Page 68 of At the Edge of Surrender

I wasn’t sure if I was more in shock from the temperature of the water or the fact that Kane was playing with me like we were old friends. Like he was actually someone I’d wanted Maci to meet because he was important to me, when the only significance he should hold was the fact that he had fathered my niece.

He definitely shouldn’t be coaxing me into the water or making attraction flare in my belly. Attraction that left a puddle of nausea in its aftermath.

Because I couldn’t.

Icouldn’t.

“What in the world do you think you’re doing?” I rasped.

A smug smile played all over his face.

Dangerous.

Distracting.

“Showing you that you don’t want to miss out on all the fun.”

“That’s right, Auntie! Don’t miss out on the fun because fun’s our bestest specialty! Get her, Mr. Kane!”

“Don’t you dare.” I pushed my hands out in front of me like it would deter him.

Only that grin grew.

Wicked and wild.

Then he was charging for me. Maci giggled out of control as they came my way.

I turned and ran, splashing along the edge of the water as they chased after me.

I wasn’t prepared for a stream of water to hit me from behind, the bulk of it hitting my upper left thigh.

Without rational thought, I swiveled around and scooped up as much water as I could cup in both hands and tossed it toward them.

Kane was fast.

Dodging it as he spun them out of the way.

“Too slow, Auntie! I bet you can’t even catch us!” Glee filled Maci’s adorable face, the sweet sight of it filling me full.

And for a minute, I decided to let go of the reservations that weighed me down because this might be the only memory she had of her father, and maybe when she came to me when she was older and asked me about him, I’d be able to remind her of this.

The day we played in the freezing cold water beneath the warm rays of the new summer sun in this tiny town in Northern California.

Remind her of the way Kane had treated her. The way he’d held her in his arms as we ran and chased and splashed.

The way he’d laughed and teased. The way he was tender, his care so at odds with the viciousness that was scrawled across his flesh.

The way he’d looked at her.

I only wished that one day I might be able to forget the way he’d looked at me.

“Watermelon is my most very favorite,” Maci garbled from around the giant piece of it that she had stuffed in her mouth.

We were eating lunch at the same picnic table Kane had been sitting on when we’d arrived, the rays of sun streaming through the leaves warming our chilled flesh.

Maci was on her knees between me and Mom, and Kane was sitting directly across from her.

It might have been awkward if it weren’t for the fact that he and Maci had pretty much been talking incessantly. Undoubtedly, he was soaking up every detail and fact he could about her.

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