“Well, I’m certain I would have been able to handle declining his offer of a date. I don’t rob the cradle,” she said to him as she faced him.
Valentina was completely caught off guard as Beck reached out and cupped her cheek, using his thumb to trace her lower lip. “Sometimes robbing the cradle is real tempting when it comes to a beautiful woman like you.” He winked and she couldn’t even breathe. They stared at one another and she thought perhaps he shocked himself by saying that to her. Especially since he had to be a good eight years older than her, or more.
She chuckled nervously.
“Good one,” she said and pulled to the right.
“So, are you interested in both of those items?” the older woman asked and then looked at Beck and smiled.
“Yes, ma’am, and how much is that small basketball hoop and ball, plus the football, too?” Valentina asked, and Beck smiled.
“You may owe me more than just some baked goods, darling,” he teased and she laughed and shook her head at his flirtatious words.
* * * *
Beck pulled out his cell phone to call his brother Sparrow as he drove his pickup truck to the cottage. He couldn’t believe what he was feeling right now or how much he’d flirted with their new tenant. Valentina was gorgeous, her blue eyes stunning, her personality, when not completely on-guard, was appealing. Hell, she’d even gotten him to talk a bunch, too.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Sparrow, I’m going to be a bit late. I got sidetracked,” he told his brother as he pulled down the road.
“I’m still here at the house. Jace and Ridge were pulling out those dead hedges on the side of the house.”
“Well, I can help with that after. I’m making a delivery for Valentina.”
“Say that again?” he asked, and Beck laughed. “You’ll see,” he said and then disconnected the call. As he pulled his pickup truck behind Valentina’s car, he saw the front door was open and her sister was standing there, holding her sweater tightly against her body. The little boy, Kenny, was clinging to her leg. His gut clenched and he couldn’t help but wonder—what the hell happened to them in New York? What was the traumatic event that made them both look so scared, that made Valentina on guard?
“Hey.”
He looked up to the left as he got out of the truck and saw his cousin Evan and his brother Ridge. “What’s going on?” he asked them as Valentina spoke to her sister, who looked none too happy about all these men near the cottage.
“Have you met Valentina, her sister, and nephew yet?” he asked as Valentina walked over, carrying the very timid-looking child.
“No, we haven’t,” Evan said, and Beck watched his cousin take in the sight of Valentina and the kid.
“Howdy, ma’am. I’m Evan Brazos, Beck’s cousin,” he said, introducing himself immediately.
“Nice to meet you, Evan. So you live next door with your brothers, right?” she asked him.
“Yes, ma’am. So if you need anything at all you just holler and I’ll be right on over,” Evan said and winked.
She chuckled and Beck gave him a smack to his belly.
“You’re such a moron. We’re her landlords. I think if she needs anything, she’ll come to us first,” he said and then raised his eyebrows up at his cousin, who immediately got his drift. He smiled. “Oh. I see,” he said, and Valentina walked past them and to the back of the truck, hopefully not picking up on his public proclamation. If any man was going to stake a claim on Valentina, it was going to be him. That thought made Beck look to where his brothers were working in the yard.
* * * *
Evan spotted the other woman standing on the front porch holding a sweater tightly against her thin frame. She looked sad and a bit scared at their presence as she kept her eyes on the kid and Valentina.
“Hi.” He waved to her. She widened her eyes and just stared.
“Evan,” Beck called to him and shook his head at him. Evan wondered what was up with the other young woman in the doorway.
“See how cool this stuff is? I got it all for you. We can play basketball, throw around a football, or you can ride that bike or climb in the jungle gym,” Valentina told the little boy.
“Thank, thank you, thank you, Aunt Val,” the kid exclaimed and hugged her neck.
Evan saw Valentina’s eyes brighten and fill with tears as she hugged the boy. A glance at Beck and he saw his cousin smiling and wondered what was up with that.