“I told you.” Absently Nick rapped a fist on the wall that adjoined their room with his son’s. But he didn’t really expect it to quiet the racket on the other side for long. “The man’s a goner.”

“And the way he looks at her—especially when he thinks no one, particularly Kate, is paying attention. Like he could just gobble her up in one big bite. It’s great.”

Nick stopped scratching his belly and frowned. “I look at you that way.”

Freddie sniffed and started to turn down the bed. “Yeah, right.”

“Hey.” He walked over, turned her around by the shoulder. “Right here,” he instructed, pointing at his own face, then attempting a smoldering look. “See?”

She snorted. “Yeah, that’s it all right. I am a puddle.”

“Are you insinuating that I’m not romantic? Are you saying the hammer-swinger’s got me beat in that department?”

Enjoying herself, Freddie rolled her eyes. “Please,” she said and wandered over to the dresser to run a brush through her hair.

The next thing she knew she was being swept off her feet. Her surprised yelp was muffled against his very determined mouth. “You want romance, pal? Boy, are you going to get it.”

At the other end of the hall, as children finally fell into reluctant and exhausted sleep, Kate belted her robe. She’d put in several long, hard days—days that wore the body to a nub and left the mind fussy with fatigue.

But now, knowing Brody was just a few steps away, she was restless. And needy. She imagined he’d consider sneaking into her room rude. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t sneak into his.

She slipped from her room, walked quietly down the hall to peek in on the children. Even the dog, she noted, was sprawled out limply. Satisfied, she eased out again, and made her way to Brody’s door.

No light shone under it. Well, if she had to wake him up, she had to wake him up. She opened it—a little creak of sound—and stepped in just as he turned from the window.

He’d been thinking of her—nothing new there, he admitted. And stood now, wearing only his jeans loosened at the waist. His mouth went dry as he saw her reach behind and flip the lock.

“Kate. The kids.”

“Out for the count.” She’d bought the robe only the day before, on an hour break. A ridiculous extravagance of peach-colored silk. But seeing the way his eyes darkened, hearing the way it whispered as she crossed the room, she considered it worth every penny.

“I just checked on them,” she said, and ran her hands up his chest. “And if they wake up, one of the four of us will take care of it. Taking in the view?”

“It’s pretty spectacular.” He took her hands. “I was just thinking I’d never be able to sleep tonight, knowing you were so close, and not being able to touch you.”

“Touch me now, and neither one of us will worry about sleep tonight.”