“Well, let’s don’t waste a single minute.” Mack grinned and led her from the kitchen to the living room with his hand on her lower back.

Even through her shirt, she could feel the heat starting at the place where his hand was touching her and going all the way through her body. Holly met them in the foyer and raced ahead to argue with her brother about who got to sit in the recliner.

For the first time, Lily was glad they were arguing and didn’t notice that she was practically blushing.

“First come, first served,” Braden taunted his sister.

“Oh, yeah.” Holly wiggled her way into the chair beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. “You’re my itsy-bitsy brother, so we can share the chair.”

“Yuck!” Braden jumped up, grabbed a quilt and throw pillow from the sofa, and stretched out on the floor. “Want me to put the first one in the DVD player, Mama?” He pointed toward the television.

“I’ll do it.” Mack started toward the television. “I’ve never seen Harry Potter or read the books. Which is better? Movies or books?”

“Books,” both kids said at the same time.

“Then I’ll have to read them later after we see the movies.” Mack put the first one into the player and handed the remote to Braden.

Lily sat on the sofa, and Mack sat on the other end. Lily found herself wishing that Mack was beside her with his arm draped around her shoulders, but getting to spend time with her kids, even if it was watching Harry Potter, was pretty danged special, too.

As soon as the movie ended, Mack asked, “So is going to Universal Studios and seeing the Harry Potter place on your list of things to see someday?”

“Naw,” Braden said. “I’d rather go to the beach and just do nothing but play in the sand and collect seashells.”

“Me, too. Braden can find seashells while I work on getting a tan.” Holly yawned and headed out of the room. “I’m going to bed.”

“I’m going to read for half an hour after I get my bath,” Braden said. “I still think the books are better, but every time I see the movies, I can see the characters better.”

Mack stood up and held out a hand to Lily. “Walk you to your bedroom door?”

“No, but you can walk me to the bottom of the stairs. That would be really nice.” She laced her fingers in his.

He stopped just before they made it to the bottom of the steps, wrapped Lily up in his arms, and hugged her tightly. “I like the way you fit in my arms.”