lotion and finger combing her hair, she whipped the shirt over her head—and went weak-kneed. God, his smell enveloped her, was all over her—right under her nose, against her breasts, skimming down her abdomen to her thighs, brushing her pussy as she straightened and opened the bathroom door again. With every step, she felt that shirt against her skin, like he surrounded her.
No way could she sleep in this without going insane. Tyler had been potent the night he’d gotten deep inside her, and she’d reveled in his heady, masculine scent.
It was twenty times worse now because she knew exactly what she was missing.
Shoving the thought aside, she pushed out of the bathroom, made her way to the kitchen—and stopped short.
Tyler sat on a barstool with a beer in one hand, the other wrapped around Seth, now dressed in a fresh diaper and clean pajamas. He’d perched his son on his lap and was reading one of Seth’s favorites books about animals at a barnyard dance. Her baby boy was all smiles and turned to look up at Tyler with wonder, as if he recognized someone important and special.
Tears hit her eyes like a pickax. Damn, what was wrong with her tonight? She’d known that coming here and facing her past would be emotional. She’d had no idea what sort of reaction to expect from Tyler—but this was almost as sweet as her wildest dreams. On top of all the danger, adrenaline, and sleeplessness, Del felt her emotions crashing off a cliff.
Without missing a beat, Tyler finished the book and closed it, then handed Seth to her and hopped off the barstool.
“Give Mommy a hug,” he told the boy.
Seth threw his chubby little arms tightly around her neck and squeezed. Del came apart, clutching her little boy tightly against her as she tried to hold the sobs in.
Her little boy pressed a sloppy little kiss near her mouth before Tyler gently pulled Seth away and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her tight against his chest. He felt so solid and alive. His heart beat loud and strong under her ear. More of his forestlike scent surrounded her, and Del realized this was the first time she hadn’t been terrified since . . . that night.
“Let it out, angel. I’m here.”
She sobbed against him once, twice. God, how easy would it be to lean on him. And how unfair.
Stepping back with a shake of her head, she swiped away the scalding tears. “No. My problems. My cross to bear. I’d just be grateful if you’d take care of Seth for me. I’d die if anything happened to him.”
“He’s going to be fine. So are you. Deep breath.”
She drew in a shuddering breath, then let it out, already feeling better. But she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss Tyler’s warm embrace.
“Okay, it’s all ready,” a booming voice called from the archway behind her.
Del gasped and spun around, pulling her T-shirt down. She was acutely aware of the fact that, since Tyler had swiped her bag, she’d had no panties and wasn’t wearing any now. The shirt covered her ass and then some, but . . .
Deke strolled in, looking like he was suppressing a grin. “Did I interrupt something?”
“Don’t sound so hopeful, pervert.” Tyler crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator and threw Deke a beer. “Any trouble?”
“Nope. Slick as butter.”
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem.”
What the hell were they talking about?
“Can you give us a second?” Tyler asked his buddy.
“Sure.” Deke twisted the top off his beer with a beefy fist, then tossed the cap in the garbage. “I’ll plop in front of the TV. There’s a basketball game with my name on it.”
“Thanks.”
With that, Deke whipped past them and into the family room. Tyler held Seth in the cradle of one arm, biceps bulging. Del tried not to notice as she swept past him and grabbed her duffel bag off the counter with one hand, holding her T-shirt down with the other.
Tyler suppressed a smile. “Come with me.”
With a sigh, Del followed. A part of her
No way could she sleep in this without going insane. Tyler had been potent the night he’d gotten deep inside her, and she’d reveled in his heady, masculine scent.
It was twenty times worse now because she knew exactly what she was missing.
Shoving the thought aside, she pushed out of the bathroom, made her way to the kitchen—and stopped short.
Tyler sat on a barstool with a beer in one hand, the other wrapped around Seth, now dressed in a fresh diaper and clean pajamas. He’d perched his son on his lap and was reading one of Seth’s favorites books about animals at a barnyard dance. Her baby boy was all smiles and turned to look up at Tyler with wonder, as if he recognized someone important and special.
Tears hit her eyes like a pickax. Damn, what was wrong with her tonight? She’d known that coming here and facing her past would be emotional. She’d had no idea what sort of reaction to expect from Tyler—but this was almost as sweet as her wildest dreams. On top of all the danger, adrenaline, and sleeplessness, Del felt her emotions crashing off a cliff.
Without missing a beat, Tyler finished the book and closed it, then handed Seth to her and hopped off the barstool.
“Give Mommy a hug,” he told the boy.
Seth threw his chubby little arms tightly around her neck and squeezed. Del came apart, clutching her little boy tightly against her as she tried to hold the sobs in.
Her little boy pressed a sloppy little kiss near her mouth before Tyler gently pulled Seth away and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her tight against his chest. He felt so solid and alive. His heart beat loud and strong under her ear. More of his forestlike scent surrounded her, and Del realized this was the first time she hadn’t been terrified since . . . that night.
“Let it out, angel. I’m here.”
She sobbed against him once, twice. God, how easy would it be to lean on him. And how unfair.
Stepping back with a shake of her head, she swiped away the scalding tears. “No. My problems. My cross to bear. I’d just be grateful if you’d take care of Seth for me. I’d die if anything happened to him.”
“He’s going to be fine. So are you. Deep breath.”
She drew in a shuddering breath, then let it out, already feeling better. But she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss Tyler’s warm embrace.
“Okay, it’s all ready,” a booming voice called from the archway behind her.
Del gasped and spun around, pulling her T-shirt down. She was acutely aware of the fact that, since Tyler had swiped her bag, she’d had no panties and wasn’t wearing any now. The shirt covered her ass and then some, but . . .
Deke strolled in, looking like he was suppressing a grin. “Did I interrupt something?”
“Don’t sound so hopeful, pervert.” Tyler crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator and threw Deke a beer. “Any trouble?”
“Nope. Slick as butter.”
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem.”
What the hell were they talking about?
“Can you give us a second?” Tyler asked his buddy.
“Sure.” Deke twisted the top off his beer with a beefy fist, then tossed the cap in the garbage. “I’ll plop in front of the TV. There’s a basketball game with my name on it.”
“Thanks.”
With that, Deke whipped past them and into the family room. Tyler held Seth in the cradle of one arm, biceps bulging. Del tried not to notice as she swept past him and grabbed her duffel bag off the counter with one hand, holding her T-shirt down with the other.
Tyler suppressed a smile. “Come with me.”
With a sigh, Del followed. A part of her
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