Harmony wasin love with Samuel.She hadn’t been around babies much without siblings or cousins, but she’d always liked the idea of kids.If she could guarantee she’d have a kid like Samuel, she’d get pregnant immediately.
Assuming she found a man who wanted the same.
She knew the window on having kids was closing rapidly, so she never got attached to the idea, but as soon as Damien snuggled Samuel to his chest, she knew she was in trouble.The man was dangerous to her ovaries without a baby in his arms.With a baby?She was fairly sure her ovaries were trying to reproduce all on their own.
“A man with a baby is like catnip,” Claudia said.She slapped her hand over her mouth.“I’m so sorry.I didn’t mean to sound like I’m checking out your guy.”
Harmony smiled.“He’s not really mine.And yes, I agree.”
“What do you mean he’s not really yours?”Lacey asked.
“He’s protecting me.I mean, yeah, it’s not exactly platonic, but once the job is done, he’ll go back to his life.”Harmony was sure they would understand.
Lacey and Claudia exchanged a look, then fell into each other with laughter.
“Why is that funny?”
“It’s not,” Lacey said.“I’m sorry.But it is because we both said the same thing.And we were both very, very wrong.”
“That man is not looking at you like you’re a job.Besides, they have rules, and he’s breaking them all.”Claudia toasted her water glass to her words.
“Rules?”Harmony asked.
“Oh, yes.First rule is if you imprint on the client, you take the job,” Lacey said.
“I’m not a client, though,” Harmony argued.
“That’s probably good because the second rule is don’t fuck the client.Clearly, he broke that one,” Claudia said, raising one eyebrow.
Harmony’s cheeks heated.
“Damien doesn’t break the rules.He follows them.They have them for a reason, and they don’t go around them.They always work with a partner, wait for backup, let someone know where they are, and they have each other listed as emergency contacts and as people with access to their security systems and medical records.They’re not just coworkers, they’re a family.And he brought you here to meet us.He doesn’t think of you as a client,” Lacey said.
Harmony drew a breath, letting their words sink in.She had been hoping maybe Damien was feeling some of the things she was feeling, but she didn’t want to risk getting hurt, so she convinced herself it was all one-sided.
But Lacey and Claudia knew Damien better than Harmony did.They knew what he was like before Harmony met him.They understood him.
And they were giving her hope.
“Of course, maybe you’re not feeling the same,” Claudia said.
Harmony shook her head.“No, I am.I just…”
“Didn’t want to have false hope,” Lacey provided.
Harmony nodded.“Yep.”
“It’s not false.That man wants you for his dinner,” Lacey said.
“And dessert,” Claudia added.
Harmony’s cheeks flamed.She pressed her hands to them.
Lacey and Claudia grinned.
“You guys are making me blush.”
“Don’t look now, but here come our men,” Claudia said.
