Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68424 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 342(@200wpm)___ 274(@250wpm)___ 228(@300wpm)
Ian giggled, but Cohen seemed to think it was perfectly logical. “We picked one from each category. I think we did very well.”
Ian’s eager nod as he bounced around naked said he agreed.
I shouldn’t have asked…but I just couldn’t help myself.
“Categories?” Picking a random bottle that turned out to be the old-fashioned bubble gum-scented kind, I looked at the others as Cohen poured a generous amount into the stream of water. “Um, old-fashioned, cartoons, and flower scents?”
His expression said he thought that was ridiculous and Ian’s giggles had him nearly doubled over with his binkie barely staying in his mouth.
So, no.
“Candy. Fruit. Grown-up.” Cohen shook his head. “Cartoons?”
I held up the bottle that matched the dog show we’d just watched. “Cartoons.”
“Berry.” Ian nearly lost his binkie as he blurted out the raspberry scent. “Three.”
So that was the third they’d picked?
It was the biggest they’d picked?
“Okay, that makes sense.” Kind of? “We’re going to pretend that makes sense.”
Ian managed to stop snickering long enough to hold out his hand and wiggle for someone to take it. Clearly, we were taking too long to get him into the bubbles.
Cohen laughed as he obeyed the cute order. “Here you go.”
As he helped Ian in, he dropped his voice low, but not low enough. “I don’t think we need to tell him about the extra ones.”
Good grief.
I was never leaving them alone again.
****
“Alright, the extra ones?” I’d looked in the pantry and the linen closet, and I still couldn’t figure out what they were hiding.
I’d almost started to think it was a scam to drive me crazy, but Ian’s wide eyes and the way he shifted on the bed to hide behind Cohen said it wasn’t.
Cohen was stretched out looking sexy and like he was hiding something. I could see his brain whirling as he tried to decide if he should answer or distract me with sex, but Ian broke first.
“It’s cheaper when you buy in bulk.” Ducking down behind Cohen, who was barely managing not to laugh, his voice came out muffled by the pillows. “Math doesn’t lie.”
Now that was bullshit if I’d ever heard it.
I wasn’t going to ask if there were bottles or cases hidden somewhere, but I had to know where they’d stuck them. “Where?”
Having a thought, I looked under the bed and sighed as Ian started to laugh.
Nope. It was empty.
Straightening, I gave them both a very good Dom glare I’d seen Roman give Eli more times than I could count. Ian just started giggling again like I’d done something wicked, but Cohen sighed, sadly not affected at all.
Ian was his weak link, though.
“There’s lots of storage in the basement.” Ian’s answer had Cohen groaning. “Sorry, Uncle Cohen.”
Ian wasn’t little any longer, but he cuddled up to Cohen and kissed his cheek. “I broke. Daddy is very Daddy sometimes.”
And not others?
I didn’t question the logic because Cohen nodded like it made sense and pulled Ian closer so the cutie was stretched over his Dom’s body. “You’re very right. It’s perfectly understandable.”
They were insane.
“How much is down there?” I was asking about the bubble bath even though I knew better, but Ian shrugged and answered something completely different.
“It just keeps going and going. I wanted to make a maze down there, but Uncle Cohen said that might not be safe.”
A picture of a rat in a maze flashed through my mind and I envisioned Ian and his friends setting up traps while they were drunk as skunks. “I’m on Cohen’s side. It sounds dangerous.”
Ian sighed like we were fuddy-duddies. “Alright. But can I get a pony?”
It took Cohen and me both entirely too long to realize he was teasing.
As Ian laughed, Cohen rolled over and pinned him to the bed. “You’re going to get me in trouble. Your Daddy thought I might buy you one.”
Okay, for a split second I thought he’d at least consider it.
“A little one?” Ian managed to stop laughing long enough to smile sweetly up at Cohen with the cutest hopeful expression on his face. “You have a big yard, Uncle Cohen.”
God, he was going to get a fucking pony just by looking cute.
No.
Just no.
What had Eli been teaching him?
I hadn’t gotten pony-level advice, so he was clearly holding out on me.
“It’s not that much space, cutie.” Cohen was holding out and I thought common sense had finally prevailed. “Besides, I don’t have time to take care of a pony in the backyard.”
Oh fuck.
He was justifying.
Even I knew that was bad.
Then Ian went in for the kill.
He gave his mushy Uncle Cohen wide eyes and nibbled on his lower lip. “I could move in and take care of it, Uncle Cohen. I even have a special bed and it has a tent.”
Fuck.
If he got a pony, I wanted a hot tub…and a Saint Andrew’s cross.
Chapter 19
Ian
“So how are we doing on the pony?” Kenton managed to catch me just as I was leaving work and I wanted to groan. “I was doing the math, and I’m thinking it’s doable as long as you’ve got the size estimate right on his yard.”