In answer he stopped drying a mug and turned so I had to rearrange my arms around his shoulders as he drew me chest against chest to him. I stared into his dark eyes, seeing a glimmer of discontentment in them. I’d seen that look a few times now over the past few weeks, and it was starting to make me anxious. It was only after we’d booked the kids’ holiday to Disney World that I began to suspect what was wrong.

“I’ve been neglecting you,” I whispered, brushing his hair from his face.

There were a few wrinkles around his eyes that didn’t used to be there, but they only made him look rugged and interesting. b.l.o.o.d.y men. Why was it so many of them got better-looking with age while we women had to work our a.r.s.es off to stay looking young?

“Ellie?”

I shook my head, focusing. “I’ve been working on my paper, and I’ve been spending all my free time with the kids, and you’ve been busy. You and I haven’t had any ‘us time.’”

He nodded, something like relief entering his expression, and I was suffused with guilt.

“You thought I hadn’t noticed?” I said.

“Like you said, we’ve been busy.” He shrugged.

“Adam, I’ve noticed we haven’t been on a date in months. I’ve noticed we haven’t had time for more than a quickie in months.” I pressed into him. “You have to tell me when you’re unhappy.”

“Els.” He wrapped his arms even tighter around me. “I’m not unhappy. I’ve just missed you. I never wanted to be like my parents and ignore my kids, but I also would like some time with my wife every now and then.”

“Me too.” I smiled slowly. “That’s why I asked Mum and Clark to take the kids tonight. We’ll pop home and get them some overnight stuff, bring it back here, and then you and I can do whatever the h.e.l.l we want.”

Adam raised his eyebrows. “Are you kidding? Because if you’re kidding, it’s really cruel.”

I giggled. “I’m not kidding. Just you and me, sweetheart.”

He kissed me, a soft kiss that promised more, and then he pulled back to whisper against my mouth, “We’ll drop off the kids’ stuff and then we’re going home so I can f.u.c.k you as hard as I want and you can come as loudly as you want.”

A streak of arousal shot straight between my legs, and I nodded, speechless.

His eyes heated. “Let’s go now.”

I grinned and nodded. “I have another present for you.”

“Please say see-through lingerie.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “Better.”

He looked doubtful that there was anything better than see-through lingerie.

“We’ll do Disney World with the boys in the summer and have a ball with them.” Because as much as he teased about the predicted chaos of the upcoming holiday, he loved hanging out with his boys. His real issue had been that he never got to see me… alone. “And afterward, you and I are going to Joss and Braden’s villa at Lake Como for four nights. They said we could have it, and Mum and Clark are happy to look after the boys.”

Adam stared at me a moment as if in disbelief. When he realized I was serious, he kissed me again, harder this time. We broke the kiss to gasp for breath, and he said, voice hoa.r.s.e, “I f.u.c.king love you.”

“Kind of hard to hate me, sweetie,” I teased.

“You’re not joking,” he grunted, backing me up toward the door. “Home, kids’ stuff, back here, home, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g like teenagers. Now.”

Well, he didn’t need to tell me twice.

Joss

“Mum, are you writing?”

My fingers stilled on the keys of my laptop at the sound of my eldest’s voice behind me. “Is this the room in which I write?” I said without turning around.

“You didn’t look like you were writing.”

I turned in my chair to find Beth hovering in the now-open doorway of my office. “Did the closed door and the sound of keys tapping not give it away?”

My eleven-year-old grimaced in a way that was so like me. “Dad’s with Ellie, Luke is playing a video game, and I’m bored.”

“I thought you were reading.”

“I was, but my book is boring. Plus… it is a Sat.u.r.day, you know.” She put her hands on her hips and glared at me.

I felt that glare hit me in the chest and a little ache spread out from it. I tried my best to balance my writing and my life with my kids and with Braden, but clearly sometimes I got it wrong. “Go and get Luke ready and I will go get your dad. We’ll go out for lunch and to see a movie. Sound good?”

“I really shouldn’t have to drop these hints about how to be a parent, Mum.” She raised her eyebrow at me in this seriously schoolmarmish way. I honestly didn’t know where she picked up this c.r.a.p.

I raised my eyebrow right back at her. “Okay, smart-a.s.s. Message received.”

She grinned triumphantly and dashed off to get her brother.

I chuckled as I saved my doc.u.ment and shut down my computer. My kid was getting too smart for her own good. It was difficult to rein in the smart-a.s.sness, however, when she had a mother like me and a father like Braden.

Finding said father in the sitting room, I stopped in the doorway to stare at him for a moment. Braden’s long and still deliciously well-kept body was sprawled over our couch. Our baby girl, Ellie, was sprawled across Braden’s chest. They were both sleeping.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and started taking pictures.