Page 27 of Dangerous Love

“Play Wiggles,” he mumbled with the digit thrusting between his lips.

Riley glanced towards me, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks. “Buddy, I can’t play ‘Hot Potato’ in front of my lady friend. She’ll think I’m a big baby.”

Lady friend?Warmth choked me as my brain took a screenshot of the scene like it wanted to remember it forever.

“Wiggles.”

Lizzie crawled closer to them until she was sitting cross-legged on the floor by Riley’s feet. “‘Baby Shark’ then.”

Riley rolled his eyes as he surrendered to his fate. “All right, Si. Get ready to watch me play the best song ever.”

Both kids squealed when Riley’s fingers pinched the strings in an exaggerated funky tempo. The beat sped up as he played energetic chords, his eyes widening as he waited for the two kids to catch up to him. Right as his mouth opened, his fingers stopped abruptly and he clapped on the sound hole, and the three of them began singing lyrics that had them in stitches. “Baby shark, shark, shark, shark… Baby shark, shark, shark…”

Lizzie screeched her part as Riley played the chords and Scotty clapped hard. “Mummy shark, shark, shark… Mummy shark, shark, shark…”

Like they’d rehearsed this song forever, Scotty piped up about Daddy shark, and they kept going until they ran out of stamina. Giggles died down as Scotty collapsed on Riley’s chest, and Riley put his guitar on the floor when the baby’s soft snoring resonated in the room.

“Can I play on your iPad?” Lizzie didn’t wait for him to answer. Instead, she toddled to his desk, settled behind the high-back chair, and got lost in whatever played on the screen.

I exhaled an emotional breath and dragged my chair closer to the boys. Riley’s broad chest looked massive against the three-year-old. He placed an arm under his nappy while the other one rested on the side of the chair. “Stop staring like you want to eat me.” He chuckled. Then he lifted his hand until mine settled under his.

“I do want to eat you,” I whispered, my eyes lost in the beauty of the man. Riley was eye candy. He was smart, caring, and everything a girl could ever dream of. But in that moment, as he cradled the toddler against his chest, a protective instinct oozing from every one of his pores, I knew Riley was also the only man I’d ever want to havethiswith.

CHAPTER14

Riley

My computer chimed as Windows loaded on my screen. I glanced at the day on my calendar, feeling slight pressure building realising I was two days late for the events’ planner for my kids from Youth Legacy. With all the Sienna adventures, I’d neglected my actual job. Though I imagined no one would hold it against me, as it was Avery who’d insisted I got her out of her funk.

She was out all right, but so was I. Fighting how much I wanted her was becoming harder every day, and at this rate, I’d have to come clean with her brother about having screwed up his very specific instructions.

“…you have professional skills that will mitigate any boundary issues.”

I sighed and focused on the activities’ list, in order to match each item to my allocated budget. An hour went by, and proud of my work, I leaned back on my chair, excited about this term’s planning. The boys and I would have a blast.

A small knock startled me, but before I had time to speak, Jarryd stepped inside my lair. His face was pale, and he looked like he’d aged ten years since I’d seen him with Seth yesterday. Considering how my brother had responded to the new meds, Jarryd’s face contrasted with the positive outlook that had suddenly arisen.

I jumped to my feet. “Hey. What’s up?”

Jarryd took a step, his jaw tight. But it wasn’t until I noticed Sienna right behind him, her eyes red, that my stomach cramped. I fell back on my seat as Jarryd sat on the chair across from me. He looked at me like a surgeon would look at a patient after his surgery went bust. Sienna’s hand touched my shoulder, and I jerked my head towards her, my heart thumping in my chest like a tsunami crashing through a thousand buildings. When a tear fell on her cheek, I froze, my sixth sense paralysing me into cold concrete.

“What is it?” I murmured, my eyes grazing over the two of them. “Is it April?” My throat clenched, the heaviness threatening to crush my windpipe.Oh god. It’s even worse…“The kids?” My voice thinned.

Jarryd leaned forward until his elbows touched his knees. His tone was odd. Poised.Professional. Definitely not the way he’d been with me for the last decade. “When patients start a new treatment, and they improve fast—”

“Are you talking about Seth?” As soon as my mind visualised my brother’s progress, my shoulders dropped and my mind relaxed with the knowledge that Seth had finally got up for the first time in months. Just a couple of days ago, in fact. “I’m so grateful, Jar. He spoke to me and Trey yesterday.”

There has to be something better out there, little brother.Though his message had been somewhat cryptic, my brother waking up from a three-month depressive coma was still worth celebrating.

“Riley,” Sienna murmured. “Jarryd needs to tell you something.”

“Okay?” I said, my body fighting the confusion drilling through to my gut. “Tell me then.”

“When patients get out of a major depressive episode, there’s a risky period before they’re fully recovered. Because of the trauma he endured, Seth was more susceptible than other patients.”

A thick cloud fogged my brain. “What do you meanwas? He’s getting better. He’s gonna get even better, you watch.”

Sienna’s hand squeezed my shoulder tighter.

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