The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [64]
The first time they’d all gotten together and played music and chess and arm wrestled, in general goofing off and relaxing, Honey had looked agog at all the noise. Their boisterous arguments over the chess match, more intense than those over the wrestling, almost drowned out the country songs, and she had winced as if in pain. After half an hour she’d claimed a headache and said she was going down by the lake to sit on the dock and enjoy the evening air and quiet.
Sawyer had promptly followed her, ignoring the gibes of his brothers and Casey’s ear-to-ear grin. Knowing he wouldn’t be interrupted, not when they all worked so hard at conniving just such a situation for him, he’d made love to her under the stars. Dew from the lake had dampened their heated bodies, and Honey’s soft moans were enhanced by the sounds of gentle waves lapping at the shore. Now, looking at her face, he could tell she was remembering, too.
He dropped the box and took a step toward her. Her eyes suddenly looked heavy, the pulse in her throat raced, her skin flushed. Damn, he was getting hard.
Casey hit him in the back. “Snap out of it, Dad. I’m too young to see this, and Uncle Gabe is about to fall down laughing.”
Sawyer scowled at Gabe, who lifted his hands innocently even though his shoulders were shaking with mirth, then he turned to Casey and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Where did you come from?”
“Well, according to you and that talk we had when I was seven—”
Sawyer put him a headlock and mussed his hair. “Smart ass. You know that wasn’t what I meant.”
The second Casey twisted free, laughing, Honey stepped forward and smoothed his hair back down. And he let her, grinning the whole time. Casey was a good head and a half taller than Honey, with shoulders almost twice as wide. Yet he let her mother on him. And every damn time she did, something inside Sawyer softened to the point of pain. He loved Casey so much, had loved him from the first second he’d held him as a squalling, red-faced infant, regardless of all the issues present, that anyone else who loved him automatically earned a place in his heart.
She finished with Casey’s hair and gave him a hug of greeting. Sawyer felt ridiculously charmed once again—and he hated it.
“I brought in my music,” she told Casey, as if any reprieve from country music was the equivalent of being spared the gallows. Casey hadn’t yet told her he actually liked country. “You want to take a look, see if anything interests you?”
“That’d be great. I’ll check them out as soon as I’ve washed up.”
Gabe stood to stretch. “You get everything taken care of, Case?”
He nodded, then turned to Sawyer. “When Mrs. Hartley left here today, I saw she was limping.”
Sawyer pulled his thoughts away from Honey with an effort. “She twisted her ankle the other day rushing in from her car when it was raining.”
“She told me. So I followed her over there to help her out. I got her grass cut and did some weeding, then went to the grocery for her.” To Honey, he said, “Mrs. Hartley is close to seventy, and she’s real sweet. She’s the librarian in town, and she orders in the books I like.”
Honey laced her fingers together at her waist and beamed at Casey. “What a thoughtful thing to do! I’m so proud of you.”
Casey actually blushed. “Uh, it was no big deal. Anyone would have done the same.”
“That’s not true.” Honey’s smile was gentle, warm. “The world is filled with selfish people who never think of others.”
The men exchanged glances. They really didn’t think too much of helping out, since it was second nature to them. But Sawyer supposed to Honey it did seem generous, given the men she’d known.
Gabe saved Casey from further embarrassment by throwing an arm around him and hustling him along. “Go get washed so we can put the music on. I’m getting anxious.” He winked at Honey, and then they were gone.
The family room had open archways rather than doors that could be closed,