Free Coming Clean by Inez Kelley Page B

trip. She pulled her ponytail holder out and rubbed her head while sitting on the arm of the couch. Grant had one foot propped on the coffee table. The edge of a bandage caught her eye.
    “What’d you do to your foot?”
    Grant never took his eyes off the screen. “Stepped on a screw. It’s nothing, barely hurts now.”
    “Did you wash it out?”
    “Yeah.” He glanced at Cade quickly. “I even put that antibiotic goop on it. Speaking of, I put the first aid kit in the suitcase.”
    “Good. I left the linens in the car. We’ll just transfer them in the morning. Did you get the washing machine fixed?”
    Grant tore his eyes from the action and sent her a grimace. “Nope, it’s a goner. We’ll have to look at a new one when we get back.”
    Vivi shrugged. She knew it was coming. The machine had been a second-hand purchase before they got married, when money was tighter and they were still blending his and hers to make ours . She’d deal with a new machine later, after vacation.
    “Cade, I poured your milk out. It would’ve spoiled before we got back and, honestly, you need more food in your house than cereal and leftover Chinese.”
    “Want to go shopping for me?” He sent her a fast grin. “Of course, then you’d have to come cook for me, too. Not a bad deal, actually, since you do laundry as well. If you tell me you know how to use a vacuum, I’m kidnapping you and making you my slave.”
    “The term is wife. ” She laughed. “And I already have that title.”
    “Damn, missed out again.”
    She ruffled his damp hair and stood. She hugged Grant’s neck from behind. “I’m going to go clean up then go to bed. You going to be long?”
    “Nah, it’s bottom of the eighth. I’ll be there in a bit.”
    “Okay.” She aimed a pointed look at Cade. “You get some sleep, too. If I have to play alarm clock in the morning, I’m doing it with ice water.”
    “Yes, dear.” Cade smiled.
    A frustrated sigh blew out when she entered the bathroom. Grant had left a mess again. Two sopping towels were piled on the floor and dozens of large, wet, male footprints pooled on the tile. Would it kill him to use the bath mat that hung over the towel rod? She made quick work of cleaning up the floor, hung the towels to dry and tossed her clothes in the laundry hamper.
    She loved the shower but not as much as the garden tub in the corner. The cabin only had a single shower stall so she was going to milk this bath until she wrinkled. Turning the faucets to high, she tossed in a handful of mandarin-scented bath salts. She scoured whiskers and shaving cream from the sink basin then scrubbed her face with a gritty exfoliant. Plucking a few stray hairs from her brows, she checked for crow’s feet. So far, so good. She brushed her teeth and wiped down the sink again.
    Her breasts swayed as she moved, the mirror reflecting her nude body in a harsh light. Sticking her tongue out at the image, she lit a few candles and flipped the overhead light off, leaving the side sconces for illumination. Perfect relaxation mood. A hiss escaped as she slid deep into the silky hot water.
    Powerful jets churned the water to a rolling cauldron and she stewed, letting every tension-tight knot dissolve from the liquid massage. Although she’d been off from her music teaching job today, she’d worked like a demon getting everything ready for the trip. Shopping, packing, organizing, all those little things men just assumed fell into place without effort. A self-satisfied smile tilted her mouth.
    She loved it.
    Taking care of Grant, and by default Cade, filled her with more happiness than a diamond ring. They were her men, her guys, and she loved spoiling them in secret little ways. Serving Grant’s favorite brand of bacon at breakfast, finding the specialty blend of coffee Cade loved, even making sure they had that nasty-smelling fishing bait they preferred, all those things she did because she loved them. Maybe they never noticed, maybe they