My House, My Rules Read Online Free Page A

salad. “Ice?” he asked with a smile.
    Damn, he's fine, she thought as she reluctantly looked up. “Thanks.” She made a pointing gesture towards the back door. “The boys. I'll, um, just go see what they’re doing.”
    “Good idea,” he smiled. “I'll bring the drinks out in a minute.”
     
    * * *
     
    “Finished the salad?” Alex asked as Jay joined the others outside with a tray.
    “Yes, and the table's all set. All we need is the food,” he said.
    “Can I have a drink?” Aaron asked.
    “Sure can, champ. I think you missed something though.”
    “What?”
    “The magic word?” Jay asked, waiting expectantly.
    “Abracadabra?” Aaron said with a grin.
    “Funny boy,” Jay said. He stood with the jug of lemonade and an empty glass but made no move to start pouring. “Aaron?” he said.
    “Please,” Aaron said.
    “Better,” Jay said ruffling the little boy's head as he passed him his drink.
    “Thanks, Jay,” Aaron said breathily as he just about finished the glass in one continuous gulp. “Can I go inside and watch TV?”
    “Sure,” Jay said. “You can tell us when the pizza guy arrives. Thom, there's a drink here if you're thirsty,” he said.
    “Thanks, Jay.” Thom said, already leaping up the steps.
    “There's some pretty flowers here,” Alex said.
    “Can't really take credit for that,” Jay smiled. “I haven't had a chance to do anything with the place yet.”
    “I know. The man that owned the house before you liked to garden,” Alex said with a smile. “So where've you been anyway? The for sale sign went up a while ago, but no one moved in.”
    “I had to help out on the family ranch for a while.”
    “Oh,” she said. “I wondered.” Great, now she was picturing him on a horse, tight jeans, no shirt, hot tanned body drenched with…
    “Pizza's here!” Aaron called from the patio. “The man wants money!”
    Thank God, Alex thought. She had never been more pleased to see her youngest child.
    “You okay?” Jay asked.
    “Yeah,” she said. “I'm just a little hot.”
    “Do you need a drink?” he asked.
    “We need you to come pay the guy,” Aaron insisted.
    “Tell him I'll be right there.”
    “I'm fine,” Alex said. She was better than fine. This was the closest thing to some adult fun she'd had for a while.
    “Come on then,” Jay said breaking her from her trance. “I'm starving. I don't want the kid to change his mind and take our dinner away.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her up the steps.
    She followed behind him, trying not to show how acutely aware she was of the feel of her smaller hand in his larger one. She sniffed deeply as they reached the dining room, desperately trying to get her mind on the food.
    “Smell's good,” she said.
    “You hungry?” he asked.
    “Starving,” she said with a smile.
     
    * * *
     
    “Pizza's my favorite,” Thom said.
    “Me too,” Aaron said. “And chicken, and burgers.”
    “And ice cream,” Thom said with a grin.
    Jay chuckled. “All the food groups then.” Typical kids, he thought. Alex had gone to the bathroom, so he thought he'd play mom. They each had a couple of slices of pizza, and he doled salad out onto each of the plates.
    “We don't eat no green stuff,” Aaron said taking a bite of his pizza.
    “Well,” Jay said carefully. “If you'd like to have a swim, I'd like you to try at least a bite.” He frowned when the both boys were about to tuck into their first slice of pizza before Alex had sat down. “And you know what would be really nice? If we waited for your Mom to come back before we started eating.”
    “How come?” Aaron asked, his pizza still mid-air while he decided whether or not to stop eating.
    “It would be the polite thing to do,” Jay said.
    “Manners,” Thom mouthed pointedly.
    Aaron dropped the pizza on his plate immediately.
    Jay almost burst out laughing. Thom had obviously not forgotten that he told them to bring their manners if they wanted a swim. He didn't blame