Chapter Sixty-three: I Want That Too

Grace’s Point of View

I walked back into the kitchen, and it looked like all four were waiting on the edges of their seats for my response. Salem definitely was, but that kid would also hang from the ceiling if he could find a way to do it safely. For a moment, I was tempted to tease them and pretend that Rei had not given permission for the kids to stay with Aamon and me for the next two days. But the kids had so much thrown at them in such a short time, and even I wasn’t that cruel. They were handling things a little too well. I think when reality hit them, it would hit hard.

“Your mother gave permission for the three of you to stay with us for the next two nights. Go and pack your overnight bags now. Onyx, help your brother pack extra clothes because… well… it’s just better that way,” I sighed, while Onyx nodded sagely, and Salem looked confused.

Salem found a way to get filthy in the most impossible ways. It was just the way he was. The kid seriously crashed headfirst through life. How we had avoided a hospital visit for him this long because of all the chaos he created, I’ll never know.

Shiloh lingered once the boys were gone, and I knew she wanted to talk to Aamon and me, so I gestured for him to stay seated when I sat down with them.

“What’s up, kid?” I asked, looking at her with concern.

Shiloh couldn't help but blurt out, "Does Mom really have no idea about any of this?"

"No, she doesn't. And honestly, there's more to it that I haven't even told her yet. But that's a conversation I need to have with my step-sister alone. You're handling this surprisingly well, Shiloh," Aamon replied gently.

"I'm not handling it well at all," Shiloh admitted. "Inside, I feel like I'm screaming and wondering why my life had to fall apart now when things were finally looking up. No offense."

“Well, you’re hiding it well,” Aamon replied awkwardly, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Your mother is going to be confused and angry. There is no getting around that at all, Shiloh, but can we blame her? Your mother hates being lied to, and Rei has been lied to all her life. This will not be easy for any of us,” I said.

“Xavier isn’t using Mom to get close to the Brzezinski family, is he?” Shiloh asked.

“No, if anything, that prevented him from acting on his feelings for your mother,” Aamon assured Shiloh.

“I wish Xavier were my dad and not Greg Ravenscroft,” muttered Shiloh, but Aamon and I both heard her.

“I think he wishes the same thing, Shiloh,” I said softly.

“Your father did love your mother in his way. Rei definitely loved him. He was her first love. You were created out of that love; don’t ever doubt that, sweetheart. Sometimes things don’t work out so that better things can come into your life that wouldn’t otherwise,” I added gently.

“I think you should probably check on your brothers. Onyx helping Salem is a good idea. But I think we need to help Onyx, too, because he’ll need the reminders for the essentials. He will ‘forget’ to pack his toothbrush and socks,” I smiled.

Shiloh's eyes widened, and she nodded quickly before rushing out of the room, her footsteps echoing loudly on the stairs as she ran up them.

I raised my hand, gesturing for Aamon to hold on. I silently mouthed the words, "Wait for it," causing him to look at me with a puzzled expression. Onyx shouted, "I don't want to brush my teeth! They will NOT fall out of my head if I don’t brush them for two days! You’re lying, Shiloh!”

Aamon gazed at me with a mixture of awe and disbelief as if I possessed some sort of supernatural foresight. I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. While I didn't have any psychic abilities, I had played a role in raising these children alongside Rei, so I knew them inside and out.

I knew we wouldn’t have much time left with just each other before the kids demanded our attention again, so I eagerly threw myself onto his lap, straddling him for a deep and passionate kiss. My lips met his in an intense, feverish kiss as our tongues danced together. Aamon moaned into my mouth, fueling my desire for him even more.

“I missed you last night,” Aamon murmured as I rolled my hips, enjoying the feeling of him getting hard beneath me.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” Aamon's voice growled with desire as his hands squeezed my hips, pulling me closer to him.

I leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Consider this a preview of what's coming next."

With one final kiss, I stood up and moved off his lap.

“You’re going to leave me like this?” Aamon said in a stunned voice.

“Oh baby, you know I’m worth the wait,” I grinned as he adjusted himself with a frown.

“Besides, you can punish me later,” I winked at him.

“Oh, I most definitely will,” muttered Aamon.

Salem burst into the kitchen, his face twisted in anger, hands planted firmly on his hips. He seemed to be trying to intimidate us or perhaps to hold back his temper. I couldn't quite tell, so I covered my mouth to hide the smile that was threatening to appear.

“Onyx and I don't want to, Aunt Grace," Salem complained.

"What do you not want to do, sweetheart?" I asked, trying to suppress the laughter that threatened to escape me.

“We don’t want to bring our toothbrushes,” whined Salem.

I narrowed my eyes and glared at him, placing my hands on my hips in the same stance as his. Salem took one look at me, swallowed hard, and mumbled, "Forget it," before turning around and sprinting back up the stairs.

I turned my attention back to Aamon, who looked at me stunned.

“What was that?” my boyfriend asked, stunned.

“Temper tantrum averted,” I shrugged.

“All three kids have VERY strong personalities, and the only way to survive is to be consistent and fair. You’ve not lived until you’ve endured one of Salem’s temper tantrums. They are, in a word, epic,” I said, trying to maintain a serious tone while suppressing a smile.

“I love you,” Aamon said, surprising me.

“I want that with you,” he added in a whisper.

"What do you want? A toothbrush?" I quipped with a grin.