Page 68 of Guarded from Treachery

Isla stares at me, her features twisting, and I know her well enough by now to know she’s trying not to cry.

My heart sinks. “I’m sorry. It was a bad idea?—”

She sets the bear to the side and climbs onto my lap. Then she presses a kiss to my lips. “No. It wasn’t a bad idea. Not at all. This is just… it’s perfect. He’s so cute and cuddly and…” Trailing off, she swallows hard before continuing, “I’ve been thinking about it. Buying stuff. But?—”

“We can go shopping. There’s a store in Seguin. Or we can make arrangements to go someplace in San Antonio after hours. If you want to go, I’ll make it happen.”

“I didn’t want to do anything that wouldn’t be safe. And ordering online felt so… impersonal. But this? Matt, this is so special. Becauseyoubought it. And the baby will love it because it came from you. She’ll know her—” Abruptly, Isla’s mouth clamps shut. A dull pink flushes her cheeks.

“Sorry,” she adds. “I know dating is a far cry from being in the baby’s life. And I don’t want to pressure you. I don’t expect a commitment like?—”

“But I want to be in the baby’s life.” Maybe itissoon, but I’ve never been more certain. This thing with Isla isn’t casual. It’s not a quick fling that’ll be over in a month or two. Not unless that’s what Isla decides.

“You do?”

“Yes.” Lifting her onto my lap, I cup her cheek as I hold her gaze. “I want to be inyourlife. For as long as you’ll let me. And that means little Eagle, too.”

A wobbly smile appears. “You mean Dove?”

“Eagle,” I affirm. “Or Dove. It doesn’t matter to me. I’m not trying to push you. We can take this as slowly as you want. Or if it’s not what you want, that’s okay—well, it’s not okay, I’ll be really disappointed, but I’ll understand. I just want you to know I’m all in. With you and the baby.”

Small hands frame my face. Soft lips brush across mine. “But itiswhat I want, Matt. Yes, everything else that’s happened to me is crazy. But the way I feel about you isn’t.”

Hope expands inside me. “How do you feel?”

“Like you’re the man I’ve been waiting for.”

Oh.

Unexpectedly, my eyes burn.

“Isla.”

“Matt.” Her eyes darken to a deep indigo. “I’m sure about you.”

Then she does something Ireallywasn’t anticipating.

Slender fingers come to the buttons of my shirt, unfastening one, then another.

Isla turns so she’s straddling me, her skirt rising enough to offer a glimpse of gold lace beneath.

Her lips come to my neck and trail a line of kisses up to my jaw.

I go rock-hard, need throbbing insistently, my pants impossibly tight.

All the fantasies I’ve tried to ignore come racing to the forefront. Isla naked in front of me, an expanse of satiny skin on display. Kissing her all over, paying special attention to that little tattoo that I haven’t stopped thinking about since I saw it. Taking her nipples into my mouth and suckling at them, flicking and caressing, finally seeing and tasting the taut peaks I’ve only imagined, but never seen.

Are they pink? Rose-colored? A delicate cafe au lait? And how sensitive are they? Will Isla moan when I touch them like she does when we kiss? Could I make her come by that alone?

And how does she taste? Sweet? Decadent? Addictive?

The latter, for sure.

Once I make love to Isla—well,ifI make love to her—I think I’ll be ruined for anyone else.

And Iwantto be ruined. I don’t want someone else.

Any other woman would be a poor substitute for what I’ve found with Isla. I’m not sure I’d even want to try.

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