“How about a game of hide and seek?”

“Yes!” Will and Luke nodded excitedly.

Beth eyed us skeptically but it was that kind of ‘I really should act like I’m older and above it but I want to play’ skepticism.

“It’s me and Dad against you lot,” I said to her. “You can be their team leader.”

“No fair!” Luke crossed his arms in a huff.

“She’s older,” Braden said. “When Little Ellie comes along you’ll be older than her and therefore her team leader in games of hide and seek. It’s just how it works.”

Luke screwed up his face as he thought about it and clearly decided it made sense because he nodded. “Okay.”

“Now the wee ones are sleeping,” Braden reminded them, “So no squealing or shouting or waking them up. You’re sticking to the ground floor and the basement. The first and second floors are off limits to you three.”

The kids nodded, their little expressions so serious I couldn’t help but grin.

“Mum and I are hiding. You lot are seeking.”

“We’ll find you in under five minutes,” Beth boasted.

“You wanna bet on that?” I said.

She narrowed her eyes on me. “What’s the bet?”

“If I win I get foot rubs for the next four weeks. If you win I clean your room for you for the next four weeks.”

Beth’s eyes lit up. “We’re so winning this!”

Braden grinned at her confidence. “Right. Your mum and I have sixty seconds to find a place to hide.”

Beth played with her digital watch. “Okay… starting… Now.”

I grabbed Braden’s hand and we dived out into the hall. “Which way?” I whispered.

In answer he dragged me to the very back of the house to what used to be the servant’s staircase. When he started to go up them I tugged on his hand. “That’s totally cheating,” I hissed. “First and second floor are off limits.”

“I said they were off limits to them.” He winked.

I grinned. “You sneaky bastard.” I pushed him playfully and tried to swallow my giggles as I hurried quietly up the back staircase after him.

His large hand curled around my wrist and he gently tugged me along the hallway of the first floor, into the dark of our main guestroom and inside the bathroom. He locked the door behind us and lowered himself to the floor, positioning me on the floor between his legs, my back to his chest.

“Are we just going to sit here in the dark?” I whispered.

“Yeah,” his voice rumbled with amusement.

“For how long? We’re supposed to be parenting.”

“And we will. I just wanted a minute alone with you.” He caressed my bump and put his chin on my shoulder. “How’s our wee one doing?”

“She’s quiet today. Only a few kicks. And I think those were to tell me to turn off The Killers. I fear our youngest will have shit taste in music.”

Braden chuckled and kissed my neck. “There are worse things in the world.” He slid a hand up my bump to cup my right breast, his thumb circling my nipple.

My body immediately responded, my breasts particularly sensitive right now, and my nipples tightened against my bra. “Like my husband tormenting me,” I gasped, trying to shimmy away from his touch. “Stop.”

In answer he kissed my neck again and his other hand cupped my left breast. He kneaded them and pleasure pain shot through me. I arched my back into his touch, leaning my head against his shoulder.

“It’s not right,” I breathed as he massaged them. “You’re getting me all hot and bothered when we don’t have time to do anything about it.”

His teeth grazed my ear and I became aware of his erection digging into my lower back. “How hot and bothered?” he asked, his voice gruff.

I turned my head to look up at his shadowed face. I was frustrated. Beyond frustrated. “’You’d slide right into me with ease’ hot and bothered.”

Braden groaned at the blatantly sexual imagery I created to make him as frustrated as I felt. “This was a bad idea.”

“You started it.” I grumbled, grabbing his hands to remove them from my breasts. “We better check on the kids.”

“I need a minute.”

I reached behind me and pressed my hand against his hard on. “Hmm, so you do.”

“Jocelyn,” he warned, removing my hand.

“Not so funny is it when the shoe is on the other foot?” I pulled away from him and he immediately jerked me back into him, nuzzling my neck.

“I’ll make it up to you tonight,” he promised.

***

“You’re seriously not going to kiss me goodnight?” I frowned at Beth as I sat on her bed.

It was a few hours later, Ellie and Adam and Marco and Hannah had picked up their kids, and Braden and I had put Luke to bed. Beth finally followed an hour later.

It was nine o’ clock at night and as much as I adored the heck out of her, I was ready for my kid to go to sleep.

I did, however, want a kiss first.

But apparently Beth didn’t take too kindly to Braden’s little trick.

“Will you give me a kiss if I tell you that you don’t need to give me foot rubs after all?”

Finally she turned her head on the pillow to look at me. “It would only be fair since you cheated.”

“Technically your dad cheated.”