Afterward, feeling lighter, he’d volunteered to do the school pickup for both girls, made them some fruit-and-nut oat bars for after-school snacks, and stopped to get the dogs along the way. The pups had been hanging out at Danny’s parents’ place; Alison and Joseph loved them, and Spot and Domino loved staying over during the daytime when their families were at work or school.

Little Connor was with Sailor; he went to daycare part time for socialization with other kids his age, but after that, Sailor tended to take him to one of his plant nurseries. Connor had begun his visits as a baby strapped to his father’s chest, but these days he had his own tiny gum boots and overalls, knew what plants he could and couldn’t touch, and had Sailor’s calm way about him.

The girls had spent plenty of time at the nurseries too, but it was Connor’s number one favorite place away from home. Danny was fairly certain his nephew would be a horticultural genius by the time he began to talk in full sentences. As for the girls, Danny figured he might as well take advantage of the fact they were still young enough to consider chilling with him fun. A few more short years and they’d be teens with growing social lives.

He’d pushed them both on the swings for twenty minutes before taking time out with the dogs. “I mean,” he said to his canine therapists, “four times that close together is a new thing for me, but I know four times isn’t excessive for a guy my age.” Especially after having heard some of the boasts from his mates.

Though he wouldn’t be bragging about ten times in a night like one had done—because how long could each bout have lasted if it was all over within a few hours? “Quality trumps quantity,” he told Spot, who decided now was the time to lift his leg.

Looking away to give him privacy, Danny spoke to an attentive Domino instead. “But now I’ve got quality and quantity.”

It came out a touch smug, and he couldn’t help himself. He felt smug. He knew he’d pleased Catie. She’d been soft and loose-limbed when he left, hadn’t even snarked at him when he stole a kiss on the doorstep.

“The problem,” he said as the three of them moved on, “and I don’t even know if it’s a problem really, is that even after four times, I could go over again today and do it four more times with her.”

Domino gave him a bemused look.

“Sex maniac, right?” Danny turned back toward the swings—most of the crowd today was mums with their kids, but he’d made sure to keep the girls in sight. They were his responsibility and he took that seriously. “But man, I want her.”