Page 61 of Creed

I went into the kitchen and warmed up a slice of leftover pizza. I ate it at the sink and downed it with a tall glass of water, something I hoped would balance out the beer and shots I’d had earlier. I went to bed and slept much later than I’d intended.

We all did.

It was almost noon before we got moving, and even then, we didn’t get in a rush about it. I did some laundry and dishes, and as the day moved along, we all ended up in the living room, watching some movie the kids had been wanting to see.

I was laid back on the sofa with Chrissy at my feet, and I was piddling with my phone when Jameson’s name came up on the screen and I felt that familiar flutter in my stomach as I answered, “Hey.”

“Hey, beautiful. You recover yet?”

“Recover?”

“From your big night at the clubhouse.” I could practically hear his smirk. “Thought maybe you were still starstruck from hanging out with so many cool dudes last night.”

“You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

“Not until you admit I’m cool.”

“Not gonna happen,” I teased. “As far as last night goes, I had a great time.”

“I did, too. Not often I have such a beautiful lady at my side. The guys didn’t know what to think.”

I bit down on a smile, ignoring the way Chrissy looked over at me as I told him, “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“That so?” he challenged, low and rough enough to send a shiver down my spine. “What if I say I want to see you? Take you for a ride?”

“As tempting as that sounds, I’m going to have to pass. I’m in full veg-out mode today. PJs, blankets, and movies with the kids.”

“Sounds like fun.”

“You’re welcome to join.”

“You sure about that?”

I glanced over at the kids, and while they weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea, they didn’t seem totally against it. So, I said, “Sure, but you need to know. I’m not changing. I might brush my teeth, but that’s about it.”

“I’d be disappointed if you did anything more.”

“You sure?” I knew he wouldn’t care, but I felt the need to prepare him. “Because it’s a mess over here. My precious daughter is currently using me as a pillow, and the living room looks like a tornado hit it.”

“My kind of veg out day.”

“Then, head on over.”

“Need me to bring anything?”

“We could use some movie snacks. You know the basics. Chocolate. Something sweet and sour and…

“I want some M&Ms!” Chrissy shouted.

Austin didn’t even look up from the TV. “Takis for me.”

“Did you get that?”

“Yeah, I got it.” Jameson chuckled, that deep, rumbling sound that made my heart squeeze. “And I already know your snack list.”

“Oh, do you now?”

“Popcorn, Diet Coke, and gummy bears.” His voice softened. “Right?”