Frog by Mary Calmes (read along books TXT) 📗

the kids, and when Tristan was done, he started to just stand up.

“Where are you going?”

His head snapped up to me. “I’m done.”

“Oh?”

“What?” He was irritated with me, ready to go do something else, and his tone was defiant and snide.

“Don’t say ‘what’, say ‘pardon me’.”

“Wha—pardon me?”

“Exactly right.”

He was squinting at me. “So I’m supposed say pardon me?”

“Yessir.”

He scoffed and got ready to get up again.

“I ask again, where are you going?”

“I’m done,” he barked, annoyed.

“First,” I began, leaning forward, “you thank your grandmother for the fine meal you just had, then you ask to be excused, and finally you carry your plate to the sink, because neither your grandmother nor your mother is your maid.”

He looked at me hard, and I arched an eyebrow for him.

“You’re not my father,” he whispered.

“No, sir,” I agreed, waiting on him.

The room was quiet around us.

After a minute, he took a breath. “Nana,” he said, turning to look down the long table at her.

“Yes, Tris?”

“The chicken was really good. Thank you for making it.”

“You’re very welcome,” she answered, and I heard her voice quaver.

“May I please be excused?”

“Yes, you may.”

His eyes flicked back to me, and I nodded. He got up and walked his plate to the sink.

“Nana,” Pip said, “me and Micah liked the food too. Can we go?”

“Yes, dear.” She chuckled.

He nodded and leaned into my side. “Did I do good?”

“Yessir,” I told him before turning to Angie. “Ma’am—”

“Thank you, Weber,” she smiled at me. “We haven’t had manners in this house for some time.”

“Oh yes, ma’am,” I agreed, leveling my gaze on Brett. “I am aware.”

He had the good grace to blanch as I rose and carried my plate to the sink, listening as the girls asked their grandmother to be excused behind me.

As I turned on the water to rinse the dishes, arms were wrapped around my waist and a head pressed into the middle of my back.

“I’m sorry.”

“Nothin’ to be sorry for,” I told Tristan.

“Are you mad?”

“No, sir,” I assured him. “Come help me with this.”

“Yessir,” he said, smiling up at me.

“Smartass.”

He grinned wide, his eyes lighting up.

“Weber, you don’t have to do that,” Angie called over to me.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said to acknowledge her.

I had all the kids helping when Angie joined us after a few minutes.

“Weber.”

I turned to look at her.

“I am enjoying having you here very much.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at her as Cy joined us.

“I need to speak to you right now.”

“But I’m washing the—”

“Brett and Rachel can take over,” Angie said flatly, her voice rising.

I heard the quick scrape of chairs on the wooden floor as I rinsed soap off my hands and dried them quickly before following after Cy.

He led me out onto the patio, and after I closed the door behind me, I realized he was still moving. Catching up fast, I was surprised when he rounded on me.

I crossed my arms and looked at him.

“I had no idea that man was going to be here.”

“What man?” I teased him.

It took a second, but the tension drained out of him and he smiled at me.

“Ass.”

I smiled at him.

“I didn’t, though. I would never try and make you jealous or—I don’t play games.”

“Yes, I know that.”

He stared up into my eyes. “You realize, when you’re with me, you’re the only one I see.”

“Which is real nice, Dr. Benning,” I told him, putting a hand around his throat as I bent to kiss him.

Quick whine from him as his eyes closed and his lips parted. I sank my tongue into the wet heat of his mouth, claiming, taking possession, feeling more raw and vulnerable than I thought I would.

He melted against me, arms wrapping around my neck as he gave me his weight, and I bent him back, clutching at him as I ravaged his lips. He always tasted so good, kissed me like no one ever had, like I was all there was.

It went on, and long minutes passed before he broke the kiss to gasp for breath.

“Jealous,” he heaved out the word.

“Pardon?” I growled at him, leaning my forehead against his, our noses side by side, touching, bumping.

“Even though I had nothing to do with it, you’re jealous of what’s his name.”

“Ross,” I provided.

“Yeah.”

“He’s a stockbroker.”

“Uh-huh,” he agreed, his thumb sliding over my bottom lip, his groin grazing my thigh.

“Well, I’m not.”

“You’re not what?”

“A stockbroker. Pay attention.”

He huffed out a breath “No, you’re not.”

“We both know you can do better’n me.”

“We believe two completely different truths,” he assured me, hand on the nape of my neck, stroking, the other now clutching at my shirt.

“I—” What was I going to say?

“You?” He prodded.

“Even when I’m gone—that guy doesn’t deserve you.”

“Say what you mean.”

I cleared my throat. “Don’t ever kiss him.”

“Or?”

“Or fuck him or do anything with him at all.”

He licked his lips. “Okay, cowboy, it’s a promise.”

I walked him back into the wall, and when I pinned him against it, the moan he released made me smile down into his eyes.

“It’s nice that you’re making demands,” he told me.

At which point I realized how ridiculous I was being. “Shit. I—”

“No—” His voice hardened. “—you can’t take it back.”

“But I have no right to say anything to you at all.”

His hands lifted to my face, and he eased me down to him. “I say what you do and don’t have, cowboy.”

I didn’t want to argue with him, so I kissed him instead.

ITWASnice to sit and listen to everyone talk. Even listening to Ross chime in, as he was funny and engaging, was okay. I sat between Carolyn and Cy on the couch, had a cup of tea, enjoyed the sound of the rain pounding on the roof and the glass, and reveled in being inside, warm and clean and safe. I watched the dogs lying beside the crackling fireplace and decided that someday I would have the same thing. Smaller and probably just one dog, but the same warm family home. It was my dream.

“You’re smiling,” Angie said out of the blue, which