Page 99 of One Little Kiss

“Adoption is forever.”

His heavy sigh is full of frustration. “That’s what I keep telling you, yes. Forever, Winnie.”

My gaze drops to my hand and the unfamiliar weight on my left ring finger. My thumb spins the band nervously. “Okay. You can do that? Take away his rights?”

Colton’s expression goes hard. He’s as cold as I’ve ever seen him when he speaks. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make you both mine, Winnie.”

Without thinking, I rest my head on his shoulder. His arm wraps around my back and he holds me tight against his side. We sit in the quiet, watching Wes push his wooden trains back and forth. It’s comfortable. But it’s so much more than that. Colton has given us a home. A family. I’ve spent so many years fighting that I forgot what it feels like to be content and safe. He’s brought me peace, I realize.

The knock at the door has me groaning uncomfortably.

“Winnie? You ready?” Lexi calls as she enters our home.

“We really should start locking that door,” I grumble.

Colton chuckles, but pulls me to stand with him. Wrapping me in a hug, he kisses the top of my head. “It wouldn’t matter, CC. They all have keys.”

“Ready?” Lexi repeats as she enters the family room. “If we’re late, Julia will have a meltdown.”

She sounds delightful. Obviously, I don’t say that, but my expression speaks volumes. “Yeah, I’m ready. How late will we be?”

“East is staying at the lodge with the kids and GG so he can drive us home whenever we’re ready.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Oh, it is,” Colton and Lexi say at the same time.

“I’m not really a big drinker,” I object as Lexi drags me to the door. “Hold on, I have to say good-bye to Wes.”

“Bye, bye.” He waves without lifting his head.

My shoulders droop as I watch him.

“Come on. It’s a good thing that he’s so comfortable with Colton,” Lexi whispers. “Plus, all kids can be assholes sometimes. Mine always go to Easton first. It pisses me off, and I think they know it now, so they do it on purpose.”

It is good. It stings, but it’s good. I let Lexi drag me outside with a final wave to my boys.

* * *

“Tell me again who Ari is?” I plead as we walk up a driveway to a house similar to the one I share with Colton.

“Ari is Seth’s wife.” Lexi must know I’m going to ask about Seth, because she continues, “Seth is the latest adopted Lost Boy. He was a superspy with Loki and now runs a security firm with Loki and Ash.”

She pushes the door open and ushers me inside, where the sound of a thousand voices echo off the walls. I freeze halfway into the house.

“It’s fine. Wine night always makes them louder.” Lexi gives me a gentle nudge, and I stumble forward. “We’re here,” her voice singsongs through the entryway, and the other voices lower to a hush.

I follow behind Lexi, and it’s almost easy to hide behind her six-foot frame, but as we round the corner to the family room, she tugs me to her side. “Okay, line up for introductions.”

My eyes go wide as all the women, dressed similarly in leggings, oversized sweatshirts, and true to her word, no bras, line up along the back window overlooking the mountain.

“You know me, and Lanie.” Lexi points to Lanie, who looks almost exactly like her. “This is Julia, Trevor’s wife. Then we have Emory, she belongs to Preston. Her sister, Sloane, is married to Loki but not here because she’s a New York Times bestselling romance author on a deadline. This is Ari, our hostess. I already told you she’s married to Seth. And you know Rylan, Colton’s bff and Halton’s wife.”

I wave awkwardly at the lineup of beautiful women, each smiling warmly before they file over and wrap me in a giant embrace. Julia’s last, and she stands a few feet away with her hands on her hips.

“I hear your little guy has SPD.”

“Excuse Julia,” Lanie whispers. “She has no filter.”