One Look – Bonus Scene

Lark

“What’s that?” I asked when I spotted Penny giggling over something Wyatt was trying to hide. Her eyes went wide.

“Nothing.” Wyatt subtly shook his head and silently communicated, Don’t worry about it.

I narrowed my eyes at them and lifted a brow. “Okay . . . if you say so. I’m putting Ethan in the car. I don’t want to miss the tree lighting!”

Penny and Wyatt turned back to whatever secret thing they were focused on when I shifted the baby on my hip. I touched the tip my nose to his and whispered, “Those two are up to no good.”

Ethan was only a few months old and still blissfully sound asleep. I walked through the house and into the heated garage where I carefully snapped him into his carseat. Beside him, I piled all of the extra outerwear and blankets he would need to keep warm on the chilly December evening. Still bent over the backseat, Wyatt’s palm smoothed up my legs. “Mrs. Sullivan.” He squeezed my ass.

I shot him a grin. “Coach Sullivan . . . that’s what got us into this mess.” I playfully tipped my head to our sleeping baby. 

He winked and my thighs clenched. It was almost postseason for Midwest Michigan University and the bowl games that would eat up even more of Wyatt’s time. It had been another successful season with my husband at the helm, and Sexy Head Coach looked damn good on him.

I slid into the passenger seat as Wyatt got behind the wheel. Penny came crashing out of the house, holding a large white rectangle in her hands as she struggled with the door handle.

Breathing hard, she wiggled herself into the seat. When she caught me staring she paused. “Whatever happens in the next few minutes, can you be cool about it?” 

Wyatt barked a laugh and I swallowed my own grin. “I’ll do my best.”

She looked at her dad and nodded. 

As Wyatt pulled down our driveway, the freshly fallen snow blanketed everything in a serene white. It was breathtaking. As we drove, I took in the snow-laden trees and quiet streets. In the distance, I could see dormant blueberry fields, now hidden beneath the thick blanket of snow, waiting for spring to come alive once again.

Wyatt slowed the car and turned the opposite direction of the downtown tree lighting. I glanced between him and my step-daughter.

She lifted a small finger. “Be. Cool.”

When the car pulled to a stop, Wyatt looked at Penny from the rearview mirror. “Ready, Pickle?”

Her lips formed into a firm line. “Let’s do this.”

I watched in amusement as the two stealthily crept out of the car, crouching by its side. Next to a large gate at the end of a private driveway belonging to the King family, Penny held the white board out to her dad. With a few hard whacks with a mallet, Wyatt secured the signpost. When they stepped back, big black and white letters read For Sale with a phone number below it.

I pinched the bridge of my nose before letting my laugh loose. Out of breath, Wyatt and Penny returned to the car. 

“Go, Dad! Go!” Penny scrambled to buckle her seatbelt.

Wyatt pulled the car forward and sped away. Penny’s giggle filled the car and Ethan stirred. 

“That was a close one. The ground was more frozen than I thought it would be.” Wyatt grinned like a fool.

“Whose phone number was on that sign?” I asked.

Penny erupted into a fresh round of giggles. “That’s the best part! It’s for King Tattoo! Uncle Lee put more signs up, too. He’s going to get a bunch of prank calls.”

A bubble of amusement tickled my belly. Not the most elaborate or creative of pranks, but it was Penny’s first foray into the Sullivan-King prank war and she beamed with pride. 

Royal was going to be inconvenienced and, most likely, a little annoyed. Something that I’m sure Wyatt was well aware of. On top of the cross-family feud, Wyatt still held a tiny grudge against Royal for helping to bail out his players when they got into trouble. He was convinced Royal had plans to cash in on the favor. 

The irrational, jealous part of him assumed that the payback somehow included me.

What my dear husband didn’t realize was that even then, I was too far gone for him to see any other man but him. It had always been Wyatt, from the very beginning. 

When we pulled into small parking lot on the outskirts of town, we worked to bundle the kids up. Penny stood next to Ethan’s stroller and waited. 

Wyatt stepped into my space, working the buttons to my coat up to my chin. “Can’t let you catch a chill.” He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I’d have to warm you up.”

I turned my head to let my lips brush against the shell of his ear. “Oh, I have plans for us later.”

He pulled back to look me in the eyes. “Is that right?”

I glanced at Penny who was totally oblivious and making cute faces at her little brother. “Tiny plans. Thin . . . lacy . . . sheer plans,” I whispered.

His jaw clenched and he pulled me closer. Even through the thick layers, I could feel every hard inch of him as he growled. “Fuck this tree lighting. Let me take you home.”

His hot breath warred against the crisp air and my knees wobbled. Wyatt could still use his grumpy, deep voice to rattle my heart. He smoothed a stray hair from my face as he looked down at me and smiled. “It’s okay. I’ll take you to the tree lighting, but then I want to lay on your back, tip your head off the bed, and feel the back of your throat with my cock.”

I clung to him. Any passersby would think we were in a loving embrace while I was slowly liquifying from his naughty words. 

I swallowed hard. “Throw in a hot cocoa for Penny, a coffee for me, and you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Pickle!” Wyatt announced before gripping my hand and maneuvering the stroller to head downtown. “We’re getting hot cocoa!”