Page 43 of Sexy Bad Boss

“Myra doesn’t.” He shifts uncomfortably.

Don’t I? Is that fear in James’s eyes?

“That’s right, isn’t it, Myra? You don’t want babies.”

Well, not now. Especially when James is reacting this way. “Can’t say I do right now.”

“See, Abby? We’re not going to have babies.”

“But Daddy says when people kiss that it means they love each other and that they want to make babies.”

“My damn brother,” James mutters under his breath so low it’s barely decipherable.

Wriggling forward, I take Abby’s hands to divert her attention. “Sometimes that’s exactly what it means, like with Erin and your daddy, or Paynt and Chloe.”

“And sometimes it’s just fun.”

“Not that fun.” Does he mean that about him and I? Is this just something to while away the time to him? I raise an eyebrow; he admitted that in front of his impressionable niece. Garrett will never let him babysit again. “More friendly, like a kiss hello, or good morning, like when Daddy kisses you before he goes to work.”

“Or like Uncle Danny sometimes kisses Daddy on the cheeks, and Daddy threatens to chase him out of the house and never let him visit again? They always laugh and laugh and laugh about it.”

“Okay, yeah.” I snicker. “It’s like that.”

“I think I get it.” She screws up her face. “So you and Uncle James don’t love each other and don’t want to get married and make babies?”

I glance at him. Would it scare him away if I told him that this is more than just a little fun for me?

“It’s not like that.” He forces a smile for her, the kind that skims his cheeks but never makes it to his eyes. “It’s more complicated.”

“Exactly,” I say. “We don’t love each other. Not like your daddy and Erin do.” No, it appears these feelings are all one-sided. “We care about each other though. Sort of like the way your daddy and Uncle James and Uncle Paynt and Aunt Ronnie care about each other.”

“Er…right,” James agrees.

“I’m hungry,” Abby says. “Are we still going to make Mickey Mouse pancakes?”

“Yes.” I climb off the couch, her hand still in mine. James’s answer doesn’t shock me; after all, it’s probably just desperation coupled with familiarity that landed us here, but it stings all the same. “Let’s go to the kitchen.”

“What about me?” James asks. “Are you just going to leave me here to fend for myself?”

“We probably shouldn’t, should we, Abby?”

“I’d really appreciate a hand to the bathroom.”

Abby’s eyes widen. “Sometimes when Ducky doesn’t make it outside, she makes a mess on the floor.”

“Right. Well, we better help your uncle then.” I let go of her hand to collect the chair and bring it to him.

He’s half out of his seat when I wind my arms around his waist to help him. Draping one arm around my shoulder, he purses his lips in thought. “Myra, perhaps after Abby goes home we should have a conversation that doesn’t include small people’s ears.”

I can hardly wait to hear all the reasons he doesn’t want to get serious with me. “Sure.”

The doorbell chimes and someone puts their fist to the door. James groans. “That’ll be Alex.”

“At least he’s punctual,” I say.

“Early,” James grumbles.

“Even better.”