Page 23 of My Ex's Brothers

“You don’t have to hide from me, Mia.” His fingers trail down my neck, resting on my shoulder. He doesn’t move them, and neither of us move, despite Lyla cooing up a storm in the back seat. The setting sun casts him in a wondrous glow.

“I’m not hiding,” I say, much breathier than I mean to.

“Good,” he says, dropping his hand. “I just…want you to be comfortable.”

The strange vulnerability in his voice makes me relax. It’s almost as if he’s nervous too. But what would a heartbreaker like Tripp have to be nervous about?

A baby, probably.

“I am,” I tell him, and it’s the truth. “Seriously. I just…it’s been a while since I’ve been…out.”

The unspoken truth between us is enough to make him purse his lips and nod.

“How long?” he asks, heading to the back seat to open the door. I’m left, standing there, flushed with heat and a racing heart.

“Um…six months?” I head to the trunk to grab the stroller as he works on getting Lyla out.

“You mean you and Dex never went out as a family anywhere?”

His words cut me deeper than they should. “No. He was usually busy with practice, or…”

Or cheating on me, apparently.

Tripp breathes out a heavy sigh as he walks over to me, holding Lyla on his hip. She snuggles her face against his shirt, and I realize she’s getting drool all over him.

“No, no, baby,” I say as I grab her from his arms.

His expression shifts to one of concern. “What?”

“We don’t slobber all over people,” I tease her. “Just Mommy.”

Tripp laughs as he pops the stroller open like a natural. “I’m not afraid of a little spit,” he says with a wink. “Mommy can drool on me too, if she wants.”

The heat that floods my face must turn my cheeks six shades of tomato red. Tripp laughs and it’s deep. “Aww man, you’re too easy.”

It’s my turn to laugh as I settle Lyla in the stroller. “You are an ass,” I say through my laughter.

“Sure, that’s what all the hot moms say,” he teases me, and I shake my head.

“You are ridiculous.” I push the stroller as he shuts the trunk.

The rest of the night goes exactly like that. Tripp does not shy away from flirtatious comments, or from engaging Lyla in fits of laughter. I watch with awe as he bounces her, as they both watch the mermaid in the aquarium swimming with her giant, sparkly tail.

She’s enthralled by the entertainment, but I can’t take my eyes off of him. The way the blue water reflects off of him, his backward cap and the curve of his ass in his ripped jeans.

And that’s the moment he catches me. He turns, his genuine smile shifting to something so much darker.

Sexier.

He doesn’t say anything, just turns back to Lyla, helping her place her tiny palm on the glass against the mermaid’s.

After the show, when Lyla has passed out from all the excitement, he settles her into the stroller.

We walk through the winding paths, past several booths of flashing novelty toys until we find our way back to the car.

“I think it’s safe to say she’s going to get a good night’s sleep tonight,” I say as I pick her up lightly, bouncing her while he opens the back door.

“What about you?” he asks as I fasten her in. I’m still surprised how well her car seat fits in here, to be honest.

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