Brown Siblings: LAID OPEN by LAUREN DANE
Copyright 2012, Lauren Dane
All Rights Reserved, The Berkley Publishing Group

Maybe it was growing up in and living in Seattle, but just laying in the sun and absorbing all that vitamin D recharged Erin’s batteries. Her eyes were closed as she not quite dozed behind her big sunglasses. They’d been there several days and she’d already gotten used to the lazy, warm pace of the island. There was nothing but the sound of the water, the scent of the ocean and the flowers that seemed to be blooming all over the place around their bure. Oh, and lots of uninhibited sex.

No appointments except the massage she’d had earlier. No ringing phones. No sound of people in big giant animal suits singing about washing hair or eating vegetables. Or any other kids’ television.
She’d checked in on Alexander, who didn’t have much time to talk, as he was heading out to play with his uncle Cope and aunt Ella. Brody had assured her he was fine and having a great time. The time difference meant it was the following day already there in Fiji so she could call Seattle in the mornings or afternoons and know he’d be awake.

After that, they’d headed out for a morning swim. She continued to be awed by the physical beauty surrounding them. The water so blue and warm. The sand was perfect. The temperature not too hot. They’d cavorted in the waves.

It was so delicious to have this time, and she’d made a commitment to herself that they needed to do this sort of thing at least once a year.

Still, her men were far more energetic than she was, so she left them playing in the water and came back to lounge around and do some reading. She was far lazier than the men in her life, she’d noticed. Lucky for her they didn’t seem to mind.

She smiled to herself. They were like puppies. Swimming, roughhousing, endlessly energetic. Here and there they’d pause to kiss her or each other. That part was even better.

The playful, sexy way they responded to one another was a joy to see. They would be what each one of them needed. Their family—Ben, Todd, Erin and Alexander—was what mattered. It was everything good and strong and it made her feel safe. And most definitely loved.

Her gift from the two of them had been time to be their woman. It wasn’t sandwiched around all the other stuff in their day. There was no work. No time in the studio, no trip to pick up this or that, no middle of the night calls for Todd or Ben to rush out to deal with something at their job.

It was easy to get so consumed with everything else in her day that she forgot the simple beauty of belonging to these men. It was beautiful and special, and she was so grateful for her life.