justified.
“I pictured him showing up here, though. About what I’d say to him.”
“What would you have said to him?”
His smile was grim. “Nothing I could say to a kid.”
“You know, you’re in luck.” She attempted a lighter tone. “The population of people who meet long-lost siblings is pretty small, and you’ve got someone with experience in your bed.”
“This isn’t like when you met Ron.”
“You’re right. We were both adults, for one, and I didn’t know enough about my birth mother to hate her. Maybe I went through some of the stuff you’re feeling, though? The worry that it’s not real. Wondering whether they’ll like you, or you’ll like them. Nervousness at the thought of a stranger being somehow connected to you.”
He exhaled, his breath stirring the lock of hair that had fallen over her nipple. “I told Jared to find out everything he could about her. Make sure she is who she says she is.”
“You think it could be a scam?”
“I don’t know. I have money. Wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to take it. May be the most creative way.”
That was true. Though a fake long-lost sister was a bit of a stretch in the world of DNA tests. And getting a kid to collude was risky.
“When will Jared get back to you?”
“He sent me a file this afternoon. I didn’t open it. Told myself I was waiting for him to get more details, but really…I didn’t want to face it.” He shifted, rubbing his stubbled jaw against her skin. “He said he would be in touch first thing in the morning with more.”
“It’s a Saturday.”
“If you pay someone enough, they work on Saturdays,” he said dryly. “I told him to go ahead and send an investigator out to Tucson.”
Tatiana lifted an eyebrow. “To do what?”
“Dig through trash. Talk to teachers.”
“Oh. Wow.”
His brow furrowed. “Why? Is that…weird?”
“No,” she replied hastily. “Not weird.” More excessive than what most people would do, maybe. But perfectly normal for Wyatt. “I don’t know how you kept from opening that file right away. I’d be dying of curiosity.”
“I printed it. It’s in my briefcase.”
“Oh.”
A grunt came from his lips. “I should look at it.”
“We don’t have to. Or, you can do it alone.”
He raised his head. “Who are you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The Tatiana I know would be peppering me with questions and dying of curiosity. Who is this meek, accommodating female in my bed?”
“Um.” She raised one finger. “First, I am always accommodating in bed. I think I proved that tonight.” Another finger. “Second, how dare you. Meek? Call me bland, too, why don’t you, and really insult me.” A third finger. “And lastly…yes. I am dying of curiosity, and I want to know everything and see everything and then have a discussion about all the things I know and see.” She pressed her hand to his face. “It’s weird, how I can put aside my own feelings and consider yours. It’s like I’m in love with you or something.”
Ah. There. The corner of his mouth lifted the tiniest amount. “Are you tired?”
“Not anymore.”
“Yeah. Okay. Let’s get this over with, then.” With that unenthusiastic decision, he rolled off of her and padded out of the room. She took the time to grab the robe off the chair near the bed and wrap it around her.
The light next to the bed gave off a dim glow. Wyatt came back in, carrying a thin file. He sat next to her and placed it on his lap. He stared at the top of the manila folder for a long moment. Inching closer, Tatiana placed her hand on his chest, right over his heart. “Okay?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t move. Slowly, giving him time to protest, she opened the folder. Her heart caught at the sight of the 8x10 photo. “Oh my God, Wyatt. She looks just like you.”
“I thought so.”
If this was some scam, Tatiana would be very surprised. The eyes, the coloring, the shape of her face. She knew
“I pictured him showing up here, though. About what I’d say to him.”
“What would you have said to him?”
His smile was grim. “Nothing I could say to a kid.”
“You know, you’re in luck.” She attempted a lighter tone. “The population of people who meet long-lost siblings is pretty small, and you’ve got someone with experience in your bed.”
“This isn’t like when you met Ron.”
“You’re right. We were both adults, for one, and I didn’t know enough about my birth mother to hate her. Maybe I went through some of the stuff you’re feeling, though? The worry that it’s not real. Wondering whether they’ll like you, or you’ll like them. Nervousness at the thought of a stranger being somehow connected to you.”
He exhaled, his breath stirring the lock of hair that had fallen over her nipple. “I told Jared to find out everything he could about her. Make sure she is who she says she is.”
“You think it could be a scam?”
“I don’t know. I have money. Wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to take it. May be the most creative way.”
That was true. Though a fake long-lost sister was a bit of a stretch in the world of DNA tests. And getting a kid to collude was risky.
“When will Jared get back to you?”
“He sent me a file this afternoon. I didn’t open it. Told myself I was waiting for him to get more details, but really…I didn’t want to face it.” He shifted, rubbing his stubbled jaw against her skin. “He said he would be in touch first thing in the morning with more.”
“It’s a Saturday.”
“If you pay someone enough, they work on Saturdays,” he said dryly. “I told him to go ahead and send an investigator out to Tucson.”
Tatiana lifted an eyebrow. “To do what?”
“Dig through trash. Talk to teachers.”
“Oh. Wow.”
His brow furrowed. “Why? Is that…weird?”
“No,” she replied hastily. “Not weird.” More excessive than what most people would do, maybe. But perfectly normal for Wyatt. “I don’t know how you kept from opening that file right away. I’d be dying of curiosity.”
“I printed it. It’s in my briefcase.”
“Oh.”
A grunt came from his lips. “I should look at it.”
“We don’t have to. Or, you can do it alone.”
He raised his head. “Who are you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The Tatiana I know would be peppering me with questions and dying of curiosity. Who is this meek, accommodating female in my bed?”
“Um.” She raised one finger. “First, I am always accommodating in bed. I think I proved that tonight.” Another finger. “Second, how dare you. Meek? Call me bland, too, why don’t you, and really insult me.” A third finger. “And lastly…yes. I am dying of curiosity, and I want to know everything and see everything and then have a discussion about all the things I know and see.” She pressed her hand to his face. “It’s weird, how I can put aside my own feelings and consider yours. It’s like I’m in love with you or something.”
Ah. There. The corner of his mouth lifted the tiniest amount. “Are you tired?”
“Not anymore.”
“Yeah. Okay. Let’s get this over with, then.” With that unenthusiastic decision, he rolled off of her and padded out of the room. She took the time to grab the robe off the chair near the bed and wrap it around her.
The light next to the bed gave off a dim glow. Wyatt came back in, carrying a thin file. He sat next to her and placed it on his lap. He stared at the top of the manila folder for a long moment. Inching closer, Tatiana placed her hand on his chest, right over his heart. “Okay?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t move. Slowly, giving him time to protest, she opened the folder. Her heart caught at the sight of the 8x10 photo. “Oh my God, Wyatt. She looks just like you.”
“I thought so.”
If this was some scam, Tatiana would be very surprised. The eyes, the coloring, the shape of her face. She knew
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