At once Victoria stills, watching me expectantly. Her hair sticks in a million directions, giving her a wild appearance. I know what goes with that look. I kiss her thoroughly, cupping her at the back of her neck, tunneling my hands in her hair.

"Wow," she whispers when we pull apart. "I'll pretend it's my birthday every day if it earns me a kiss like that one." Checking her phone, she curses. "Shoot, I'm going to be late. Let me give you a rundown of—"

"Victoria, relax. I'm going to watch the kids, and I promise we won't burn the house down. I've been in charge of my younger siblings often as a kid."

"How did that go?" she asks.

"I don't recall the details, but I think a fair summary would be that no one went to the hospital with a life-threatening injury, just a couple of broken arms and legs, and we accidentally set a doghouse on fire. The dog wasn't in there, obviously."

"Very reassuring." Shaking her head, she laughs, some of the tension bleeding from her shoulders. I walk with her outside, but we linger on the porch.

"Why are you so nervous?"

"This is a new client, and he seems fussy. He said he wants to work with me, but he didn’t like any of my proposals. I've been brainstorming like crazy for new ideas, hoping something will impress him."

"So it's a man."

Victoria glances up at me with incredulity. "The male brain will never cease to amaze me. I just told you I'm worried about not signing him as a client, and all you worry about is that he's a man?"

She clenches her hands into fists, tapping her foot against the floor. My woman woke up with an extra dose of fierce today, which I love, except when said fierceness is directed at me.

Right, time to lay on the charm.

"That's because I know you'll impress him. You're very good at your job."

"You're not fooling me with compliments," she replies, completely unimpressed. "Yeah, he's a man. Proud owner of the Y chromosome, and a penis."

"Does he know you have a boyfriend?”

"Caveman much?"

"Very much." I advance to her, and she backs against the wall of the house. "The thought of other men hitting on you, wanting you, drives me crazy."

"He's a client."

"So was I."

"And I'm yours now. I can't decide if this alpha behavior is sexy or annoying."

"If I give you another birthday kiss, will I tip the scale in favor of sexy?"

"You can try."

I lean into her, covering her mouth with mine.

As if through a dense fog, I hear Chloe's voice. "I knew they were doing the kissing."

"Of course, silly. That's what happens when people are boyfriend and girlfriend," Sienna enlightens her. "And it's called kissing, not doing the kissing."

Sienna's voice snaps me back to reality, and I instantly step aw

ay from Victoria, who stares at her hands, red in the face. She's never looked more adorable.

"How did you two get here?" I ask the girls.

"Through the back door. And you two don't need to sneak around. We all know that couples do the kissing," Sienna says, barely withholding laughter as she glances downward at Chloe.

"I really have to go," Victoria says. If possible, her cheeks are even more flushed. "I should be back in about four hours. Call me if anything is urgent."

Tags: Layla Hagen The Bennett Family Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net