Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

Hello, Boston

"Alright, I'm going to take these empty boxes to the car then go see if Mom needs any help with your living room," Shanna informed Chris and Denise as she gathered several empty boxes in her hands, carrying them from their flaps. Her gaze washed over the kitchen and she smiled, "looks like things are slowly coming together." Chris and Denise nodded in agreement, smiling as they admired their new kitchen. "Nice work, team," she praised as she made her exit, leaving the couple alone. Inaudible conversation made with Lisa as she walked past the living room on her way to the front door.

"So," Chris moved behind Denise, his hands gripping her hips.

"So," Denise bit back her smile. She'd already expected whatever he was up to. The second she made that quip about Shanna being her favorite out of the four siblings, she anticipated a retaliation- at least once he had her alone. Chris was always a little more handsy in the lead up to the project he had lined up, mostly because he knew he wouldn't have the time or energy to be intimate once he was knee-deep in work.

"Should I reiterate? You said Shanna's the favorite out of the four of us?" His lips brushed her ear, his breath hot against the back of her neck. "Are you sure about that, or can I change your mind?" He pushed her up against the kitchen counter, pressing his front flushed against her back. "Hm?" He playfully nipped at her shoulder and tried not to laugh when she did, squirming in his grip.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, we are not alone in this house." She reminded him in a hushed tone and he chuckled, pressing his lips to her neck. The vibrations from his lips made her squirm, drawing giggles. "Seriously, stop." Her playful tone contrasted the context of her demand. "Let me go." She used her hands and pushed against the kitchen counter, trying to break free from his hold to no avail. "Chris!" She shrieked with laughter when he continued to playfully nip at her skin.

"If you two want to go upstairs and make me another grandchild, I'm more than happy to finish up down here." Lisa's voice teased and heat quickly rushed to Denise's cheeks. She turned in Chris' arms and buried her face in his chest as he loosened his grip, glancing over his shoulder at his mom. "Don't mind me," she held her hands up in surrender as she walked towards the glass doors that led out to the backyard, "just passing through to check on Jack and Dodger."

Chris rested his chin on the top of Denise's head and chuckled because he was amused that his mother still had the capacity to embarrass Denise. After five years of being together with him, he assumed she had developed some sort of an immunity to his mother's quips and teases. "See if they need something to eat or drink," Chris called as Lisa slipped through the gap Denise had left for Jack and Dodger, "they've been out there for hours."

"I don't think they need anything to drink, but they might need something to eat, and a towel," Lisa called back. Chris and Denise's brows furrowed as they pulled away from each other, walking out to join Lisa on the porch. Lisa and Chris chuckled, whereas Denise gasped at the sight before them. Both child and dog were drenched, playing with the stream of water shooting out of the hose Jack had let loose. Denise let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Boston was still rather warm in August. The last thing she needed was for either to fall sick while there was still so much to do, especially when Chris was starting work in a few days.

"Chris..." Denise turned to him and he playfully groaned. She didn't even need to finish her sentence, he already knew what she was going to say. "I don't want to get wet." She said then giggled when he emitted a weary chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. "Can you please turn off the hose and grab them before it cools down and they catch a cold?'"

"Wait," Lisa scrambled for her phone, pulling it out of her back pocket. "Let me get a photo first." She snapped a few shots with the camera on her phone, then nodded at Chris, who strode down the steps and turned off the hose from the main tap. Jack and Dodger looked over at Chris, utter disbelief on their faces.