Fool Me Once

“I hate chocolate cake,” I admit.

He’s quiet for a second and then he laughs. “What? But Zane said you love it.”

“Zane loves it, so we always get it. It turns out that Zane loves chocolate and hates vanilla, and I’m the opposite.”

“That’s hilarious.” Keegan laughs harder. “I do too. I love chocolate and hate vanilla.”

Wrapping my arms around Keegan’s neck, I stand on my tippy toes and give him a chaste kiss. “Thank you for all of this. It means everything.”

“You’re welcome.” He dips his head down and catches my mouth. He sucks on my bottom lip, and a low moan escapes my lips. I tug on his neck, bringing him down, and he lifts me at the same time, setting me on the counter.

His hands roam down my back while mine glide across his muscular shoulders and arms, making their way to his chest. My fingers run across the hem of his shirt, and I break our kiss just long enough to lift it over his head, immediately picking back up where we left off as soon as the shirt is out of the way.

“Ahem.” The noise startles both of us and Keegan jumps back. “It seems that me walking in on you guys is becoming a thing,” my sister—who has the worst timing in the world—says.

Keegan picks his shirt up off the floor and puts it back on, and I sigh in disappointment. Sierra laughs, and Keegan chuckles, and my cheeks heat, realizing I just sighed out loud and they both heard me.

“Sorry to cock block,” she says, and the heat spreads to my neck.

“S,” I hiss, shaking my head.

“Ohhh… no cock yet?” She quirks her head to the side. “Well, damn, if you don’t have the patience of a saint. If I had that man—or the one identical to him”—she winks—“in my bed, there’s no way I’d be able to resist.”

I groan and jump off the counter. “You’re home early,” I say, changing the subject.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Should I leave? Were you about to get…” She waggles her eyebrows, thankfully not finishing her highly inappropriate, yet completely like Sierra, question.

She spots the cake on the counter. “Oh, cake!”

“It’s chocolate,” I point out.

“Oh, boo.” She pouts.

“You don’t like chocolate either?” Keegan asks, sitting on the couch.

“No way.” Sierra shakes her head. “It tastes like dirt.”

“You know what dirt tastes like?” He laughs.

“You know what I mean.” She rolls her eyes. “What’s with all the decorations?” she asks, as we take a seat. I sit next to Keegan on the couch, and Sierra sits across from us in the love seat.

“Keegan and Zane made it all,” I explain. “To celebrate all the Mother’s Days Keegan missed.”

Sierra’s head whips over to look at me, and I can see it in her eyes, she’s affected almost as much as I was. “Damn it, and I totally ruined your thanking him.”

“Oh my God.” I groan. “Shut it.”

“How’s little man feeling?” she asks.

“Fine. Must’ve been allergies,” I tell her as Keegan wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his side. Sierra notices and gives me a knowing grin. “What are you up to tonight?”

“Well, I actually came home early because I have a date tonight, but I wanted to make sure you are okay with it. I know you said you were, but I wanted to double-check.”

“You’re going on a date with Kolton?” I grin.

“As long as you’re sure you’re okay with it.”

“Totally!” I look at Keegan. “Are you?”

“I don’t care as long as you understand that you’re family, and if you don’t work out, we’re still celebrating every holiday together.”

“And what if you two don’t work out?” Sierra asks.

Keegan pulls me in closer, if that’s even possible, and gives me a kiss on my temple. “Then we make it work as Zane’s parents,” he says, and while I hate that he doesn’t insist we will work, I love that he’s being realistic. I believe that if we really didn’t work out, Keegan would make sure we still co-parented Zane civilly.

Sierra nods. “I like your honesty. Kolton and I talked this afternoon when he came by Orange Sunrise, asking to take me out, and he assured me if it doesn’t work out, we will play nice. I made it clear to him that my nephew and sister come first.”

“Where are you guys going?” I ask.

“Not sure.” She stands. “He said he’ll pick me up at six, so I better go get ready.”

Keegan laughs. “It’s only one.”

“Yeah…” Sierra gives him a confused look.

“It takes you five hours to get ready?” he asks.

“Perfection”—Sierra waves her hand down the side of her body—“takes time. Have fun making out!” she calls over her shoulder as she skips down the hall.

Her door isn’t even closed all the way before Keegan has me in his lap and his mouth on mine. Does it make me a bad mom that I hope Zane takes an extra-long nap today?