Falling for the Brother

“Bruce pays child support and half of any extra expenses.”

“That’s fine. Although he’d probably have grounds to sue you later for any monies you take from him after you find out.”

“I can open a special account for his money. Not use any of it.”

Were they really making plans as though his being Brie’s father was a real possibility?

“So, we’re agreed? If the test is positive, it stays between you and me for now?”

She nodded. Scared because she liked the idea of her and Mason being partners in something. Having no idea what she was getting into with him. No matter what the test said.

Then, without giving herself a chance to think, she stood up and said, “We’re here at the Stand. You’re a cop. Here on official business. Kids are used to police officers coming around…”

She was babbling. He was staring.

“You want me to go meet her? As a cop visiting the Stand?”

Brianna wouldn’t think anything of a police officer visiting the day care. If she talked about it, no one else would think anything of it, either.

Crippled by guilt, and driven by emotions welling up from deep inside her, she couldn’t take the words back. He had a right to know his own flesh and blood, even if she was his niece, not his daughter.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

WHAT DAMNED FOOL thing did he think he was doing? Walking beside a uniformed Harper, fighting fantasies of her wearing the uniform for him—with nothing on underneath—Mason knew he had no business going where he was going.

Even if she was his.

Brianna.

He liked the name. He’d seen pictures of the little girl on Gram’s refrigerator—and could see that she had Thomas blood in her. She was blonde like her mother, had Harper’s blue eyes, but the nose and chin were all them. It was something that always set them apart. And, in his opinion, looked great on a girl.

Until Brianna came along, Thomas men had only produced male offspring.

There was so much he wanted to say as he kept stride with Harper along the sidewalk that led from her office section around to the building that housed the day care. But he suspected that if he opened his mouth he’d say too much.

“The building actually connects from inside,” she said, breaking the silence between them. Their hands bumped as they took a step out of synch and she jerked back, stepping away from him. The feel of her touch lingered. Calmed the doubts raging through him for a long moment.

“But this way is shorter and I always take the outdoor route any chance I get,” she continued. He wanted to stop her. Didn’t.

And then they were about to enter a door that would take them to Brianna’s classroom door. He could tell because Harper was still babbling on about buildings and such.

It was so unlike Harper, he touched her shoulder and came to a halt. She looked up at him, and it was like they’d gotten naked right there on the sidewalk for all the world to see.

“Are you sure about doing this?” he asked. “I understand if you’re not. I’m not going to push, either way.”

“Do you want to see her?”

More than he wanted just about anything. But…it might kill him, too. Because he’d missed so much.

“I have a clearer understanding of what it means to open Pandora’s box,” he said, and wasn’t surprised when she nodded with understanding.

“It’s up to you,” she said.

“Of course I want to see her! I’ve wanted to see her since the minute she was born. Even if she’s not my daughter, she’s my niece. She’s a Thomas. Family.”

He’d put it out there—the words that he’d denied himself every single time he’d walked into Gram’s house and seen those pictures on the fridge. Every time he’d talked to her after a weekend visit. Bruce was family, too. Not talking to him for all those years had been wrong.

And yet, by his own action, he’d left himself no choice. He’d put Bruce in a corner. Forced his brother to protect himself.

Harper touched his arm. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

“Let’s do this,” he said, looking straight ahead as she led the way inside.

Brianna’s door was to the right. Harper peered through the small viewing window at the top, and then, without giving him a chance to change his mind, to change anything, she opened the door and walked in, leaving him to follow her as she and the teacher met halfway across the room. “This is Mason and he’s an officer,” she said, loudly enough for the kids to hear. They’d all glanced over, but as soon as they heard Harper they went back to what they were doing.