arms, younger by two years but wild like a teenager.
“Damn, you’re just as sexy as ever, girl,” Raymond gushed. “Why don’t you get out to this side of the country more often? Now that Ridge let you get away, I can stake my claim.”
“That would be real special if I were property, Ray, but thanks for the compliment. Besides, I’d have to compete with your many girlfriends, and I’m not the one. You can put me down now.”
“Why should I? This feels good.” He grinned at her, almost as tall as his brother and built just as wide. His arms wrapped around her so tight, she couldn’t wiggle free, and he’d pinned her hands to his chest when she raised them in defense. Ray’s body did nothing for her because she knew he used women.
“Let her go now,” Ridge warned, and a tingle raced through her at his obvious jealousy. She tamped it down as needless.
“What are you going to do if I don’t?” Ray teased.
Ridge moved to hand Alex off to his mother, but Kiona spoke up. “I can handle it. Ray, sweetie, you have two seconds before I lodge my heel in your balls. Just sayin’.”
“Kiona,” Marion blustered. “I won’t have that kind of language in my presence or around my grandson. This is why I insisted he live here, so I can raise him as a Foster should be raised.”
Ray set her on her feet, and Kiona moved out his reach—mostly to keep from acting out her anger on the nearest person. “Alex is not just a Foster. He’s also got my blood running through his veins. I’m the one who laid up in the hospital for fifteen hours in labor while your son was off buying and selling the world.”
Ridge’s lips compressed, but she didn’t want to hear whatever he might be thinking.
“Just show me what room Alex is staying in, and I’ll help him get ready for bed. Then I’m out of here.” She stomped toward the stairs, pretty sure she knew anyway. Although Alex didn’t spend much time in this house, Marian had insisted on having a room decorated for him. She didn’t even know Alex well enough to know what he liked at three years old.
Kiona started up the stairs with Ridge behind her holding their son. When they were in the room, she paced as Ridge laid Alex on the bed. She elbowed him aside and began undressing her son, dropping his shoes on the floor. Her fingers flew over the buttons of his shirt because of how pissed she was. She dared him to say anything, just one word. He knew he was wrong, had been wrong on many occasions when he left her alone to work endless hours. Of course then she found about Anne Marie, and everything made sense.
“Kiona, I—”
“Don’t even.” She glared at him over her shoulder. “Don’t say a word to me, Ridge. We both know how your mother is and that she and I can’t get along. Don’t lecture me about trying harder or defending her in any way, because I will go off on you. It’s late, and I’m tired, so let’s just leave it there.”
Ridge left the room and returned a few moments later with Alex’s bag. He set it on a chair next to the dresser and began unpacking the clothes to put away.
“I’ll give him a quick bath and get his pajamas on, and then I’m leaving. I can call a taxi if you don’t want to let me use the driver. I realize it’s late.” She didn’t wait to hear his response but walked into the bathroom to run water in the tub. By the time it was ready, she turned to find Ridge holding Alex in his arms.
He set their son in the tub, and Kiona washed him, running a soapsud- filled cloth over his skin. Ridge sat on the commode with the seat down watching and making her nervous. She did her best to ignore him, an impossible task when the situation reminded her of times they bathed their baby together. Ridge wasn’t a bad father, and he hadn’t been gone all the time. She had no doubts about his devotion to his son.
“Mommie,” her baby whined.
“Okay, okay, almost done,” she promised.
Ridge stood and grabbed a towel to hold
“Damn, you’re just as sexy as ever, girl,” Raymond gushed. “Why don’t you get out to this side of the country more often? Now that Ridge let you get away, I can stake my claim.”
“That would be real special if I were property, Ray, but thanks for the compliment. Besides, I’d have to compete with your many girlfriends, and I’m not the one. You can put me down now.”
“Why should I? This feels good.” He grinned at her, almost as tall as his brother and built just as wide. His arms wrapped around her so tight, she couldn’t wiggle free, and he’d pinned her hands to his chest when she raised them in defense. Ray’s body did nothing for her because she knew he used women.
“Let her go now,” Ridge warned, and a tingle raced through her at his obvious jealousy. She tamped it down as needless.
“What are you going to do if I don’t?” Ray teased.
Ridge moved to hand Alex off to his mother, but Kiona spoke up. “I can handle it. Ray, sweetie, you have two seconds before I lodge my heel in your balls. Just sayin’.”
“Kiona,” Marion blustered. “I won’t have that kind of language in my presence or around my grandson. This is why I insisted he live here, so I can raise him as a Foster should be raised.”
Ray set her on her feet, and Kiona moved out his reach—mostly to keep from acting out her anger on the nearest person. “Alex is not just a Foster. He’s also got my blood running through his veins. I’m the one who laid up in the hospital for fifteen hours in labor while your son was off buying and selling the world.”
Ridge’s lips compressed, but she didn’t want to hear whatever he might be thinking.
“Just show me what room Alex is staying in, and I’ll help him get ready for bed. Then I’m out of here.” She stomped toward the stairs, pretty sure she knew anyway. Although Alex didn’t spend much time in this house, Marian had insisted on having a room decorated for him. She didn’t even know Alex well enough to know what he liked at three years old.
Kiona started up the stairs with Ridge behind her holding their son. When they were in the room, she paced as Ridge laid Alex on the bed. She elbowed him aside and began undressing her son, dropping his shoes on the floor. Her fingers flew over the buttons of his shirt because of how pissed she was. She dared him to say anything, just one word. He knew he was wrong, had been wrong on many occasions when he left her alone to work endless hours. Of course then she found about Anne Marie, and everything made sense.
“Kiona, I—”
“Don’t even.” She glared at him over her shoulder. “Don’t say a word to me, Ridge. We both know how your mother is and that she and I can’t get along. Don’t lecture me about trying harder or defending her in any way, because I will go off on you. It’s late, and I’m tired, so let’s just leave it there.”
Ridge left the room and returned a few moments later with Alex’s bag. He set it on a chair next to the dresser and began unpacking the clothes to put away.
“I’ll give him a quick bath and get his pajamas on, and then I’m leaving. I can call a taxi if you don’t want to let me use the driver. I realize it’s late.” She didn’t wait to hear his response but walked into the bathroom to run water in the tub. By the time it was ready, she turned to find Ridge holding Alex in his arms.
He set their son in the tub, and Kiona washed him, running a soapsud- filled cloth over his skin. Ridge sat on the commode with the seat down watching and making her nervous. She did her best to ignore him, an impossible task when the situation reminded her of times they bathed their baby together. Ridge wasn’t a bad father, and he hadn’t been gone all the time. She had no doubts about his devotion to his son.
“Mommie,” her baby whined.
“Okay, okay, almost done,” she promised.
Ridge stood and grabbed a towel to hold
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