be back in a few minutes.”
She nodded. He stepped closer, as if to lean in to kiss her. It would be a normal thing for a husband and wife to do. Then, he pulled back, apparently just realizing what he was doing. He shook his head and headed down the stairs.
It was just like that moment earlier. She knew if Bridget had not interrupted them, he would have kissed her. Alicia had seen it in his eyes, the need he had for her…and the intent.
And she had wanted him to do it. Wanted to be touched.
Alicia closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. She looked down at her daughter.
“We better get you cleaned up before he gets back.”
Bridget nodded and ran into the bathroom. Daydreaming about Devon wasn’t going to help her solve her problems.
She had proven that once before, and the lesson had been one of the hardest in her life.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Devon returned in less than an hour. He was happy that Ali hadn’t fought him that much this time about staying behind. He knew she hadn’t even thought of going with him. She wouldn’t put Bridget in danger and, right now, that was her primary concern. It wouldn’t last of course. She just wasn’t a woman who could be tied down.
Worse, he had to keep putting off the long talk he felt both of them knew they needed to have. It lingered in the back of his mind, a constant irritation that he couldn’t discuss with her yet. Too much was going on right now, and the safety of their daughter was just as important to him. The other factor was Bridget. Alarming her with a discussion of her parentage wouldn’t be smart. It also wouldn’t give him any traction with Ali. Still, Devon needed answers. Lots of them. After the rush to get back to Hawaii, things were settling down. Their protection was important, but his mind was capable of seeing past the danger now. It was time for explanations.
Bridget and Ali joined him as he cooked the hotdogs he’d bought. It wasn’t the most nutritious meal, but he didn’t know what to buy. He had walked into the grocery store and almost had a panic attack. He didn’t know what girls her age ate. Worse, he worried he would pick something she hated and he would be judged by a four-year-old. Because, a bad ass computer expert was tied in knots over a little girl.
Pathetic.
“Hey, Devon,” Bridget said, as she walked over to the table.
She was dressed in a Frozen nightgown and her hair had been brushed back from her face. She was so damned cute and precious. Devon had to resist the urge to brush his hand over the top of her head. Instead, he grabbed Hawaiian macaroni salad and some cut up fruit.
“I hope you like hot dogs,” he said.
“I do. Mummy doesn’t let me have them often.”
He glanced up at Ali. “Considering the circumstances, I think we can indulge for one night.
As they sat down, he saw Ali survey the area. In truth, he was pretty sure she didn’t even realize she was doing it. It was part of her training, probably from an early age—considering what her father did for a living. It was as second nature to her as breathing was for a normal person.
He stifled a sigh. He hated seeing her that way. There was a fine edge to her nerves and he knew she was stressed. She never let on to Bridget, though. As they sat and ate, she joked with her daughter and talked of plans for Hawaii.
Every now and then, he could pick up on her tension. A glance at her daughter, a sharp look when she heard a strange noise…she didn’t miss anything. Neither did Devon.
“I think it’s time to head to bed, poppet,” she said.
Bridget frowned. “I’m not tired.”
Then, she defeated her own argument by yawning.
“Let’s go, Bridget. We’ll have lots of fun tomorrow swimming. You need your rest though. What do you say to Devon for dinner?”
Bridget gave him a sweet, sleepy smile and his heart turned over. How this little slip of a girl could undo him so easily was beyond him. Right now, though, he
She nodded. He stepped closer, as if to lean in to kiss her. It would be a normal thing for a husband and wife to do. Then, he pulled back, apparently just realizing what he was doing. He shook his head and headed down the stairs.
It was just like that moment earlier. She knew if Bridget had not interrupted them, he would have kissed her. Alicia had seen it in his eyes, the need he had for her…and the intent.
And she had wanted him to do it. Wanted to be touched.
Alicia closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. She looked down at her daughter.
“We better get you cleaned up before he gets back.”
Bridget nodded and ran into the bathroom. Daydreaming about Devon wasn’t going to help her solve her problems.
She had proven that once before, and the lesson had been one of the hardest in her life.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Devon returned in less than an hour. He was happy that Ali hadn’t fought him that much this time about staying behind. He knew she hadn’t even thought of going with him. She wouldn’t put Bridget in danger and, right now, that was her primary concern. It wouldn’t last of course. She just wasn’t a woman who could be tied down.
Worse, he had to keep putting off the long talk he felt both of them knew they needed to have. It lingered in the back of his mind, a constant irritation that he couldn’t discuss with her yet. Too much was going on right now, and the safety of their daughter was just as important to him. The other factor was Bridget. Alarming her with a discussion of her parentage wouldn’t be smart. It also wouldn’t give him any traction with Ali. Still, Devon needed answers. Lots of them. After the rush to get back to Hawaii, things were settling down. Their protection was important, but his mind was capable of seeing past the danger now. It was time for explanations.
Bridget and Ali joined him as he cooked the hotdogs he’d bought. It wasn’t the most nutritious meal, but he didn’t know what to buy. He had walked into the grocery store and almost had a panic attack. He didn’t know what girls her age ate. Worse, he worried he would pick something she hated and he would be judged by a four-year-old. Because, a bad ass computer expert was tied in knots over a little girl.
Pathetic.
“Hey, Devon,” Bridget said, as she walked over to the table.
She was dressed in a Frozen nightgown and her hair had been brushed back from her face. She was so damned cute and precious. Devon had to resist the urge to brush his hand over the top of her head. Instead, he grabbed Hawaiian macaroni salad and some cut up fruit.
“I hope you like hot dogs,” he said.
“I do. Mummy doesn’t let me have them often.”
He glanced up at Ali. “Considering the circumstances, I think we can indulge for one night.
As they sat down, he saw Ali survey the area. In truth, he was pretty sure she didn’t even realize she was doing it. It was part of her training, probably from an early age—considering what her father did for a living. It was as second nature to her as breathing was for a normal person.
He stifled a sigh. He hated seeing her that way. There was a fine edge to her nerves and he knew she was stressed. She never let on to Bridget, though. As they sat and ate, she joked with her daughter and talked of plans for Hawaii.
Every now and then, he could pick up on her tension. A glance at her daughter, a sharp look when she heard a strange noise…she didn’t miss anything. Neither did Devon.
“I think it’s time to head to bed, poppet,” she said.
Bridget frowned. “I’m not tired.”
Then, she defeated her own argument by yawning.
“Let’s go, Bridget. We’ll have lots of fun tomorrow swimming. You need your rest though. What do you say to Devon for dinner?”
Bridget gave him a sweet, sleepy smile and his heart turned over. How this little slip of a girl could undo him so easily was beyond him. Right now, though, he
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