Kinko de Mayo Read Free Page B

after our showers, love.” He pulled her in for a long, sweet, sexy kiss that almost— almost —made her forget why she was irritated at him.
    Almost.
    But not quite.
    “Let’s go ,” she said, yanking the door open. “I should have just left you guys behind ten minutes ago and made you drive separately.”
    “Heh,” Cris joked. “She said behind.”
    She wheeled around. “ Seriously ?”
    Cris grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and kissed her, bending her back, making her forget why she’d been aggravated at Cris in the first place.
    Mostly.
    When he let her loose, she wobbled a little on her feet. Now that she’d finally felt more comfortable submitting to Cris again, not quite back to their former Master and slave dynamic, but close to it, he sometimes took advantage to smooth things over with their fiery, switchy lady.
    Landry smirked, amused by the exchange. “Ready, love?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “Then shall we go?”
    She turned and headed for the SUV. “Damn sadists,” she muttered under her breath.
     
    * * * *
     
    Landry made a point of pointing out to Tilly that, despite being five minutes late, they were still the first guests to arrive.
    “Even Essie and her men aren’t here yet,” Landry said. “And they live just down the block.”
    She stuck her tongue out at him.
    “Watch out, or that tongue might end up somewhere.”
    She crinkled her nose at him. “I thought Cris was your whipping boy for tonight.” Said whipping boy was unloading the SUV and helping Max and Sean get the play furniture set up.
    “Perhaps he is, and perhaps he isn’t the only one.”
    She looked up at him. “I’m not in a get-beat mood tonight, buddy. Sorry.”
    He cocked his head, studying her. “Are you all right, love?”
    “Fine. Peachy.”
    There went the arched eyebrow. He laced his fingers through hers and led her out onto the lanai, where they would be able to talk alone.
    “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
    “Just the baby explosion again,” she muttered. “I’ll get over it like I did that day with Loren. I just…it still gets to me.”
    He pulled her in close. “Still struggling with that decision?”
    She let herself relax in his embrace. Yes, Landry was a helluva sadist.
    He was also a helluva husband.
    “I know I should just get it done and get it over with,” she whispered against his chest, “but it feels like I’m giving up and giving in if I do.”
    He buried his face in her hair. “It’s your decision, sweetheart. But the doctor did say it would end your pain. Cris and I don’t mind striping your ass, but it tears us up inside when you’re hurting in the bad way, and we can’t fix it. I’m not blind. It’s getting worse with every month that passes.”
    “I know.”
    “Then don’t think of it as giving up and giving in. Think of it as taking control and taking your life back. Let Cris and I take care of you for a change. You take excellent care of us. Let us be at your beck and call for a few weeks or however long it takes for recovery.”
    For a sadist, he really did have a sweet, gooey center that only she and Cris usually got to see.
    “I’m still thinking about it.”
    He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know you wanted children. And if you still want them, we can always pursue other avenues. Surrogacy, adoption. Whatever you want.”
    “I wanted my life not to be fucked up by that monster when I was a kid,” she whispered against him.
    His embrace tightened around her. “Love, were it in my power, he would disappear from the face of the planet by my own hands. I hate seeing you so miserable, and I’m helpless to make this better for you.”
    “Some things can’t be made better,” she quietly said. “Sometimes they can only be made right.”
    “You have shouldered so much of this burden alone, on your own. Let us in. Let us support you in this. Let’s go back to the doctor one last time and let her talk to all three of us. It is, obviously, your decision.