Inked Babies (Inked Brotherhood 6)

“Tomorrow. We leave at ten. Hey, did you look into that guy’s name like you said you would?”

“Yup. Found some matches. I’ll need Zane to take a look.”

“We can do it after we come back. Bring your laptop.”

“Sir, yessir.”

“Asshole.” Asher snorts and disconnects.

I almost drop the phone when I spot her. Managing just barely to grab it with the hand holding Teo’s bag, I shove it into my back pocket and head her way.

“Tess!”

My chest expands at the sight of her, her blond hair caught up in a ponytail, her shirt and dress pants wrinkled, her small, bright face. She’ll never stop making my heart pound. No matter what goes down next, she’s the only girl I’ve ever loved.

Then she spots us and her eyes go round. “Dyl!” She hurries toward us, smiling, and I can’t get to her fast enough. “Teo! Miles. What a nice surprise!”

I finally reach her and wrap an arm around her, lifting her up slightly just to hear her squeal.

She doesn’t disappoint. I kiss her soundly on the lips, and then let her go so she can hug my brothers. Teo kisses her cheeks, while Miles is quiet.

He accepts the hug, though, and returns it, and a light flush colors his cheeks when he pulls back.

“Why are you here?” She tucks a loose strand of pale hair behind her ear. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“When I can, I’ll always come get you,” I tell her, and her eyes widen again, as if there’s an extra layer of meaning in my words.

And she’s right. There is. I knew it the moment I spoke them.

Her smile turns softer, her gaze brighter. “Do you have any idea how much I love you, Dylan Hayes?”

My heart booms. “Show me?”

She leans in to kiss me, her mouth opening, her tongue touching mine, and the world grows hazy around us as desire bolts into me.

“Ew…” Teo tugs on my hand, breaking the spell.

“Gross.” Miles is shaking his head, still blushing and looking embarrassed to be seen with us.

Fuck. Combined with what Teo said about hearing us having sex through the bedroom door, and my thoughts about being a shitty parent to them, Miles’ embarrassment hits me like a fist of ice in the stomach.

But then Tessa laughs and ruffles his hair, and the tension breaks. “Kissing is nice,” she informs Miles who’s now scowling. “Soon enough you’ll be kissing girls, too. Or have you started already?”

Miles looks away, his cheeks crimson, and I gape at him.

“You have? Miles…”

“What?” Defensive. “You do it. What’s wrong with it?”

He’s twelve. He’s my ward, my younger brother, he’s too young… Or is he?

“Come off it, Dyl.” Tess swats at my arm, her eyes twinkling. “You’ll make him feel bad about it, and for what? He’s discovering girls. It’s normal.”

“I’m not…” Miles huffs. “Not discovering them.”

“Noticing them,” Tessa corrects herself, and he nods.

God, she’s good at this. At this parenting thing. At figuring out the boys, what they need, what they want. Miles is smiling, a faint thing but there, and Teo is pulling his hand from mine in order to grab hers. He looks up at her with adoration.