“Not yet, and we may not be able to prove it.They know how to cover their tracks.”
He pulled into the driveway at Isla’s rental, shut off the engine and handed the keys to her.
“Thank you for driving.”
“No problem.Let me help you get the kids inside.”
Julian carried Theo while she had Mila and the backpack she’d brought with changes of clothes, diapers for Mila, drinks and snacks.He’d been impressed by how she was prepared with anything the kids needed.Not once in his entire life had he considered what was involved with taking children somewhere.Now he knew they required a lot of contingency items for whatever might happen.
Isla led the way to the bedroom the kids were sharing, where she removed shoes, changed Mila’s diaper, wiped their hands and faces and put them down to finish their naps.
“You’re good at that,” he said when he followed her to the kitchen after the children were settled.
“At what?”
“Giving them whatever they need when they need it.”
“That’s motherhood for you.”
He tucked a strand of silky hair behind her ear.“You make it look easy.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“I do.It’s true.You’re a wonderful mother.”
“That’s nice of you to say.And thank you again for a beautiful day.I’m not sure what this day would’ve been like if you hadn’t shown up to give me something else to think about.”
“I’m glad I could be with you.”
“I am, too.”
“Do you want me to go?”
She shook her head.“Not unless you’ve had enough of us.”
He took a step closer and put his arms around her.“This is a really tough time for you.Please tell me if you want me to leave you alone for a while.I’ll come back when you’re ready.”
She rested her hands on his chest as she gazed up at him.“I don’t want you to go anywhere.”
“I feel like I should give you some space…”
She shook her head, and with her hands on his face, she drew him into the sweetest, sexiest kiss of his life, the kind of kiss that stopped traffic and changed lives, even lives that hadn’t been looking to be changed.
“I know we’re a lot,” she whispered against his lips.“I know this isn’t what you wanted.But I have to tell you…”
“What?What do you have to tell me?”He felt like his entire life and any chance he had to be happy would come down to whatever she said next.
“I really, really want you to stay.”
“For how long?”
She smiled, and his heart expanded, making his chest tighten.“As long as you’d like to stay.”
He groaned and dropped his head to her shoulder while acknowledging that she was changing everything one sweet word and one sexy kiss at a time.
And he was allowing it.
If anyone had told him a week ago that he’d be clinging to a woman, about to beg her to give him everything, he’d have thought they were insane.
