He cleared his throat. “No ‘love’. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
She ignored his statement, probably recognizing it for the lie it was. “The problem, Ian, is that I have no one to watch the kids while I get a little me time.”
“You have me.”
Again she snorted. Did she realize how freakin’ cute that was?
“Ian, you have a life of your own.”
“A life I’m more than willing to share with you.”
Her brows jumped to hair hairline.
“T hat didn’t come out right.” ShitDamnHell! “I’m really not trying to hit on you.”
“I’ m a little old for you.”
Was she kidding? “Are you kidding?”
“Oh, come on, I’m old.”
His turn to snort, and he did it with fervor. “You are beautiful. The total package; smart, sexy, gorgeous.”
She arched a brow.
“A total MILF.”
She laughed.
“Not that I think of you that way.” Liar, liar, pants on fire.
“What if I showered?” Her teasing eyes twinkled.
“Mom!” was followed by the thud, thud, thud of running footsteps. “Mom!” The clunk of a landed jump at the bottom of the stairs. Chase rounded the corner waving the misplaced hammer above his head. “I found it. Mom, I found it!” He skidded to a stop in front of them. “Can you believe it? I found it.”
Kayla stood and wrapped her arms around her son. “I love you. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” She lifted his chin with her finger. The boy blinked wildly against the tears building in his eyes. “Chase, I love you. It’s just a hammer and—”
“It’s Dad’s hammer.”
“I shouldn’t have flipped out like I did. I’m sorry.”
The apology let loose the floodgates and Chase gave up the fight. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
Ian didn’t belong in this moment, but positioned on the couch as he was didn’t offer escape without completely interrupting the communion. He sat as still as he could and tried to fade into the tan leather.
“Kayla kissed Chase on his brow. “Why don’t you go put it away, so we’ll be able to find it next time?”
“ I love you, Mom and I’m sorry.”
“No more sorrys. We’re good. Go on, now.”
Chase ran from the room, but paused in the doorway. “Oh, Ian, you were right. It was under my bed.”
Ian’s laugh played bass to Kayla’s soprano and he liked the sound. When the kid disappeared from view, Ian stood and took Kayla’s hand in his. “Here’s the deal, Kay, I want to take you out on the town. Not a date, just two friends having some fun. What do you think?”
“I don’t know. The kids…”
“Will be fine. I’ll have my sister come hang out with them.” At least he hoped he could convince her to do it. “She’s a junior at UNLV. She’s responsible and loves kids.” He was such a freakin’ liar. Stephanie hated kids. But the Black kids were different. Everyone loved them. Steph would too. Even if he had to pay her to.
“I don’t know.”
“One night. A week from tomorrow. I’ll take care of everything. Do you have a party dress?”
“Yes, I wore it to the Department Christmas party last year.”
“Red?”
“Yes.”
“Sexy?” Ian asked with a smirk.
“Leon thought so.”
“Good e nough.” And then he kissed her.
Ten
I an shocked her stupid by kissing her. Well, not kissing exactly. More like his lips skimmed over her cheek, barely touching her. Kayla hadn’t expected it, though. Nor had she expected the tiny flicker of interest tingling through her body.
She must just be cold. Except that didn’t explain why she was so blasted hot. She barely resisted the urge to pluck at the hem of her sweater. “So, um, thanks for rescuing us today.”
He did his best Banty Rooster, puffing his chest out. “I’m not finished rescuing you. I’m going to grab my ladder then I’m going to hang the picture you were so efficiently trying to hang.” He headed for the front door. “I’ll be right back,” he tossed over his shoulder as the door closed.
His words should
She ignored his statement, probably recognizing it for the lie it was. “The problem, Ian, is that I have no one to watch the kids while I get a little me time.”
“You have me.”
Again she snorted. Did she realize how freakin’ cute that was?
“Ian, you have a life of your own.”
“A life I’m more than willing to share with you.”
Her brows jumped to hair hairline.
“T hat didn’t come out right.” ShitDamnHell! “I’m really not trying to hit on you.”
“I’ m a little old for you.”
Was she kidding? “Are you kidding?”
“Oh, come on, I’m old.”
His turn to snort, and he did it with fervor. “You are beautiful. The total package; smart, sexy, gorgeous.”
She arched a brow.
“A total MILF.”
She laughed.
“Not that I think of you that way.” Liar, liar, pants on fire.
“What if I showered?” Her teasing eyes twinkled.
“Mom!” was followed by the thud, thud, thud of running footsteps. “Mom!” The clunk of a landed jump at the bottom of the stairs. Chase rounded the corner waving the misplaced hammer above his head. “I found it. Mom, I found it!” He skidded to a stop in front of them. “Can you believe it? I found it.”
Kayla stood and wrapped her arms around her son. “I love you. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” She lifted his chin with her finger. The boy blinked wildly against the tears building in his eyes. “Chase, I love you. It’s just a hammer and—”
“It’s Dad’s hammer.”
“I shouldn’t have flipped out like I did. I’m sorry.”
The apology let loose the floodgates and Chase gave up the fight. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
Ian didn’t belong in this moment, but positioned on the couch as he was didn’t offer escape without completely interrupting the communion. He sat as still as he could and tried to fade into the tan leather.
“Kayla kissed Chase on his brow. “Why don’t you go put it away, so we’ll be able to find it next time?”
“ I love you, Mom and I’m sorry.”
“No more sorrys. We’re good. Go on, now.”
Chase ran from the room, but paused in the doorway. “Oh, Ian, you were right. It was under my bed.”
Ian’s laugh played bass to Kayla’s soprano and he liked the sound. When the kid disappeared from view, Ian stood and took Kayla’s hand in his. “Here’s the deal, Kay, I want to take you out on the town. Not a date, just two friends having some fun. What do you think?”
“I don’t know. The kids…”
“Will be fine. I’ll have my sister come hang out with them.” At least he hoped he could convince her to do it. “She’s a junior at UNLV. She’s responsible and loves kids.” He was such a freakin’ liar. Stephanie hated kids. But the Black kids were different. Everyone loved them. Steph would too. Even if he had to pay her to.
“I don’t know.”
“One night. A week from tomorrow. I’ll take care of everything. Do you have a party dress?”
“Yes, I wore it to the Department Christmas party last year.”
“Red?”
“Yes.”
“Sexy?” Ian asked with a smirk.
“Leon thought so.”
“Good e nough.” And then he kissed her.
Ten
I an shocked her stupid by kissing her. Well, not kissing exactly. More like his lips skimmed over her cheek, barely touching her. Kayla hadn’t expected it, though. Nor had she expected the tiny flicker of interest tingling through her body.
She must just be cold. Except that didn’t explain why she was so blasted hot. She barely resisted the urge to pluck at the hem of her sweater. “So, um, thanks for rescuing us today.”
He did his best Banty Rooster, puffing his chest out. “I’m not finished rescuing you. I’m going to grab my ladder then I’m going to hang the picture you were so efficiently trying to hang.” He headed for the front door. “I’ll be right back,” he tossed over his shoulder as the door closed.
His words should
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