Page 58 of Reckless Devotion

“Oh,Diego,” his mom plays along. “What have I told you about this?” The little dark-haired boy grins when she winks at him.

The more I look at them, the more sure I am that Diego is not biologically hers. His skin is too dark compared to Chloe’s pale alabaster. Their daughter, Sofia, who babbles away in her highchair, is much fairer in comparison. But all the same, they clearly love each other just as much, and I know better than anyone that the best family can be chosen.

“Nope, it’s ours.Woof!” Mia holds up one of her boys at arm’s length, her nose wrinkled. “Good thing it’s Daddy’s turn.”She holds her son out to her husband and grins when he rolls his eyes.

In contrast, Mason Walker doesn’t seem at all perturbed by the smell coming from his offspring as he takes him in hand and carries him silently from the room.

Chapter 22

Mia:What is the bet that Pepper is in Chase’s bed right now?

Chloe:Solid 9/10

Emily:I’m okay not knowing what happens in my brother’s bed.

Teddy:Who is this?

Chloe:She’s got pink hair and tattoos.

Teddy:Badass!

Mia:We approve.

Chase:0/10 chance :(

Jackson:You’re losing your touch, my dude.

CHASE

I lift my head from the fluffy pillow and throw it back down to try and get more comfortable, folding my hands across my chest.

I can’t stop thinking about Pepper. Round and round she runs in my head, eclipsing everything else in that pretty littlesundress that bared acres of soft ochre skin and carefully inked black and grey tattoos covering one arm.

To see her laughing and joking with my family makes me realize that something is missing from my life, and for the first time, I have an urge to find that thing. Despite what the gossip columns like to say, I’m not a commitment-phobe like my friends were before they met their wives. I’m not blind to the fact that having someone in my life in that special way would be amazing. I just haven’t found that person yet, and I won’t settle for something that feels just okay because society says I should.

Call me corny, but I want the whole package—what my friends have. I want a best friend, a partner, and a lover all in one. I want the fireworks and the certainty that this is my person. Anything less and I’d rather be alone. I’m good alone. Alone is easy and safe.

A fist hammers on my door and I barely have time to lift my head before it bursts open, a flurry of light pink hair and golden-brown limbs catapulting through it.

“I’ve found something.” She flaps the tablet in her hand at me.

“What if I had been naked?” I’m not far off in boxer briefs alone.

“Then I’d have gotten a good laugh.” Pepper shrugs her shoulder, causing the thin cotton dressing gown to slip further off it.

I prop myself up slightly on my elbows, and at that exact moment, her eyes fall to my chest. High cheekbones flood with copper, her stunned gaze trailing the length of my body. I wait for her to regain motor function, but all she does is stand there with her bottom lip clamped between her teeth. I can’t pretend there isn’t something inside my chest that growls its approval—whowouldn’twant a pretty woman to look at them like that? Butmy restraint is only so strong and she really needs to stop before I say fuck it and kiss her all over again.

“You found something?” I probe reluctantly, wishing with every fiber of my being that I could explore that sparkle in her eyes.

“Mhmm,” she hums, eyes still glued to my abs.

I roll my eyes, suppressing a smile as I roll over and get up from the bed, picking up my discarded T-shirt draped over the back of an upholstered bucket seat in one corner.

“Oh!” She spins around as I put it on, the bottom of her gown fanning out to reveal small pajama shorts that just about tease the lower curve of her ass. “Sorry.”

I’d bet my bottom dollar that her face is beet red right now, but teasing her for that is dangerous territory. “It’s fine, what did you find?”

“So I rerouted a flagged shipment to see what would happen, and they reactedfast.”She flicks her hand conversationally at the wall.