Page 48 of Ace of Spades
“Her real name’s Charlene, but we all call her Charlie.”
“Do you have a picture of her?” Bri asked, moving out from behind Taylor.
Taylor stepped away, letting her girls quiz the man squatting in front of them. She’d been worried about sending them off with strangers, men they didn’t know. Except for Annie, they were like cats. If it hadn’t happened at least three times before, they didn’t like anything new and unexpected. It seemed like that wasn’t going to be a problem where Ryan was concerned. She hoped it would be the same with Jamie Turner.
“Have you told them yet that they’re going away?” Nate quietly asked, moving next to her. The first thing to hit her was the heat from his body, the second his scent. He smelled like soap and spices. She wanted to lick him. She already knew how delicious he tasted, but their one time together had done nothing more than leave her wanting a repeat. Lots of repeats.
“No. I haven’t had a chance. I’m hoping they’ll be excited about spending a few days at the beach with no school.” His gaze was on the girls, and that he cared for them was obvious by the way his eyes turned soft when he looked at them. She loved that about him. Not that she had a lot of experience with men, but most would probably run fast and far from a woman responsible for six kids.
“I have a friend I want you girls to meet,” Ryan said. “I’ll send him in. We call him Saint, and he’s a real nice guy.”
Ryan stood, giving her a smile as he left. The K2 men were gorgeous specimens, real easy on the eyes, but in her opinion, they didn’t come close to being as hot as Nate. Right now, though, she’d give up any hope of being with him again in return for having her friend back. She missed the easy rapport they’d had with each other, hated that she was carefully measuring her words around him.
“Does his friend have green eyes, too?” June said.
Taylor knelt, pulling her girls close. “No, sweetie. Saint has blue eyes, but they’re just as pretty. Listen up. All of you and Rosie are goingon vacation to the beach. You’re going to have so much fun playing in the sand and in the water. I bet Doc and Saint would help you build a sandcastle if you said please.”
“Are you coming with us?” Bri asked.
“I wish I could, but I have to work. Promise me you’ll be good for Rosie, but most of all, promise that you’ll have a really fun time, okay?”
Bri frowned. “But we want you to come with us.” She shyly looked up at Nate. “You could come, too.”
“I’d love to, sweetheart, but I have to work, too,” Nate said, kneeling.
Taylor didn’t miss the flash of pleasure in Nate’s eyes at Bri’s invitation. It was the first time she’d spoken directly to him, which Taylor considered a huge step for Brianna.
Saint walked in, crouching down a few feet from the girls. “Are we having a powwow?”
“What’s a powwow?” Sarrie asked.
“It’s what Native Americans call a meeting. I’m Saint, by the way. It’s very nice to meet you lovely ladies.”
Elle giggled. She tugged on Taylor’s hand. “He said we’re lovely.”
“And you are,” Saint said, smiling.
“You have pretty eyes, too,” June said. “But I like the other man’s better. I wish I had green ones.”
Saint laughed. “Doc’s eyes are pretty, but I’d rather have brown eyes like you. Yours remind me of chocolate, and I love chocolate.”
Taylor stood, stepping away to let the girls get acquainted with their protector. They’d all surprised her with how easily they’d accepted the two men. Maybe they were finally starting to feel safe, ready to start trusting again.
Nate moved next to her. “I’m kind of jealous. They’re just now starting to acknowledge my existence, yet they seem fascinated by these two strangers.”
“Well, they both do have pretty eyes.” She almost laughed at the scowl on his face.
“You’re noticing eyes now?”
Was he actually jealous? A little thrill went through her, and she couldn’t resist testing this new revelation. “How could I not? I just can’t decide which are sexier. Ryan’s green ones or Jamie’s blue ones.”
He wrapped his fingers around her arm, pulling her further away. “We have an investigation going on. You don’t have time to be noticing any dude’s eyes.”
She gave a mental high five. He was jealous. That was good intel. “What about yours? Am I allowed to notice them?”
“Always.”
