Okay, so he might have gone a bit too far. But the woman was a bully, and a pompous one at that. He knew the type, and there was no way she’d risk being wrong in front of them.
The front door opened behind Ms. Talon, though she didn’t appear to notice. Raleigh arrived, suit and tie in place. Connor’s chest eased slightly at the sight of the man who could legally bulldoze any obstacle in their path. Even a vulture like Ms. Talon.
“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Davis. As I told your fiancée, I need to look through the house and check the children to make sure they are well.”
“I’d like to see your warrant before we agree to that.” Raleigh stepped between the woman and Bliss. “Miss Carpenter has worked with children for over a decade, and no complaints have ever been registered. I’d like to hear the allegations.”
The woman didn’t like being challenged, now did she? She puffed up like a peacock and rummaged through her bag. Raleigh turned to Bliss and winked.
Normally, that would earn his friend a punch to the jaw, but Connor decided to forgive him this once when Bliss relaxed against his chest.
Drawing out a paper, the woman handed it to Raleigh.
Raleigh took the paper and began to read. “Thank you, Ms….” He scanned the paper again. “Hm, this document doesn’t seem to have your name. If I could get that from you, along with your title and phone number, as well as your supervisor’s name and number, I’d be grateful.”
Ms. Talon snatched the paper back and scribbled the requested information. When she’d finished, she handed it back to Raleigh.
Once Raleigh read the complaint, he asked Ms. Talon to step outside so he could confer with his client. After she complied, slamming the door behind her, Raleigh turned to Bliss.
Connor didn’t like the look on Raleigh’s face. Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to explode if anything threatened Bliss. He braced himself for bad news, and it was a good thing.
Bliss didn’t know Raleigh as well, so before his friend could speak, she whipped around to face him. “How could you tell her that we’re engaged?”
Yeah, that wasn’t his most brilliant play. He’d gotten so furious at the things that Talon woman had been saying to Bliss, he’d lost control. Every instinct in him told him to protect her, and he hadn’t even considered the consequences. He never lost his temper. Never. Unless he was around Bliss.
But the condescending tone and smirk on the woman’s face had triggered his instinct to protect. He wanted to put her behind him and get in the woman’s face. So, he’d opened his mouth and made a bad situation worse.
Raleigh’s gaze shot to Connor. “You did what?”
“I told the Talon that Bliss and I got engaged the night before last.”
“She doesn’t have a ring,” Raleigh pointed out.
“You’re not the first person to point that out.” Connor wanted to pound his head against a wall. Bliss’s face was paler than when he’d arrived, and that was on him. She needed him to be calm, not cause chaos.
“What are we going to tell her?” Bliss asked Raleigh. “Is she going to be coming back again? What’s she going to think when I don’t get a ring? Not to mention the fact that Connor is never here.”
Damn it. She was going to work herself into another panic attack if he didn’t do something.
He grabbed her chin between his fingers and turned her to face him. He was about to tell her he’d take care of everything. Take care of her and her three little miracles. And if that meant telling the Talon he’d panicked and lied, that’s what he’d do. Bliss’s safety, her heart, and her mind were now his responsibility. She just didn’t know it. Yet.
But the anger and resentment in her eyes hit him like a punch to the throat. She stared up at him, waiting for him to explain himself. Even after the blunder he’d made, he needed to see faith in her eyes. Faith in him and his ability to make things right.
So he kissed her.
Not a peck on the cheek, or a brush of the lips, but a full-on kiss, deep, hard, and wet.
After a moment of surprise, she tried to push him away. The struggle didn’t last long, though, before she was kissing him back. If that was all they had, the physical attraction between them was intense. But it was more than that. He could feel it. Somehow, she still trusted him to keep her and her daughters safe, or she wouldn’t have called. He made a silent vow never to let anything harm her again.
It was more than just physical trust, though. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but he knew he wanted more than her body. He wanted her spirit, her laughter, her mornings and nights—every little piece of her she shared with him.
“Um, guys. There’s a lady waiting on the porch to inspect the house, and the longer she’s out there, the madder she’s going to get. So, if you two could put that on pause for later, I have a few things to go over with Bliss.”
Bliss held a trembling hand to her well-kissed lips. With one last glare at him, she turned to Raleigh. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
Connor grinned. He knew what came over her. The same thing that had come over him. He started to speak, but Bliss elbowed him in the stomach. Since Raleigh was right, he decided to let that go for now. When they were alone… well now, that was different. But right now she needed to focus on Raleigh.
Eyes twinkling, Raleigh held up the paper the Talon had given him. Connor’s smile faded. “Bliss, who have you left in charge of Sophie, Sadie, and Nori since you’ve been in Darling?”
