Page 24 of Forever Your Touch

“So, Jo, Mason says you’re Keith’s sister?”

Viktor’s question pulled her attention from Mason. He and Mason looked enough alike it was obvious they were brothers, but not twin-ish. Her older sisters looked so much alike it was hard to tell them apart sometimes.

“Yeah. I’m the youngest of us all.” The baby smacked at the bottle in her hand, and she smiled down at Riley. He was such a sweetheart.

“How many siblings do you have?” Sara asked, her eyes going round.

Curious, Jo turned her head to see Delia struggling to twist the curlers in Mason’s hair. She was chuckling to herself, and Mason couldn’t stop cringing with every pull of his hair.

It was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen. Here was a grown man sitting down and letting his niece doll him up. Even her brother wouldn’t let his nieces do this to him. Mason was an incredibly sweet man.

“Jo?”

“Huh?” She dragged her eyes away from them at Sara’s prompting.

“How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

“Oh…uh, three older sisters and Keith.”

Sara grinned, a knowing expression in her eyes when Jo kept glancing back at Mason and Delia.

“So, a big family, then?” Viktor asked, taking Ronin from Sara. He cuddled the baby close, kissing him softly on the forehead.

“Yeah, it was always noisy in our house growing up because of all the friends who came over. I actually miss all the noise.”

“And your boyfriend, does he have a big family?” Sara started picking up toys and putting them in a small toy chest tucked in a corner beside the fireplace.

“No. He has one sister who has a little boy and a little girl. Aside from his parents, that’s the only family he has.”

“No cousins?” Sara frowned at a stain on her white rug.

“No, his parents didn’t have any brothers and sisters. Both sets of grandparents have passed.”

“Well, at least he has you now.” Sara wasn’t watching Jo when she said that, but Mason. Jo followed her gaze to see Mason’s jaw clenched. She wasn’t sure if it was from Delia pulling his hair out by the roots or from what Sara said. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, thinking it might be from what Sara said.

No, Jo, you are not going there. You love Ray.

“He does.” Jo put the bottle down and shifted the baby over her shoulder so she could burp him.

The doorbell rang, and Sara waved her husband back down. “It’s the pizza. I’ll get it. Why don’t you and Jo put the boys in the Pack ‘n Play while we eat?”

Viktor nodded and walked over to the Pack ‘n Play set up beside the fireplace. They were using it as a makeshift bassinet at the moment. When the twins got older, it would turn into a playpen. Once she got Riley to burp, she laid him down beside his brother. They were identical. If Sara hadn’t dressed them in different outfits, she’d never know which one was which.

“Malyshka, you’ll have to do Mason’s makeup after we eat.” Viktor chuckled when Mason shot him a grateful look.

“Pepperoni?” the little girl asked, her eyes skating over Jo and then away quickly.

“Maybe.” Viktor reached out his hand, and his daughter latched on, allowing her father to lead her into the kitchen.

“Sooo…” Jo grinned at Mason, who sat on the floor with a pinched, resigned expression. “You play makeover a lot, I take it.”

“Every time I’m here.” He took her outstretched hand and let her pull him up. “It makes her happy.”

“She adores you.”

“She’s my girl.” Mason hooked his arm through hers, and they started walking toward the kitchen where they could hear Delia telling her parents she wanted chocolate milk.

“Is everything okay?” She looked up at him. He was so much taller than she was. “You seem sad.”

---