Maverick (The Family Simon 3)

“Well darlin’,” Cooper said with that slow grin that she was coming to know as a Simon family trait. “I could tell you, but I’m not sure you’re ready to know what exactly what that is.”

Teague grunted. “That’s got to be the worst comeback I’ve ever heard.”

Cooper shrugged. “It’s far too early for me to be clever, and I’m working on no sleep.” He paused, eyeing up his cousin. “I’m glad to see you up and to hear you using your vocal chords. The whole silent treatment and grunting when you want something is getting old.”

“Go to hell,” Teague said.

“Don’t be an asshole. We have company.”

“You have anymore Gibson’s around here?”

“You bet.” Cooper nodded. “In the shop.”

“Wanna get me some?” Teague asked.

Okay, it was time for Charlie to step in.

“How about I make us some scrambled eggs first?” She raised an eyebrow at Teague before turning to Cooper. “And while I’m getting the eggs and toast prepared, you could do us a favor and make a pot of coffee.”

She didn’t bother to wait for either man to respond. Instead she gathered up the things she needed from the fridge—eggs, cheese, bacon and sausages.

She started on the eggs and moved aside when Cooper dove in and shredded the cheese. Between the two of them, they cooked up enough food to feed a small army and when she set the platter of sausages on the table, Charlie stood back and smiled.

“Smells good.”

She was still smiling when she turned and spied Rick standing in the entrance to the kitchen. His hair was still a mess, his jaw unshaven, and his jeans hung dangerously low on his hips. She knew from experience that he probably wasn’t wearing boxers.

He’d not bothered to throw on a shirt and her mouth went dry when she met his gaze. The zigs and zags she’d felt when she’d first laid eyes on him erupted inside her like an overflowing volcano.

Wow. That was all she had right now. Wow.

Years ago when Charlie was a teenager—before her mother had taken off and ruined all of her fantasies of happily ever after and true love—she’d been a reader. Her novels of choice had been the paperback romances Elizabeth would buy and then stuff in the back of the cabinet in the dining room when she was done with them. In those books the men were always just wow.

They were larger than life, with the ability to sweep a woman off her feet and make her happy for the rest of her life. But they were books. They weren’t real. Men like that didn’t exist, at least not in Charlie’s world.

As time went on, as Charlie’s dreams were shattered and the thought of meeting a man who could knock her on her ass had pretty much vanished, she’d forgotten about those books. Forgotten about the men and the women they loved.

How many times had she and Ava sat up for hours on a Saturday night, sharing a couple bottles of wine and talking about how that man didn’t exist? Of course, now she knew that Ava had believed in it all along—that Ava had just been in denial. But what did Charlie believe?

Was Rick that guy? Would any other man ever make her sit back and think that he was just…wow?

Charlie felt silly because she had no other words. How did you describe it when your heart accelerated to the point where you thought you might pass out? Or how her legs suddenly felt like jelly?

“Hey,” Rick said slowly taking a step forward. His voice still held a hint of sleep and she loved the huskiness of it.

“Hey,” she replied softly.

“Guys,” Cooper said, reaching for a piece of bacon. “I think there’s more conversation in that there Planet of The Apes movie, no?”

It was then that she noticed a little head by his side. A little hand inside his large one. A little Ninja Turtle pajama clad body hiding behind his.

“I went up to check on you two and Connor was just waking up. He decided that he was ready for breakfast.”

“I’m guessing this is your brother?” Cooper asked, taking a step forward.

Charlie didn’t answer because she couldn’t.

Wow . Just wow.