“I’m so sorry, Liliana. Your momma had it coming.”
When my eyes met Saryn’s, our gazes locked for a few brief moments. A flush slowly crept up her neck, then filled her cheeks. I wanted to know what in the hell she was thinking that made her blush like that. And what I could do to make it happen again. I couldn’t help but wonder if she remembered that day on her front porch. The day she told me she was dating Tim.
“You’re blushing,” I said.
Her hands went to her cheeks. “I’m hot, that’s all.”
I smiled and she rewarded me with another stomach-dropping grin. I felt like I’d just been dropped out of the sky and was free falling. I hadn’t felt like this in years.
Maybe I just didn’t want to admit that the last time I felt this way was when Saryn came to Boerne for a visit a few years ago. Just the sight of her had made me weak in the knees. I’d hated that she belonged to another man.
The need to touch her swept over me so fiercely I had to force myself to look away and then clear my throat. I felt like I was that awkward boy in middle school who was afraid his voice would pitch up the moment he talked to the girl he liked.
“So, since you’re here and holding ice on my ankle, let’s talk about the inside of Liliana’s playhouse.”
Her tongue came out quickly and wet her and I had to fight to keep myself in check. Jesus, this woman was going to drive me insane. In that moment, Liliana crawled up onto the loveseat and sat right next to me. All thoughts of playtime with her mommy vanished. She took my arm and with her free hand, pointed to my ankle.
“Ouchy. S’okay, Momma make it better.”
I stared at the little girl with the striking blue eyes as she gazed up at me with a smile so innocent I was left speechless. No woman had ever won my heart before, and Liliana could now claim to have taken it straight from me without so much as a blink of her eyes.
Dear God, I am in so much trouble.
Saryn
MY HEART RACED in my chest as I watched my daughter stare up at Truitt like he was her Prince Charming. I knew how she felt. The moment I had walked into his office and seen him standing there, dressed in nothing but his boxer briefs, my knees had nearly buckled out from under me.
This Truitt was so different from the one I had known when we were younger. I’d seen him play football, watched him run around the track on Saturday mornings, and stole glances of him at parties. He’d been the hot cowboy every girl in high school wanted, and it seemed things hadn’t changed. The few nurses I had spoke with after he left the ER had commented on how Truitt was the one cowboy in town every single woman wanted to snag. He had the looks. He had the money, and from what I could tell, he had the charm. He’d always been charming, though. Even to me, one of his best friend’s annoying little sister.
Truitt cleared his throat and looked from Liliana to me. “It already feels better.”
Good Lord, why was his gaze so hot? Why was my lower stomach pulling with want?
Nope. No. Forget it. Not happening. Get it out of your head right now, Saryn.
“Liliana, tell me some of your favorite things to do,” Truitt said, focusing back on her. I pulled my gaze from him and put it back on Liliana.
“Dwess up.”
“Dress up, okay, like princess-type dress up?”
She nodded.
“What else?”
“Wead.”
He looked at me. “Read?”
“Yes, she loves reading.”
“Okay, so maybe a little reading nook.”
My heart stuttered. Was he really attempting to find out what interested my three-year-old daughter by asking her? Why was that so refreshing? Her own father could not have cared less most of the time.
“What else do you like?”
She smiled. “Twirling!”
Truitt looked amused as he turned his attention to me. “Define that one, Mom.”
I laughed. “She’s in dance, and ballet is one of her favorites. And tap.”
“Well, who wouldn’t love tap.”
“Right?” I said, feeling my cheeks ache. I realized I was smiling like a silly fool.
“Do you like to look at the stars, Liliana?”
She nodded.
“What’s your favorite color, pink?”
Liliana scrunched up her nose and shook her head. “Gwoss.”
“Gross?” Truitt gasped. “What color do you like, then?”
“Lellow!” Liliana declared.
Truitt rubbed at his chin and reflected on her answer. “Yellow. That’s a fine color, I think I can work with that.”
When he swung his gaze over to me, I couldn’t keep myself from looking at his lips. Why my attention focused there was beyond me. I quickly corrected myself and sat up a bit straighter. “Do you do all of your research like this?”