Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN

For the next few days, McKenna wrestled with whether or not she wanted to see her father. Part of her wanted to sit down with him and find out just why he left, and how he could stay away for so many years.

But the other part of her, the part that was still just so damned angry with him for being able to walk away so easily and just stay away, wouldn't let her dial his number. They had no more night visitors, but the alarm company couldn't explain how someone got around the system, which had been set at the time. She nursed a headache for a day and the bump took a few more days to heal, and that only added to her unease.

She tried to put it from her mind as she sank into a comfortable deck chair and watched Selig and Aislinn as they splashed in the pool with Loki. It was easy to relax and smile and forget about every last little problem, if only for a little while.

"Daddy! Throw me!"

She couldn't help her sigh at the sight of Loki in the pool, water beading across his broad shoulders, down his back and arms, his hair slicked back, as he grabbed Selig and hefted him high over head. The muscles in Loki's arms and shoulders bunched like baseballs beneath his skin. "Ready, Sel? One... two... three!"

Selig shrieked as he soared up into the air, his arms and legs flailing as he arced, then splashed down into the water. As always, she held her breath until he surfaced, kicking and spluttering water. "Do it again, Daddy!"

"Me, too!" Aislinn swam over to Loki, who promptly swept her up into his arms. Both children swam like fish, which made her a little more comfortable with having the pool. When they first moved into the house, she had Loki put as many safety spells on it as he could muster and she still had nightmares about Selig falling into it.

Now, she sipped her water, her book ignored on her lap. It was far more fun to watch them play. And honestly, there was something just so sexy about watching Loki play in the water with Selig and Aislinn. It made her heart melt and her blood warmer at the same time.

The twins were napping, soft coos crackling through the baby monitor on the low table next to her chair. They would probably sleep for another hour or so, then she would bring them down and let them enjoy the outside world in their little play yard in the shade.

Selig surfaced at the side of the pool, folding his arms on the concrete. "Mommy, why don't you come in?"

"Yeah, Mommy! Come swim!" Aislinn cried from high above Loki's head.

He tossed her, then waited for her to come up before saying, "Should I toss Mommy in?"

McKenna shook her head as both Aislinn and Selig shouted, "Yes!"

Loki turned to swim to her side of the pool and she shook her head. "Don't even think about it, Jötunn."

His grin turned mischievous as he braced his hands on the concrete and hauled himself out of the pool. She got up from her chair, quickly skirting it to get out of his reach. "I mean it, Loki. Do not throw me in the-ack!"

He was too quick for her, his right arm snaking about her waist. "I promise you, love, the water is warm. Just like the Sølvfoss."

"I don't care. You better not."

"What are you going to do about it, Midgardian?" he purred, swinging her easily into his arms.

"Loki!" She tried to wriggle away from him, which was impossible. Aislinn and Selig were cheering him on and she couldn't hold onto her scowl as she lost the battle of holding back her laugh. "Really, Loki, I don't think-"