again and she hummed her pleasure.

“You know they would. Your sister-in-law is hosting a party for our dear friend, Lily, and your brothers are all going to a party for our other dear friend. It’s not all night, you know.” Her mother-in-law would be keeping the kids overnight so they had plenty of time to get loud and then sleep in afterward.

“Fine. Go on and be responsible and reasonable.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll drop the kids off on my way to meet the guys over at the Tonk. If anyone gets fresh, let Tate at them. She’s scary. Especially when she’s pregnant.”

Maggie laughed. “We’re going to sit around, eat too much, talk about sex and laugh. It’s the back room at the Pumphouse, it’ll just be us anyway.”

He stepped back with a reluctant sigh. “I’ll see you later. There will be ice cream and your belly.” One of his brows went up as she fought for her breath. “And my tongue. Just sayin’.”

“Can’t wait.” She gulped. “You’re a scoundrel. You know that, right?”

His answering grin told her he did. And thank goodness he was her scoundrel. Their sons were so like him. Good gracious she was going to end up like Polly in a few decades!

“Whatever are you thinking?” He brushed the pad of his thumb over her temple, and she leaned into his touch.

“Nothing bad. Don’t get that panicked face. I was thinking about how the boys were exactly like you and how I’d be like your mother by the time they grew up.”

He wrinkled his nose. “Well if you wanted to throw ice water on my hard-on, mention my mother and that’s that. Thank God you’re a better driver and your hair isn’t nearly as big. But you’re a damned fine momma.”

“Boy oh boy, you’re on a roll tonight. Keep that sexy to yourself or I’ll have to run them over with your momma’s car.”

“You know how much I like it when you get all sassy.”

She rolled her eyes as the kids barreled into the room, calling out for hugs. She happily gave them and a bunch of kisses goodbye before she headed out. They were going to spend the night with their grandparents, and she was a distant second place to sleeping bags in Grammy’s living room and Disney movies with all their cousins.

She was due to pick up Cassie, probably dealing with the same reluctance at leaving her husband behind, in just a few minutes.

Kyle pulled up in front of his brother Marc’s house and honked. He knew Liv was driving over to Lily’s party with Maggie so at least Marc wouldn’t be tangled up in his wife.

For a change.

Each of them had a beautiful wife and wonderful family, but the chemistry between his little brother and his wife was off the charts and the two had a hard time keeping their hands off each other.

Which was probably why Kyle suspected there’d be at least one or two more babies from them. Funny how it was the Chase everyone had thought was the least responsible who’d settled down with a wife and a houseful of kids.

It fit Marc. The ever larger family, the noisy house. He and Liv managed the chaos with humor and a lot of love.

He smiled, thinking of his own three babies. He hadn’t just been flattering his way into Maggie’s underpants when he’d told her she was a wonderful mother. Given the dreadful example she’d grown up with, Maggie parented like it was easy, or natural, and neither was true.

She was the foundation of their family, and it filled him up to near bursting that he had the life he did. And that his wife was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

“Dude, why are you looking like you hit your head on something?” Marc slid into the passenger seat.

“Just thinking about my lovely bride. You ready? I told Shane we’d pick him up at the station. Matt will meet us there too.”

“Ready. Liv took the kids over to Mom and Daddy’s. She called me after to say their place was a madhouse of tiny Chases and Momma looked like she was in heaven.”

“You’d think after getting rid of the four of us they’d be off traveling and enjoying their lives quietly.” Kyle snorted as he headed to the police station. “But no, they really do seem to love being grandparents. Which is good because there are times I’m pretty sure the kids like them better than us.”

“Hell, I would too.”

Shane and Matt waited on the sidewalk as Kyle pulled up.

“Christ it’s cold out tonight.” Shane shivered as he pulled his seatbelt on.

“I’m sure Cassie would have volunteered to warm you up if you’d asked.” Matt elbowed Shane. “Move over.”

Shane elbowed him back. “I’m as over as I’m gonna get. Suck it up. As for my wife? I haven’t seen her all day, actually. I had an early call, which interrupted a pretty damned good start to the morning.” He sighed. “I couldn’t even escape for a nice lunch at home it was so busy. Sometimes I think the cold weather makes people act even worse than they do in full summer.”