“Oh, wow,” Hix said, sliding his hands down her arms. His eyes danced with so much love, it made Everly’s stomach clench. “Baby, you look like an angel.”
She’d never given it much thought, but seeing him on his knee before his daughter, every ounce of focus dedicated to Bella and only Bella, Everly knew this was exactly how a child’s life was meant to be—filled with pure love and never-ending awe.
She just had to find a way to convince Roman and Gianna of that. She refused to consider what she’d have to do if she couldn’t. If they ordered her to go ahead with the mission as planned.
Bella spun in a circle, grinning. Her champagne tulle skirt billowed out, and the sequins on the pinkish-gold bodice sparkled.
Hix laughed, resting his forearm on his thigh as he soaked in the sight of her. Everly was wondering what it must feel like to be Bella right now—basking in a loving father’s admiration. He wore a black suit with a crisp white button-down. His dark hair was still damp from the shower, but he hadn’t shaved, leaving his jaw the slightest bit rough. Everly’s body responded with the same yearning she’d experienced when he’d held her against him in the plane hours before.
Everly could tease a good game. This certainly wasn’t her first time playing the distraction in an undercover op. The difference here was that she wanted to sleep with her mark. She’d been lucky to have numerous buffers to keep her from having to make good on her flirtation. And she wanted this charade to end before she had to make that fateful decision.
If she slept with Hix, she wanted it to be out of attraction, not duty.
Bella skipped to Everly and took her hand. “I pick Everyee’s dress, Daddy.”
Hix pried his gaze away from Bella and looked at Everly as if he’d just remembered she was there. He pushed to his feet in a slow, fluid move. And the look on his face gave Everly a glimpse into Bella’s world. He was just as taken, just as impressed as he’d been with Bella. Only there was an edge of something more there too. Something smoldering and hungry.
“Oh, Bella, baby, you did an amazing job.” He thumped an open hand against his chest as he met Everly’s gaze. “You are…stunning.”
The joy swimming inside her made Everly feel oddly juvenile. And vulnerable. Both intensely uncomfortable emotions, but ones that didn’t feel quite so dangerous with Hix.
Bella ran out the door and through the house, the tap of her sparkling Mary Janes echoing off the marble. Hix approached with his gaze sweeping her in a way that made her feel wildly feminine from the tips of her manicured toes to the roots of her coifed hair. When he came within reach, she slid her hands down the lapels of his jacket while keeping him at arm’s length. Tonight was going to be hard enough without their wicked attraction blurring the lines.
“Don’t you clean up nice?” She ran a thumb across his jaw. “I like the scruff. Takes the edge off all this polish.”
He wasn’t listening. His mind was somewhere far, far away. By the heated look in his eyes, that somewhere involved naked bodies and lots of action. He slid his hands up and down her arms, warming her skin. “Jesus Christ,” he murmured. “It’s going to take all my brain power not to trip over my explanation of proprioceptors, exteroception, and interoception tonight.”
Everly laughed. “Already lost me, handsome.”
“Fancy way to understand eye-to-hand coordination. Makes me sound smarter than I am.”
His gaze finally returned to her eyes, and the hunger there was so obvious, a spark of fear sizzled across her ribs. If Roman or Gianna saw that look, they’d think she’d slept with him. Gianna would think she was compromised and demand she be pulled from the operation. And if that happened, there was no telling what would become of Hix and Bella.
“Do you think anyone would believe food poisoning?”
His question came from so far out in left field, Everly frowned with a shake of her head. “What?”
He lifted a hand to her face, his thumb sliding over her cheek. “Food poisoning,” he repeated, “as an excuse to stay home with you.”
She covered his hand, reminding him, “And Bella.”
A pained smile crossed his face before he closed his eyes and laughed. “Right. Bella.”
“Tonight, you should probably pretend I’m not there, you know?” she said. “I wouldn’t want anyone jumping to conclusions that could reflect poorly on you or Bella.”
“I don’t give a shit what anyone—”
She pressed her fingers to his lips, smiling. “Hix, please.”
He pulled her hand away. “Only if you’ll stop calling me Hix, like one of the guys.”
She bit the inside of her lip, reminding herself to watch for those ingrained patterns that could expose the truth of how she’d spent the last decade of her life, with a band of brawny, brawling, badass brothers. But it only took one look at the heat in Hix’s eyes for an overwhelming sensation of femininity to wash over her. “Deal.”
He took one last sweeping look, his hands sliding down her arms. “Man.” He groaned and shook his head hard, like he was clearing it. Then took her hand. “Ready to do this?”
She nodded, and he turned toward the door, then turned back. “You’ll need your phone. I want to stay in contact.”
Just like that, his tactical side flipped on.