Page 60 of The Sinner's Son
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Royce asked. “We don’t want to intrude on this fine Wednesday evening.”
Alec chuckled and stepped aside so their party of five could enter his spacious beach house. “You mean the way I blew into your life and wreaked all kinds of hell?”
Royce tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I mean…”
Sawyer elbowed him hard. “Ignore him. My husband can be quite the brat.”
“It’s all good,” Alec replied. “Hi, Kelsey.”
“Hi, honey.” She didn’t bother asking how he was doing because the answer was evident in his wan complexion and the dark smudges under his eyes. But resilience and determination shimmered in Alec’s green gaze. Hugging was Kelsey’s love language, so she wrapped him up tightly before introducing Alec to her family. “This is my husband, Andrew,” she said. “We’re calling him Big Sexy for obvious reasons.”
Alec’s brow shot up as he scanned the tall, handsome man in front of him. Then his mouth quirked into a wry smile. “Because he has the same name as my serial killer father or because…”
Always a good sport, Big Sexy extended his hand and said, “All the above.”
Alec winked at Kelsey. “Good on you.” He met Ella next, who shyly buried her face in her father’s neck. “Does anyone want a tour of the house before you start your beach photo shoot?”
“Me!” Kelsey said.
“Me! Me!” Ella chimed, her shyness all but forgotten as she clapped her adorable hands and matched her mama’s energy.
“Where my girls go, I go too.” Big Sexy gestured for Kelsey to lead the way.
When Sawyer moved to follow them, Royce snagged his wrist and held him in place. He leaned in close and pressed his lips to Sawyer’s ear. “I’m not the only one with bratty behavior. I’ve yet to get even for that impromptu dinner party you hosted.”
“One guest isn’t a dinner party,” Sawyer said. He turned and met his gaze, dark eyes dancing with mischief. “Not my fault you fell asleep before you could instruct me on how to be a good husband.”
Royce cupped Sawyer’s jaw and stroked his thumb over his lips. “You couldn’t be a better husband if you tried.” He pulled Sawyer in for a quick, hard kiss. “But I’ll happily cheer on your efforts.”
Sawyer laughed. “I just bet you will.”
They kissed again, their mouths lingering long enough to make him wish for home, but they hadn’t stopped by Alec’s beach house for a casual hang. Kelsey and Sawyer had come up with an idea for a pregnancy announcement and Big Sexy, husband and father extraordinaire, moonlighted as an amateur photographer and had volunteered to snap the photographs.
“Oh! Oops!” The interruption came from a woman whose voice Royce didn’t recognize.
He reluctantly pulled his lips away from Sawyer’s and smiled at her. “Hello.”
“Hi.” She winked at Sawyer and said, “Damn, you did good.”
Sawyer laughed. “Behave, Marina.”
Ahhh. “You’re Alec’s producer.” Holding out his hand, he said, “Royce Locke. It’s nice to meet you.”
Marina’s cheeks went pink, and she extended the hand with a frosty margarita in it. “Oops again. I don’t think we should let Ricky get near the blender anymore. Powerful stuff.” She switched the drink to her other hand and shook Royce’s. “It’s nice to meet you too. Forgive my unprofessionalism.”
“It’s all good.”
Sawyer nodded toward the drink. “I don’t recall seeing margarita night on the production schedule.”
Marina tipped her head back and laughed throatily. “Maybe not, but we damn well deserve it. What a week it’s been so far.” She gestured to Sawyer with her margarita and said, “He solved an almost thirty-year-old cold case. And you…” She took a sip of her drink as if she needed courage. “And you made a daring rescue.”
“I wouldn’t say it was daring,” Royce hemmed.
“Dane’s family would argue, and they’d be right.” Marina raised her glass, saluting Sawyer and then Royce. “You’re both amazing men. And now I need to go find some food to absorb the alcohol.”
Ella’s delighted squeals of joy caught their attention before Royce could swoop in and kiss Sawyer again. “Shen! Shen!”
“Ocean,” Kelsey said, emphasizing theO, as she followed her excited daughter toward the wall of windows at the back of the house. “I see the perfect spot for our photographs. A nice clean stretch of sand without a ton of tourists.”