“Excuse me. Quinn?” a masculine voice said.
She turned to see Ian Dare standing at her desk. As his football team was located in Miami, Ian had been a frequent visitor to Dare Nation since Quinn began working there. More often since he and Austin had been pronounced family.
“Hello, Mr. Dare.”
“I told you to call me Ian.” He looked at her and his eyes opened wide. “What the hell are you doing with a baby?” Ian Dare was known for being blunt, often to a fault, but he had been around her often enough to know that she hadn’t been pregnant and the baby wasn’t hers.
“Umm…” She and Austin hadn’t discussed how she should handle questions. Ian was his first appointment of the day, and Quinn had a feeling a part of him was still in denial.
On the way to work, she’d offered to start looking into nanny agencies and set up appointments with potential candidates and he’d agreed. So she’d begun researching agencies and would discuss possibilities with him tonight, but for now…
“She’s mine. Maybe.” Austin stepped out of his office and strode over to Ian. “Good to see you,” he said, extending his hand.
Ian shook it, but his expression was still one of utter shock. “I assume you’ll explain.”
Austin nodded. “How’s Jenny doing?” His gaze settled on Quinn, warming her from the inside out.
“She’s good.” Quinn smiled and his stare lowered to her lips.
She swallowed hard and forced herself to focus on both men instead of being obvious in her desire for Austin.
Now that she knew the men were cousins, the similarities were unmistakable. The dark hair, same indigo eyes. Ian was more staid and uptight than Austin, his hair well cut while Austin’s was longer, sexier. While Ian wore a suit and tie, Austin presented a more relaxed but no less potent version of utter masculinity in a pair of well-tailored black slacks and a light blue button-down shirt, sleeves folded up neatly. And where Ian had shaved this morning, Austin had a sexy scruff she often wondered about. How would that light beard feel rubbing against her thighs as he went down on her?
She cleared her throat. “Can I get either of you water, coffee, or anything?” Her gaze encompassed both men, and she hoped the warmth she felt on her cheeks wasn’t obvious.
“No, thank you,” Ian said.
“I’m good.” Austin smiled at her, and the sinful grin didn’t help alleviate the ache her dirty thoughts had caused. “Quinn, hold my calls please,” he said, gesturing for Ian to head into his office.
Knowing he wanted to discuss his brother’s final year under contract with Ian, she nodded. “Will do.”
Ian headed into the office, and instead of following him, Austin walked over to her, sidling up close. His warm scented cologne sent her senses into overdrive. “How are you really doing?” he asked her.
She swallowed hard. “I’m okay. She’s fast asleep and a good baby.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of Jenny’s head, his hair brushing against Quinn’s cheek, causing a further spike of arousal she didn’t need.
That was the sweetest thing she’d ever seen and definitely worked on softening her heart toward this always enigmatic man. Danger surrounded her at every turn, and her emotions and heart were in the most jeopardy.
* * *
Whenever Austin found himself in the presence of one of the Dares, they always made him feel welcome. Like family. Ian wasn’t an exception. In fact, he’d been the first to reach out after Paul broke the news about being their biological father. And despite their new familial status, Austin and Ian still managed to negotiate like business owners, without personal feelings getting involved.
Austin lowered himself into the chair behind his desk and met Ian’s gaze, noting the questions clearly etched on his cousin’s face.
“Well? Are you going to explain the infant dangling from your assistant’s chest?” Ian asked in the wake of the silence surrounding them.
“I found her on my doorstep Friday night.” Austin shifted in his seat. This was the first time other than his immediate family that he’d had to explain Jenny’s presence. It wouldn’t be the last, either.
“No shit?” Ian asked.
“Nope.”
“And you think she’s yours?” Ian asked.
Scrubbing a hand over his face, Austin groaned. “The note left with her says she’s mine. Based on how old we think she is, the timing seems to work, but of course I’m having a DNA test run. My lawyer said he’d have someone stop by tomorrow to swab us and handle getting the results.” He hadn’t let himself deal with what he’d do in either case.
“And how’s it going with the baby?” Ian astutely asked.
Austin frowned. “She takes one look at me and screams like I’m an ax murderer.” But she really was adorable with those big blue eyes and chubby cheeks.
His cousin chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Babies take getting used to. I should know. I’ve had three. Rainey is five going on eighteen, Jack is two, and baby Gracie is almost a year old,” he said, his voice softening at the mention of his children. “But they’re the best and you should enjoy it while she’s young. Assuming she’s yours.”