The Takeover (The Miles High Club 2)

“Didn’t you say you had a meeting?” I ask.

“You must be a faulty model.” He kisses me again.

“Why is that?”

“The horny fuckmaster two thousand doesn’t speak. I specifically asked for one without a voice box.”

I burst out laughing again. “Go to work, you fool.”

I pull my dress over my head and smooth it down. It’s navy and fitted and hangs just below the knees with spaghetti straps. I look at myself in the mirror.

The kids are back home from my parents’ and are downstairs waiting for me to get ready so that we can go out to dinner. I haven’t told them yet that Tristan is coming.

Not quite sure how to broach it with them, to be honest.

I smile as I go over the glorious weekend Tristan and I just had together. I’m on cloud nine.

I’m not fighting with the kids over him. I don’t want that to be the big defining moment when they have to adjust to me dating again. I’m just going to ease him in as our friend, and then one day they will hopefully get along enough so that they like having him around.

Sounds easy in theory . . . right?

There is a knock at the door, and my heart jumps. He’s here.

I hear footsteps running to the door. “Tristan!” Patrick yells in excitement.

“Hello.” I hear his deep voice echo through the house.

“What are you doing here?” Harry barks.

“I’m coming to dinner. Where’s Mom?”

“Mom only booked for four,” Harry says.

“Well, that’s funny,” Tristan replies. “Because I booked the restaurant, and I booked for five.”

I smile as I listen to the banter.

“This is a family-only dinner,” Harry replies, unimpressed.

“Be quiet, Harry,” Patrick snaps. “You’re ruining everything.”

“Yes, Wiz,” Tristan says. “Good advice from your little brother.”

I smile. He has a nickname for everyone. Even the cat is called Muff Cat—Muff won’t do.

I walk around the corner and down the stairs. Tristan looks up, and our eyes meet. He smiles softly up at me as my stomach flutters.

“Hello,” I say.

“Hi.” He smiles dreamily.

The air circles between us, and I just want to run into his arms—but I can’t, of course. My three bouncers are here to protect me.

“Thank you for coming,” I say as I hit the bottom step.

“That’s okay,” Tristan replies. “I had nothing better to do.”

Harry folds his arms with an exaggerated eye roll. “Oh great, this is all I need,” he huffs. “The night is ruined.”