I helped Anna fill up my cups with a tasty chocolate stout; it was more like dessert than alcohol, but I had a massive sweet tooth. Once everything was set up, we flipped a coin to see who went first. “Heads,” I told her with a smile. If given a choice, I always chose head, although tail wasn’t bad either.

Anna tossed the coin up, caught it, then smacked it on the back of her hand. When she lifted her fingers, we both leaned in to see who would be first. Predictably, it was tails. “Me first,” she said with a grin.

“Not a problem. I prefer going second anyway.” I pinched her butt. “Ladies should always come first.”

Anna laughed in that low seductive way that made my dick twitch. Then she grabbed her ball and lined up her shot. “Here’s to a short visit,” she said, before she let her ball fly.

It expertly splashed into one of my cups, and I nodded in approval. My girl had skills; it kept the game interesting. “Game on, babe. Game on.”

Chapter 2

The Day Awesome Died

It was official. My family was staying for twenty days. Anna had accepted the outcome of our game, but she wasn’t happy about it. A deep frown was fixed on her face as we packed Gibson into our “family” car—a bright yellow Hummer; I wanted people to see us coming a mile away. For safety reasons, of course.

Anna glared at me as she buckled Gibson into her car seat. “I can’t believe you made that last shot,” she murmured.

Still feeling buzzed from the game, and my admittedly lucky toss that had won me the argument, I huffed on my knuckles, then rubbed them against my shirt. “Never doubt the master, babe.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Well, when I’m too tired and irritated to put out anymore, remember that you wanted it that way.”

The smile fell off my face. “What do you mean? You always put out…that’s what makes us work so well together. It’s the glue that holds us together.” I made my fingers interlock, then pushed them together and apart a few times, simulating the act we were both so very good at.

Anna gave my body a once-over before she answered. “I’m not saying I won’t want to jump your bones, but the odds of it happening will diminish with each day your family stays here. Just warning you now.”

“Well, that sucks.” I tossed Gibson’s bag of crap into the back a little more harshly than necessary. It fell on its side and some of her diapers spilled out. Guess I should have thought that one through a little more before I’d fought for it. Too late now. Maintaining the sanctity of the negotiation outcome was the closest to keeping a promise that I got.

With a sniff, I told Anna, “I’m not worried. I bet I can change your mind.” Grabbling myself, I jostled the boys in an age-old gesture of I know you want this seduction. “A few days without the Hulk, and you’ll be climbing up the walls. You’ll be begging for a little action.”

Shaking her head with an amused smile, Anna replied with “Only time will tell.”

A slow smile spread over my lips. “Oh yeah, that’s what I thought.”

She frowned as she got into the driver’s seat. “That wasn’t a yes.”

My grin grew wider as I stepped into the passenger’s side. “It wasn’t a no either. Your ass is mine, Milfums.”

She started the car. “Whatever…Dilfums.” By her expression, she didn’t believe me. But I knew, from the bottom of my loins, that as soon as she was cleared for takeoff, she’d want to take a ride on the Griffin Express again. Past experience told me so.

The drive to Kellan’s place took forever. I honestly had no idea why he insisted on living in the middle of nowhere. Or why we kept having rehearsals at his place. Evan’s place was fine. Even better than ever now, since he had more room than before. And it was close too. It didn’t take three thousand hours to get there. Sure, Kellan had a soundproof room all set up with recording equipment, and yes, he lived far enough away from the world that we weren’t bothered by anything but the occasional raccoon or grizzly bear, but honestly, the isolation wasn’t worth the sores on my ass.

By the time the Gate of Mordor was finally in front of us, my buzz was completely gone. And just when I could have used it too. Gibson was watching her favorite TV show on the overhead DVD player. It was the third episode on the disc, and my patience was wearing thin. If one more of those little half-wit bastards asked me some stupid shit like what color the sky was one more time, I was going to punch something.

Kellan’s “fortress of solitude” was circled by a six-foot-tall wood-and-metal fence. It screamed, Leave us the hell alone! They hadn’t built the moat yet, but I was positive one was coming soon. In front of the imposing nine-foot-tall metal gate, there was an intercom box. Since the gate was closed—as always—Anna rolled down her window and pressed the call button. After a half minute, a thin, reedy voice sounded from the speaker. “Please state your full name and the nature of your business.”

Even though he was trying to disguise it, I instantly recognized Kellan’s voice. Leaning over my wife, I shouted into the speaker box, “My name is Griffin Suck-My Hancock, and I’m here to punch Kellan Kyle in the nuts. Now let me the fuck in, antisocial fucker.”

Kellan sounded more like himself when he responded. “Wow. Do you kiss your kid with that mouth?”

Cameras were everywhere around the entrance. There was one on the intercom, and one on each side of the gate. Getting in this way unnoticed wasn’t possible. Stretching over Anna so Kellan would get a clear shot of my face, I replied, “Yeah, I also lick my wife like an ice cream cone.” I waggled my tongue, just to gross him out. Or Kiera, if she was watching too. With a smile, I added, “In fact, I’ll do it right now while I’m waiting for the gate to open. You can watch.”