Maybe Matt's Miracle (The Reed Brothers 4)

Every few minutes, she looks over at Logan and grins at him. He watches her mouth closely, and I see his fingertips settle on the base of her guitar at times.

Matt’s arms tighten around my middle, and his fingers slide beneath my shirt to rest flat on my belly. It’s so intimate that it makes me squirm. I cover his hand with mine and he keeps his fingers still for a second. His mouth is right beside my ear when he turns his head, and he whispers, “I bet you’re still wet.”

Heat creeps up my cheeks, and my belly does that little dance that’s all because of Matt. “Stop it,” I hiss.

Suddenly, a ball flies through the air and hits Matt in the forehead. He reaches for it and catches it in the air. It’s a little, blue Nerf ball and not something that would hurt him. He squeezes it in his fist. “Very amusing,” he says to the room.

“You’re going to corrupt the kids,” one of the twins says. I think it’s Sam, but they look so much alike that I can’t be sure. Then I see the other one is cuddled up with Reagan, so this one must be Sam.

“The kids are in the other f**king room, dumbass,” Matt says. He hurls the ball back at Sam. It bounces off his shoulder, and Paul reaches up to pluck it from the air. He throws it back at Sam, where it deflects off his ear.

Seth raises a hand tentatively. “I’m a kid, and I’m still here,” he reminds us playfully. Any other time and he wouldn’t be caught dead in the kid category.

Sam raises his hand, too. “I am, too. You’re going to corrupt me.” He shivers playfully. “All that lovey-dovey shit makes me want to throw up my cupcakes.” He burps loudly and covers his mouth with his closed fist after. “And I worked hard on those cupcakes,” he reminds everyone.

Matt nudges me. “Did you get a cupcake?” he asks.

I shake my head. “Not yet.”

He slides out from behind me and comes back with two. “You’ll like it,” he says. “Sam makes the best cupcakes.” He sits down beside me, the length of his leg pressed along mine.

“Oh, a cupcake,” Reagan breathes, and she crawls across the floor on her hands and knees, and then reaches up to take the cupcake from Matt. He laughs and fends her off for a second, but she gets a grip of his wrist and brings the cupcake toward her mouth. Her mouth hangs open wide as she laughs, tugging his arm, and he struggles to keep the cupcake.

“You can take him, princess!” Pete calls from where he’s sitting on the floor. “You got this!” Pete laughs, rolling onto his back as he falls over. Sam slaps his palm against Pete’s and laughs, too.

“Reagan, Reagan, Reagan,” the brothers begin to chat. Reagan is still struggling with Matt’s wrist, and he’s pretending to fight her off, but he’s laughing. Finally, he gives up and lets her take a bite, but just as she pulls back, he smashes her nose into the icing. She looks up, shocked.

“Oh, you did not just do that,” she says. Then she wipes a chunk of icing off her nose and holds it out, her palm pointed toward Matt. “You know what that means,” she warns, but she’s already crawling across his lap toward his face. He passes me his cupcake, or what’s left of it, shoves her off his legs, and jumps over the back of the couch. I startle, because Matt is suddenly all broad shoulders and flying limbs. She follows him and chases him around the kitchen island, laughing as he skids in his socks into the counter. He grabs his hip and calls for a time-out, but she’s not having it. “You’re such a big baby,” she sings.

Matt reaches behind him for a fresh cupcake and taunts her with it. “You want to wear this one?” He waggles his brows at her. “Bring it,” he challenges.

I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. I have seen Matt in a lot of situations, but this playful banter and the way they’re chasing one another around makes me want to cover my head and duck and laugh out loud at the same time.

Reagan dives for him as he darts back toward the couch and the rest of us. She jumps onto his back and reaches toward his face. He grabs her wrist and holds it away from him, but then he gives up and brings her fingers to his lips, and licks the dollop of icing off it. He hums a little tune while she struggles. Finally, she goes limp on his back and lays her head on the back of his shoulder. His shoulders shake silently as he laughs.

Emily motions to me really quickly, and I pass her my uneaten cupcake. She stands up, and smashes Matt in the face with it as Reagan climbs down from his back. His eyes and mouth open up wide as she grinds it into his face, laughing like hell. Reagan gathers a handful of icing that falls onto his shirt, and she wipes it across his cheek.

“Oh, it’s on now,” he growls and spins around, bending at the waist so he can toss Emily over his shoulder.

Emily protests, smacking his back, but she’s suddenly serious, if the look on her face is any indication. “Put me down, Matt,” she cries.

Logan jumps to his feet, and he yells for Matt to put her down, too. Matt’s still laughing, though, and he has no idea how serious they are.

“Matt!” Paul yells. The room goes quiet, and Matt spins around with Emily still over his shoulder to face Paul. “Put her down before you hurt her,” he says calmly but forcefully.

Logan takes Emily from Matt and lowers her to her feet. “Sorry,” Emily says sheepishly.

“What’s wrong?” Matt asks. He’s suddenly serious, despite the icing that’s all over his face. Reagan is wearing some, too, and they all look ridiculous. “Did I hurt you?” he asks Emily.