Page 81 of Work It Out
Beside her, Jake sputtered to cover a laugh. Blaine looked mildly nauseated for a second before he, too, cracked a grin. Samuel shuddered. Grace raised both brows like Rayah had claimed to find a rainbow-crapping unicorn—a look Rayah would’ve donned herself before last night had anyone tried to tell her multiple orgasms weren’t mythical creatures. Pierce and Vicky giggled like schoolgirls as Jared pulled money from his pocket and slammed it in Pierce’s hand. The only one not laughing at her was Nate, and that was only because he wasn’t there.
“You don’t say,” Blaine deadpanned. “So, this is a good time to ask for a raise?”
“Aw, sweetie.” She patted his beefy bicep. “I said I was sated, not stupid.”
Jake wrapped himself around her from behind. Chuckles rumbled through his chest and into her back.
Rayah frowned when she noticed many of the Bigboners (worst nomenclature ever) were meandering around holding hands. These people were affectionate and all, but it seemed excessive, even for them. “What’s going on? I figured everyone would be gone by now.”
“It takes forever to get all the pairs checked in and handcuffed,” Jake supplied with a squeeze.
“Handcuffed?” Rayah squeaked.
“I know.” Pierce wiggled his eyebrows. “Kinky, right? Quin plays it straitlaced, like it’s a team-building experience or some shit. I call BS. That’s one dirty old dude.”
“Team building.” Jared held up the arm shackled to Samuel. “Not. Kinky.”
“At all,” Samuel added.
Jake sighed. “I wish I could argue, but I’ve spent too much time with Gramps. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“He’s old, not dead,” Pierce said. “Get your freak on for as long as you can, I say. I just don’t need to know about it.”
Blaine cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Jean might be the bigger concern in that area. I’ve heard her crew talk with a few martinis in them. I know way more about their sex lives than any man but their husbands ought. It was really bad when their book club readFifty Shades of Grey.” He gave a full-body shudder.
Every one of her boys groaned and nodded.
“Save me, cupcake. I’m begging you,” Jake muttered in her ear.
“Not a chance,” she whispered.
“It’s kind of creepy,” Blaine went on. “But it’s also kind of inspiring. I hope my wife still wants to get freaky with me after almost fifty years together.”
Grace smiled sweetly. “You’re assuming you can find a woman to put up with you for fifty years. I’m not sure you’ll make it through the next fifty minutes attached to me.”
“Keep going, G,” Blaine growled. “I’llFifty Shadesyour backside.”
Rayah hoped she wasn’t gaping. Blaine could be a terrible flirt, but she’d never heard him talk to a woman like this. And she’d certainly never thought Grace would stand for it. What the hell had happened?
This was why one should never be late: they missed the good stuff.
Then the real bickering started. Pierce said something to Vicky about handcuffs and blindfolds. Samuel threatened to handcuff Pierce to his bumper. Vicky scolded Samuel, and Jared pleaded for the action to wait until after he’d been liberated.
Growing up, she would’ve given anything for a big brother willing to defend her or a sister to sit up all night with, talking about crushes and makeup and nothing at all. A father who cared about her beyond the next Olympic trial. A mom who wasn’t so damn fragile. Hell, just one person who cared enough to sneak her cookies would’ve been nice, but she’d dreamed of a family—a big, messy, noisy, nosy, pain-in-the-ass family who’d never turn on her, never let her down. She’d hoped her gymnastics team could be that, but the few girls who didn’t come and go had turned on her in the end.
She’d shown them all. With a little luck and a lot of hard work, she’d built a successful business. More importantly, she’d made a family of her own. They weren’t blood; they were something better: a choice. Each and every one of them had been handpicked for her little clan. More mind-boggling still, they’d chosen her back.
Unfortunately, the good-natured bickering was escalating to shoving. Rayah stepped forward to calm things down, but big hands held her back. “They’re fine, cupcake. And we need to check in with Granny. Those handcuffs are calling our names.” He winked.
Rayah stared back at her people, hesitating. “I don’t know. Impulse control isn’t their strong suit once they get going. If I don’t put a stop to it, Ester will have a full house in lockup.” And the police chief wouldn’t be happy about it.
“Nah, Nate’s the impulsivity instigator, and he must be off with Zandar’s granddaughter already.”
“His partner is Zandar’s granddaughter?”
“They’ll be fine, too. Emma can handle herself, and Grace will keep these guys out of trouble.” Even as he said it, Grace inserted herself in the middle of the circle and shut the others down one by one. And still Rayah struggled to walk away.
“See, your chicks are safe. Come on, Gramps is waving us over.”
