He seemed to have to pry himself away, and he turned and swept Eva up from under the arms. “Let’s go, little ragamuffin.”
She squealed as she threw her arms around his neck. “I not awagamuff-in.”
“Sure you are,” he said, ruffling a big hand through her hair before he ushered Colin into the back. Then he swung Eva around and buckled her into the car seat on the passenger side.
While I stalled.
Just watching.
Taking in the most precious scene.
My attention dropped to his mother’s simple ring that I wore on my finger. A wave of nostalgia and old affection pressed in at the edges of my consciousness.
As if it could be real and not this messed-up arrangement we had made.
He turned back to me. “Are you coming, or are you just going to stand there staring?”
Staring seemed like a prudent idea.
Too bad getting closer to him seemed even better. A fool’s game as I ducked my head between my shoulders and scurried up to where he had the front passenger door open and waiting.
Of course, my toe caught on a rock and I fumbled forward. Not enough to fall. Just enough to send a rush of humiliation lighting on my cheeks.
Only Cash grinned.
Soft and slow and adoring, and God, my heart was not going to make it.
I regained balance, though with every step toward him, the air seemed to thicken.
His aura saturating the atmosphere.
Fresh pine and the faint trace of oil and sweat.
Pure masculinity that had me knocking at the knees.
His brutally handsome face lit by the radiance of the sun and his hulking body vibrating with all that strength.
My lungs were barely functioning by the time I made it to within two feet of him. I managed to gather myself enough so I could peer into the backseat.
I frowned a little when I realized all three children were in brand-new car seats and boosters.
“I thought you got the car seats from my car?”
He gave a slight shrug. “Figured I might need them.”
“Oh.” It left me on a wheeze, then I realized there was a different smell coming from the car.
The unmistakable scent of new leather.
My frown only deepened. “Is this your car?”
I realized then I hadn’t seen it before, but it wasn’t like I’d been out rummaging around in his giant detached garage that contained three or four different vehicles plus a bunch of motorcycles.
Something I’d barely peeked at the couple times that he had the massive rolling doors wide open.
“Is now.”
“Since when?”
