I finally left them both with kisses half way into the book Rowan was engaged in reading. She really was quite the reader. Paxton had to help her sound a couple of the bigger words, but for being six, she killed it. Made me extremely proud.

“Keep reading, I’ll be right back.”

I stopped in the hall, knowing that break was for me. “You okay?”

I did try to hide that surprised look?

“What? You look like you don’t feel good.”

I shook my head a little and kissed him. “You didn’t ask me if I was okay when I couldn’t even stand for five minutes. I have a little headache and you’re concerned?”

“It’s never going to be real if you keep holding on to this stuff, Gabriella.”

I almost said something smart, something about him kicking my crutches out from under me when I couldn’t walk on my own, but I didn’t. “Yeah, you’re not the one that has to let it all go. It’s hard. I’m fine. I just have a little headache. I’m going to go soak in a hot bubble bath for a little while. Go finish up with the girls.”

Paxton stared at me briefly while taking in a long breath of air. “Go upstairs.”

“I want my tub.”

“That’s not your tub anymore. Go upstairs.”

“Okay, but I don’t want to do the video tonight.”

“Why?”

“I just don’t. We’ve had a good day. I don’t want to ruin it.”

“Dad, are you coming?” Rowan called from her knees, peeking out to the hall from the foot of her bed.

“Go read with them, I’ll see you in a little bit.”

“I’m coming,” Paxton said as he took my hand. Of course the magic in our hands had to click, two stones coming together as one. One step forward and I was against the wall with a knee pressed right between my legs. Instant euphoric endorphins rushed my body quicker than lightening. “Do you believe in magic, Gabriella,” he asked in that damn husky rasp he used, usually when he was inside of me. His tongue slid between my lips while his knee pressed harder into my suddenly awake clit. Traitor.

“Jesus, God, Pax,” I exclaimed with my hands flat on his chest, trying like hell to get him off of me.

The same sexy words were spoken warmly to my throat. “Continue on, Mrs. Pierce?”

I held in a moan when Paxton jerked my hair, forcing me to look up to him. “You better stop. I’m about to take my clothes off.

That cooled his attempt of being a dominant sex God long enough for me to get away from him. I sucked at playing games. I never won and just like always, I bit the hook, swallowing it whole. Dumb, dumb, fish.

Taking a bath in Paxton’s tub was going to take some getting used to. Not that it wasn’t nice, it was. It was just different. My body was used to the way mine fit. His was too long, and didn’t feel like it hugged me the way mine did. Or maybe I was just looking for every little thing I could find for this not to be real.

Real scared the hell out of me. What if it wasn’t real? Nonetheless, I soaked in the floral scent, relaxing just fine. The hot steam felt amazing on my body, but did little for the dull ache right behind my eyes.

I don’t know the exact time I stayed in the water, but it was long enough for my fingers to start wrinkling. I got out, wondering why Paxton hadn’t come up. It had to have been at least twenty-five minutes. I didn’t have those kids that went full force half the night. Neither one of them could make it past nine o’clock. Of course that was probably due to having Paxton as a father. Captain consistency.

I wrapped my head in a towel, cussing under my breath because I couldn’t find my favorite robe. The soft white one I’d just washed and hung on the back—I stopped looking and stopped cussing my husband when I remembered where it was. My guess was still on the hook, hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I slid on one of Paxton’s long t-shirts instead. Why he even had the shirt was beyond me. Something his guys got him for Christmas I presumed. I was sure he’d never worn the tacky blue shirt that said ‘I’m the boss’ in pink letters.

I stuck my head out from the railing, wondering where Paxton was when he still hadn’t come up. The light illuminating from his office explained why. I groaned while scrubbing my wet hair with the towel, and then descended the steps.

“What are you doing? I thought you were coming upstairs.”

Paxton looked over the frames of his glasses and smiled. “You think you’re the boss?”

I looked down at his shirt and smiled, too, almost forgetting that I had put it on. “Watcha doing?”

“Working, come here.”

“Why are you working on a Saturday night?”

Paxton shrugged and slid his chair back for me to sit. “I don’t know, I didn’t mean to be this long.”

I sat on his lap, pulled my knees to my chest, and looked at his screen. “Are you building that?” I questioned, seeing the pool on the screen.

“Yeah, and he wants a waterfall, guess how I’m doing it?”

“Recycled concrete and cement?”

“Yes, I love it. Best idea ever.”

“When are you going to build one for the girls?”

“You’re not wearing panties. I don’t know, maybe next month.”

“Didn’t think I needed them.”

“You don’t,” Paxton said with a kiss to my arm. His fingers ran back and forth over my inner thigh, close to my naked sex, but not touching me. Not quite. A soft touch to my lips now and then, but that was it.

“Let’s go to bed.”

“Mi sent you a message.”

I looked around, trying to remember where I had left my phone. “What did she say?”

“You left it on the island. She said hi, asked about the girls, and to check your email.”

“What’s in the email?”

“Nick, he doesn’t want you to hear this one, only me, and then I’m supposed to tell you from my side of things.”

“No, I don’t like that. We said we were doing this together. We’re watching it together.”

“I told him you would say that, he said to tell you that you’re going to get your turn, and you’re going to be happy you get to tell me your way.”

“No, Paxton. You won’t do that. You’ll tell me what you want me to hear, and then you’ll insist on watching it with me, or later.”

“You can’t watch it later. That’s why we have to log into this secret world of Nicks. I won’t, Gabriella. I swear.”

I closed my legs and dropped them over his, not liking it. I didn’t like it at all. “But why can’t I hear it with you? I mean I said it, that is me there telling Lane all my deep dark secrets. Not you.”

“I don’t know, but you’re the one who wanted to do this. Let’s just keep going. Go on up to bed. I’ll be up soon.”

“Are you going to watch it now?”

“Yes.”

“But now I want to have sex. Let’s do it first.”

Paxton stood with me, backed me against his desk, and pressed his hips into me. My legs wrapped around him all on their own, and the moan in his mouth was unforeseen. We made out with his hands touching me everywhere but where I needed, until he pulled away. He slid me back a little and opened my legs, placing my feet on each side, and pressing out on my knees.

“Sit there and behave for a minute. I’ve got to finish this up real quick.”

My endorphin injection suddenly ejected. The pitter patter I’d felt in my heart and the throb between my legs halted. “Seriously?”

“Yes. Isn’t that what you wanted? You wanted me to pay attention to your pussy? Right?”

“Well, I mean,” I started, ready to differentiate his version of that from mine.

Paxton stopped me from standing by coming to his feet again. “Don’t move, Gabriella. Stay right there, just like this. Got it, baby girl?” He questioned with words dripping sex appeal to my lips.

My heart picked up where it had left off while adrenaline rushed my veins, raging through my entire body. His teeth tugged lightly on my bottom lip, and then shoved into my mouth. The sudden jerk from a fistful of hair and his lips to my throat left me spinning in circles, wanting more. More that I didn’t get.