It’s laughable, but I can’t even button my jeans anymore, so I can’t complain about the ego boost.
Sin shakes his head at me. “It’s all fun and games until the little bastard disappears.”
My amused smile slips, because while he knows I’m joking, I can’t be sure he is. “You know I’m only teasing. You know I have eyes for no man but you. All the rest might as well be eunuchs, for all my romantic interest in them.”
“Too late, you already said it.” Leaning down over Skylar’s float, he pretends to be a shark, ‘eating’ her toes and earning a squeal of delight from her. When he leans down, I see the expansion of his back tattoo. Below Ellie’s sun there’s now a ripple of water and a sandy shore, Skylar’s sun hat resting on the beach, and two little foot prints in the sand. Originally, he wanted a spider, since The Itsy Bitsy Spider is Skylar’s favorite song, but I vetoed that one. I love his tattoo tributes, but I’m not going to wake up in the middle of the night and freak out about the huge spider on his back before I fully wake up and realize it’s just a tattoo. “Mommy should use her big brain before she opens her mouth and lets crazy things slip out, shouldn’t she?”
Skylar grins at him with unabashed adoration. She’s such a daddy’s girl, it’s not even funny. She answers him to the best of her ability, saying, “Mama!” She’s probably agreeing I should use my brain. She’s always going to take his side—even if he’s wrong. Little monster.
“Sin,” I whine. “Promise Rex won’t disappear.”
“Nope.”
“You can’t kill Rex,” Rafe tells him, backing me up. “Mateo wants him back when we’re done with him.”
Holding up his hands with mock innocence, Sin said, “Who said anything about killing the kid? I’m just suggesting he might get lost and never be seen or heard from again.”
“Sin, don’t be crazy. You know I’m only playing with you.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not the only one who’s got jokes,” he says smugly, since he knows he has me squirming.
“As long as you promise you’re only joking. You know I can’t be held responsible for everything I say. The baby is eating my brain. Remember the other day when you found my car keys in the cereal cupboard? I’m running at half-power over here.”
“Half-power, my ass. Hanging out over there with Rafe is making you ornery, that’s the problem. Bring your pretty little ass over here and get in the pool where I can keep you in line.”
“Yes, master,” I tease, nonetheless putting my lemonade down and standing. I adjust the ass of my bikini pointlessly, since I’m about to get in the water anyway, and take the hat off my head, dropping it on my lounger.
Before I make it to the steps, Sin casually commands, “Go get me a drink first.”
I halt and turn around obediently. “Sure, what would you like?”
Sin doesn’t answer me.
“You’re a dick,” Rafe states, his tone dry as hell.
I turn around, confused, until I see Sin is laughing.
Belatedly realizing he just wanted to show up Rafe, I roll my eyes and go back to the steps. “You’re both huge dicks.”
Sin smirks at me as I wade into the water. Once I’m close enough, he reaches out his free arm and grabs me around the waist, tugging me so close I can feel his body heat. “You like when I’m a huge dick.”
Wickedly letting my hand drop down into the water, I cup that much-loved piece of equipment right in the palm of my hand. “I like that you have a huge dick.”
His eyes darken as I caress him through the fabric of his swim trunks. He leans in to kiss me. “You like when I am one, too.”
Leaning my forehead against his, I assure him, “I like you all the time, no matter what you’re being.”
Sin moves Skylar’s pool float and I naturally reach a hand out to steady it, freeing his up so he can wrap both arms around me. He catches me under the ass and lifts me, so I wrap my legs around his waist.
“Dada, dada, dada,” Skylar says, jealous of all the attention Mommy is getting.
Sin breaks away, grinning against my mouth. “She hates when I kiss you.”
“I think Rafe put her up to it,” I insist, looping my free arm around his neck and tickling Skylar’s tiny feet.
She giggles and crosses her hands on her tummy like the cutest little person ever.
Rafe calls from his lounger, “I would have, if I’d have thought of it. You two are making me lose my appetite, and dinner’s in an hour.”