Page 66 of Perfect Composition

“No, right now, you need to sleep and you need to eat. Same goes for you two.” I jerk my chin in the direction of her brothers.

“Wish I could, but the horses don’t wait for anyone.” Jesse takes a long pull of his tea before moving to the sink to dump out the rest.

“I don’t have that problem. I’m going to find my bed,” Ethan declares.

“Alone?” Jesse taunts as the two make their way to the front door.

“Maybe.” And without another word, the two older Kensingtons disappear wordlessly, trusting a drooping Paige alone with me.

I set my tea aside and reach for her hand. “Come on, bird. Let’s get you in the direction of your bed.”

“Beckett, I have too much to do. I have to remain awake in the event the hospital…” An enormous yawn overtakes her.

“Will they call?” I ask logically as I guide her to the stairs. With a small nudge, she trudges up.

“Sure. I have my phone right here.” She pats her rear pocket, drawing my attention to her perfect heart-shaped ass.

I clench my teeth at the overwhelming surge of lust that floods me. “Then up you go. Take a nap.”

“Help yourself to whatever. I’ll be down in like an hour. Tops.”

Hoping it’s more like three, I head back to the couch and resume my search for the best restaurant in the area that either delivers or does takeout. When I find it, I pick up my phone and call Kane. “Hey, I need a favor.”

Three and a half hours later, I’ve started reheating the mouthwatering Italian when I first heard movement upstairs. Now, two women are laughing uproariously at something I can’t hear, and part of me aches to be let in on their secrets. I yell, “If the two of you don’t hurry up, I’m eating all this food from Murray’s myself.”

The laughter not only pauses, but Paige and Austyn make enough noise clamoring down the stairs they sound like a herd of elephants. “Did you say Murray’s?” Austyn demands.

“He doesn’t have to say it, baby. Just take a whiff. God, it smells like a miracle in here.” Paige inhales deeply.

I do the same and get a faint scent of her perfume. She’s right; it does smell like a miracle. My cock stirs beneath the zipper of my jeans. I clear my throat. “Right. So I wasn’t sure what you ladies liked, so I ordered some of everything.”

“That might be an understatement,” Paige murmurs. But the smile twitching at her lips tells me she’s teasing.

“Okay, so I went a bit overboard,” I allow.

“Beckett! There are seventeen pans of food here. For three of us!” Austyn is doubled over laughing.

“Well, if the two of you don’t mind, I thought I might invite the guys inside to grab a plate.”

“Your security team?” Paige asks.

“Hell yeah! Eye candy! That’s dessert before dinner.” Austyn cheers.

Paige rolls her eyes. “Obviously you’re not longing for Mr. iPad.”

Mr. iPad? Is this woman code for something?

“Mama, he was a distant memory before I met you in San Antonio. I’m just glad he didn’t get up in the middle of our conversation and embarrass us both.” Austyn dismisses some random dude while checking out the Italian I had brought in from a nearby town.

I rub my forehead before shoving my hands through my hair. Part of me is enthralled by the openness of our daughter’s relationship with her mother, but on the other hand… “Do you realize the kind of trouble she can get into out there?” I demand of Paige.

The quirk of her brow before she gives me a head-to-toe perusal tells me she knows just the kind of trouble her daughter can get into. “I do. I’ve already warned her all about the bad boys. Too badyourdaughter didn’t listen. Go tell your security team they’re welcome to eat in the dining room, the lanai, wherever they’re most comfortable.”

Ouch. I wince as Paige makes her way toward a door in the kitchen. At first, I wonder if she’s escaping me and my big mouth, but then she pulls out a ridiculous number of paper plates. “Austyn, grab these.”

“On it, Mama. Do you want to use real silverware?”

“No. And call your Uncle Jesse to make certain he’s eaten. E’s at the hospital with Gramps.”