Page 35 of Night and Day

Something tickled my face and my eyes flew open.What the hell?

My cousin Caleb leaned over me, his cute face two inches from mine. He had blond hair shades darker than his sister.

“Caleb.” I really needed to get my key back from the kids.

“Morning, Tessa.”

I rolled onto my back, my blissful doze and X-rated daydream evaporating. “What are you doing here?”

“I really, really want pancakes and Leo won’t make them for me.” He pouted. “I’m not allowed to use the stove.”

Swallowing a groan, I snagged Caleb’s sturdy body and yanked him onto the bed. He let out a half yelp, half laugh.

“I demand a cuddle.”

“Noooo.” He grinned at me, showing off his two huge front teeth he hadn’t grown into yet.

“Yes.” I wrestled him. “Give your cousin a big, morning hug.”

He squirmed and giggled. “I need pancakes.”

“I didn’t hear the magic word.”

“Please, Tessa.” He fluttered his eyelashes at me.

I kissed his nose. “I don’t have time to make them, my gorgeous little man, because I have to get to work. But I have time to bug your brother into making them.”

A pleased, slightly evil grin crossed Caleb’s face. “Okay.”

Shaking my head, I let him go. “I need to shower and change. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

By the time I took a lightning-fast shower, then slipped into a fitted, gray dress that I always thought looked stylish and professional, I didn’t have much time. I managed some light makeup and put my hair in a ponytail.

When I entered my living room, I found Leo sprawled on my couch watching TV, Haley snuggled up beside him cuddling Simba, and Caleb working on one of the jigsaw puzzles I kept on the bookshelf. There were pieces spread all over my rug.

At least it wasn’t Legos.

A part of me wanted to sigh, but a bigger part of me smiled. I loved these kids to bits, even when they made my mornings a little bit chaotic.

“Good morning, guys.”

“Heya, Tessa.” Leo didn’t even glance my way. His shaggy, brown hair almost covered his eyes. He was long overdue for a haircut.

“I need to get to work. We have some bigwigs in town.”

Now Leo glanced over, straightening. “Ambrose Langston.”

“That’s the one.” I pulled my cellphone off the charger. Oh, only three emails from Ro. He must have actually slept.

“The billionaire.” Leo said the word with a blush of awe.

“Yes.”

“The six-foot-something, handsome billionaire who dates supermodels.”

Ro dated supermodels? My nose wrinkled. I shouldn’t be surprised. Where was Leo going with this?

“Life is so unfair.” He flopped back on the couch. “I’m short, skinny, not a billionaire, and I don’t date supermodels.”