Page 33 of An Unexpected Match

“You said after dark, but I was starting to wonder if you were coming back tonight,” she said.

She’d changed to shorts and wore a skimpy top. He couldn’t tell the color in the evening darkness, but he could see enough of her outlined by lights behind her to know it was formfitting. Swallowing hard, he climbed from the car.

“We left later than I planned. Both girls are asleep. I’ll carry them up, but no bath tonight.”

“I’ll take Avery, and you can carry Hailey,” she said, going to the back door of the sedan.

Brendan nodded. It was a sensible plan. But for a moment he remembered another time, another house, another woman. They’d returned home from visiting their friends when Hailey had been a baby. She’d been asleep and Lannie had reached in to carry her up to bed.

Arden looked nothing like Lannie, yet the scene was one of family. Parents carrying their children into their home. Closing the door to the world and keeping their family safe in their own haven.

He scowled as he climbed the stairs. Where in the world were such fanciful thoughts coming from? He wasn’t some poet. And he certainly wasn’t planning on another wife.

Arden was hired to watch his children, and that was all. When they were older, other arrangements could be made.

And three was a family. He’d make sure it was the best family the girls could ever have.

“Thanks,” he said gruffly when she tucked up Avery after removing her sandals and dusting off her feet.

“Did they have fun?” she asked, touching Avery lightly, as if reluctant to leave her.

“April had a wading pool for the kids. They have two around the same age. They played in it all afternoon.”

“I bet they loved that. We’ve played in the hose a couple of afternoons. I thought I’d take them to the beach sometime. Hailey says she can swim.”

“Ella taught her last year. Avery was too little.”

“I expect she’ll catch up soon. She loves to do what her older sister does.”

“There’s time enough.”

Brendan looked at his daughters. They were so small, so precious.

“And did you have fun today?” Arden asked.

He looked up and into her pretty blue eyes. For a moment Brendan forgot about his visit, forgot he was in his daughters’ room. All he could think of was how pretty Arden looked and how much he wanted her.

Slamming the brakes on those longings, he looked away and nodded once.

“It’s late. I don’t want to keep you up. Thanks for carrying Avery,” he said.

“No problem. Goodnight,” she said, slipping quickly from the room.

Had that been disappointment in her tone? Hurt?

“I don’t need this attraction,” he muttered as he followed, switching off the light.

Tomorrow, things would get back on an even keel. He’d be in the familiar routine of work. The girls and Arden would be back in their normal habits and this aberration would fade.

At least, he hoped so.

Chapter Eight

What did you expect?Arden asked herself as she went to the kitchen to prepare a glass of iced tea before going to her room. They weren’t friends. He didn’t have to tell her anything about his day or ask about hers.

He’d made that perfectly clear. She didn’t have to be told twice about something. From now on it was strictly by the book. Exactly like her friend Patti said he liked it.

Burning with indignation and embarrassment, she went to her room and closed the door, full of determination to make sure there'd never be a hint of the longing she felt. If he wanted just a nanny for his children, so be it.

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