“I’m not strong-arming you, Gianni. I’m not sure what you think I’m trying to do, honestly. We require financial data for twelve months if you want to do a monthly payment plan. Simple as that. It was right there in the contract I handed you, and while you highlighted many things you took issue with, that wasn’t one of them.”
I watched the man grit his teeth as I pushed in my chair.
“The end of the day, Gianni. And if you can’t deliver, I can refer you to someone who can help you out with your needs,” I said.
I left Gianni sitting in the restaurant and headed back to the house. This deal was getting a little ridiculous. I’d never known Gianni to be an unreasonable man, but he was quickly beginning to be a pain in my ass. I hopped into the cab and rode back to the house where I found my kids and Brooke playing in the water. The storms had cleared up and the sky was blue once again. I strode into the house and quickly traded my business suit, for a bathing suit, then walked out onto the porch.
“Cannonball!”
The kids were squealing with delight as I jumped off the porch and into the water. I felt them swimming up to me and wrapping themselves around me as I came shooting out of the water. They were hugging and kissing me as Brooke was standing there smiling, in her bikini with the slope of her breasts swaying against her lightly-tanned skin.
The ocean suited her.
“Are you done working?” Daniel asked.
“Are you gonna swim with us?” Sydney asked.
“Will you be home for dinner?” Brooke asked.
I looked up at her and watched a grin spread across her cheeks.
“Yes, yes, and, most certainly, yes,” I said with a smile.
“Yeah! Daddy’s home!” Daniel said.
The kids and I splashed around and I roped Brooke into the fun. I pulled her underwater before insisting we all play a game of Marco Polo. We were swimming around and bodysurfing on the waves into the shoreline. I started building a sandcastle with the kids while Brooke laid out in the sun. My eyes raked down the curves of her legs and the way they fell open so she could tan the insides of her thighs. I licked my lips as my kids ran into the ocean, kicking at the waves and giggling their heads off.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. The slope of her breasts, and the way her toned stomach glistened in the sunlight. Her hair fluttered around her head like an angelic halo and her arms spread out to her sides. She was ready for the taking. Ready for my body to sink between her legs and make love to her on the beach. Her pouty lower lip was jutted out slightly and her eyes were closed.
I wanted to settle down beside her and dance my fingers up the length of her thighs.
But the kids beat me to her, splashing her with a bucket full of water.
My eyebrows rose to my hairline as I stifled a laugh. Her mouth was hanging open in shock before she playfully eyed the twins. She stood up and took off after them, her breasts bouncing and her ass flexing with every stride she took.
She chased them right into the waves before picking them up and tossing them into the water.
I walked up behind her before a wave came and knocked her off balance. She fell backwards and braced herself to be submerged, but my arms darted out and caught her. She looked back at me and I watched her cheeks tint with the faintest blush.
Her skin was electric against mine.
“You okay?
” I asked. “The kids got you good back there.”
“It’s fine. I think I fell asleep anyway. I’m not much use as a babysitter if I’m sleeping on the job.”
“You’re not on the job when I’m here,” I said.
“You're practically a kid when you want to be,” she said, with a grin.
I steadied her on her feet and watched as her eyes fell to the shoreline up the beach. I followed her line of sight and saw her staring at a man. He was standing in the ocean, up to his knees in water. He was looking out over the horizon, studying something off in the distance.
“Do you know him?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” Brooke said.
“What does that mean?” I asked.