Page 130 of All the Forbidden Things

Ilisten to Max’s voice mailfor the two-hundred-and-seventy-eighth time, and just like every other time I listened, I smile and enjoy the fanny flutters it evokes.

I didn’t mean to ignore his calls, but I’d spent nearly the whole of yesterday leaving the bullshit of London behind and riding Marnie’s horse, Quantro, through the paddocks, woods, forest, and along the lanes surrounding their house.

I’m now waiting in their kitchen, hoping Max and Layla get here before my brother so I can at least get a kiss and a cuddle in before they arrive.

He hadn’t called me back again after the fourth time, and I hadn’t called him. And now . . . now I’m pacing like a crazy person because the anticipation is about to kill me. My heart hurts because I miss him, and everything below my waist aches because his message has left me so fucking horny.

Marnie has set up the crib she’s used for the girls in her kitchen, we have a full sized cot set up over at the cottage, all waiting on Layla’s arrival.

Marnie floats into the room, the way she appears to float everywhere in that ethereal, Earth-Mother kind of way of hers. She’s holding up her phone. “I’ve just let Micky in the gate,” she says with a mischievous smile on her face.

Without a word, I rush outside.

Bouncing on my toes, I watch the black Evoque make it’s way up the long winding drive.

The passenger side door is open before the car even comes to a stop, and Max’s feet have barely touched the floor when I fly at him. He doesn’t falter before his hands are under my arse cheeks and he’s holding me tightly against him while burying his face into the side of my neck. I wrap my legs around his hips, grab two handfuls of his hair, and pull his face to mine.

And then I kiss him.

And I kiss him.

And then I kiss him some more.

When I can no longer breathe, I pull back and look at him.

“Hope you’re ready for me, Bamm?”

“Sofucking ready.”

“Good, ’coz you aresogonna get it. Missed you.”

“Can’t wait. Missed you too. Where’s Layla?”

“Right here, but I’m shielding her little eyes and ears from the porno playing out in front of me,” Marnie responds from the back passenger side of the car as she lifts Layla out.

“This is nothing, Marn, the porno won’t be played out till later, once I get Bamm on her own.”

I slide down Max’s body and release him, only for him to throw his arm over my shoulder and walk me towards Marnie and Layla.

“I love that you still call her, Bamm,” Marnie tells him as he pulls her in for a cuddle and a kiss on the cheek before she hands Layla over to me.

I bury my nose into her neck and breathe her in.

Jay appears, and manly handshakes and back slaps ensue.

“Thanks for looking after my girl,” Max says to Jay.

Aaaand I want to take my clothes off and sit on his face right here, right now.

“Any time, dude, any time. Good to see you. So fucking good. Sorry for what’s gone down, but looks like it’s all worked out for the best.”

“The very best, man.”

“Who knew? All these years, all the history, and just look what it’s led to.”

Jay’s wearing the biggest smile as he takes us in, and if my brother’s reaction is the same as Jay’s, my life will be made. I’ll only have the other seven and a half billion people on the planet to worry about.

“Yeah, hello. Thanks for noticing the adopted child is here.”