My jaw ticks.
“Mommy Nate,” she snorts.
Cohen backs up with one look at me, knowing that if he sticks behind his wife, he’s going to take a foot to the balls when I pick her bratty ass up. Ember lets my hand go, and I make a mental note to spank her ass later for laughing along with Dani. The second my shoulder goes into her stomach, she lets out one ungodly loud scream, but I just stomp through the entryway and into the kitchen before turning and depositing her on her feet right inside the living room. Her shoulders are turned first, and then I push her nose against the wall.
“Five minutes. Time-out, brat.”
Turning from my sister, I see Ember standing behind me with her chest still moving in silent laughter.
“Keep laughing. You’ve earned my palm later, Emberlyn.”
Her jaw drops at my growled words, and I take way too much satisfaction in seeing the blush that crawls up her chest. The minimal coverage of her sundress is not hiding how much she loves my words.
“Hey, you guys,” Maddi calls, walking from the back porch into the kitchen. “Why is Dani in the corner?”
“Because she doesn’t know how to keep her damn mouth shut,” I respond, still looking at Ember as she licks her lips. I have to bite my tongue to keep my cock in line.
“Rightttt.” Maddi laughs. “Well, I was sent to drag you outside before Molly had a chance to tell anyone other than Lyn and Lila that you two were in here making spit germ babies.”
“Oh my God,” Ember gasps in embarrassment. I, with no other option, throw my head back and laugh.
“Let’s go,” I tell her, taking her hand in mine and walking out the door.
We stand on the deck, overlooking the backyard, and I give her a reassuring squeeze. Her smile comes instantly, even if she still looks slightly self-conscious from her sister’s comment.
“I love you,” I express, offering her that reassurance to us if she needs it.
With a deep breath, her plump lips spread and she gives me one hell of a blinding smile. “I love you, too.”
“Yeah, yeah … everyone loves each other. Jerk.” Dani brushes past me with a shoulder bump meant to knock me off balance, but she stumbles against my unmoving body.
We walk down the steps, together, hand in hand.
Chelcie and Asher give us both a wave when we walk past them. Their boys, Zac and Jax, stop tossing the football around to call out a greeting before returning to their game.
Dani, now standing next to her husband and in-laws, is still glaring at me. I ignore her and give Cohen a lift of my chin.
“Hey, Melissa.” I address his mom, bending down to kiss her cheek.
“Hey, honey.” She grins at me before looking at Ember, her happiness spreading to her eyes, which squint slightly. She steps away from her husband and I’m forced to let Ember’s hand go when Melissa wraps her in a hug.
Looking over at her husband, I give Greg the same lift of my chin that his son got.
“Give me a damn hug, boy.”
I shake my head but give him the hug he demanded with a slap of my hand against his back.
“I’m sure her father already told you, but you make her cry and I’ll kill you,” he says before pulling away, giving me a stern smile to cover up the fact he just threatened my life. “Good to see you, Nate.”
“Yeah, likewise, Greg.” My chest moves with my silent laughter.
Ember pulls from Melissa, and I see a slight wobble to her chin. Melissa cups her cheek. “You wear love beautifully, honey.” Her words are low, and I know she didn’t mean for anyone to overhear them, so I just wait for Ember to step away before taking her hand back in mine.