stomach, his arms curled under him. She’d always loved Molly and Connor’s children, always been fascinated by their enthusiasm for life, always been amazed by their curiosity, and always been humbled by their willingness to love without limits. Surely it wouldn’t take long for Connor to win their trust again. Which meant she wouldn’t be here long enough to lose thebattle with her good sense, which warned her to keep her distance from the children’s father.
Eve’s gaze was focused on Brooke and Sawyer, so she wasn’t sure how she knew she was no longer alone. When she looked up she found Connor standing in the open doorway. His gaze wasn’t directed toward his children. It was aimed at her.
“Good morning,” he said in a husky voice.
He was bare-chested, exposing every ridge in a six-pack belly and the powerful curve of his impressive biceps. She saw several long, ridged scars running through the dark hair on his chest, which she presumed were injuries from the same improvised explosive device that had caused the wound on his forehead. The first two buttons of his jeans were undone so they hung low, exposing his hipbones and a line of down that began at his navel and disappeared into the worn denim. Her gaze traveled all the way down his long legs to his bare feet and then back up again.
She had to clear her throat to reply, “Good morning.”
Eve hugged her knees tighter to her chest, aware that the white T-shirt she’d worn to bed was thin enough to see through and that all she had on beneath it was a pair of pink bikini underwear.
“I was worried when I didn’t find the kids in Brooke’s bed,” he said quietly. “I thought you might be able to help me find them.”
Eve felt her heart jump when Connor’s eyes remained locked on hers. She realized now that being in Connor’s home was fraught with a great many unexpected pitfalls, like being caught half dressed in bed by a half-dressed man you secretly loved. She felt hernipples peak as her body responded to the avid look in Connor’s eyes. She tore her gaze away and concentrated it on the children. They were the reason she was here. The
only
reason she was here.
“They look like sleeping angels,” she said.
Brooke suddenly opened her eyes and spotted her father. At first she didn’t move. Then she subtly but surely inched herself closer to Eve, wrapping one of her tiny hands around Eve’s ankle.
“Good morning, sweet pea,” Connor said to his daughter, his voice gruff with emotion.
Eve watched him stuff his hands in the back pockets of his Levi’s and figured he’d done it to keep himself from reaching for his daughter. Unfortunately for Eve, the move also outlined the hardened shaft behind his zipper. Eve was amazed at how little it had taken for him to become aroused. On the other hand, it hadn’t taken more than a look from him for the same thing to happen to her. Except she
loved
him. He only
liked
her. His reaction was merely a physiological male response to a half-naked female. It could have been any female. It just happened to be her.
She heard Leah’s admonition in her head.
Be careful
.
What if the children hadn’t been here? Would he have acted on his attraction? Would she have acted on hers?
Connor had already admitted he wasn’t heart-whole, that he was still mourning Molly. Was she willing to accept the little bit of himself that he had to offer?
Yes. I want him. I love him
.
She had the awful feeling that a single look wouldhave been all he needed to have her flat on her back the instant they were alone. Pride kept her from giving Connor any encouragement.
As Brooke sat up, Eve brushed the little girl’s bangs away from her face and said, “I was surprised to find you here this morning.”
“Me and Sawyer woke up and wanted to go home. We were looking for a phone to call Nana and Bampa when we found you.”
Eve saw Connor wince at his daughter’s explanation.
“I’m glad you found me,” Eve
Eve’s gaze was focused on Brooke and Sawyer, so she wasn’t sure how she knew she was no longer alone. When she looked up she found Connor standing in the open doorway. His gaze wasn’t directed toward his children. It was aimed at her.
“Good morning,” he said in a husky voice.
He was bare-chested, exposing every ridge in a six-pack belly and the powerful curve of his impressive biceps. She saw several long, ridged scars running through the dark hair on his chest, which she presumed were injuries from the same improvised explosive device that had caused the wound on his forehead. The first two buttons of his jeans were undone so they hung low, exposing his hipbones and a line of down that began at his navel and disappeared into the worn denim. Her gaze traveled all the way down his long legs to his bare feet and then back up again.
She had to clear her throat to reply, “Good morning.”
Eve hugged her knees tighter to her chest, aware that the white T-shirt she’d worn to bed was thin enough to see through and that all she had on beneath it was a pair of pink bikini underwear.
“I was worried when I didn’t find the kids in Brooke’s bed,” he said quietly. “I thought you might be able to help me find them.”
Eve felt her heart jump when Connor’s eyes remained locked on hers. She realized now that being in Connor’s home was fraught with a great many unexpected pitfalls, like being caught half dressed in bed by a half-dressed man you secretly loved. She felt hernipples peak as her body responded to the avid look in Connor’s eyes. She tore her gaze away and concentrated it on the children. They were the reason she was here. The
only
reason she was here.
“They look like sleeping angels,” she said.
Brooke suddenly opened her eyes and spotted her father. At first she didn’t move. Then she subtly but surely inched herself closer to Eve, wrapping one of her tiny hands around Eve’s ankle.
“Good morning, sweet pea,” Connor said to his daughter, his voice gruff with emotion.
Eve watched him stuff his hands in the back pockets of his Levi’s and figured he’d done it to keep himself from reaching for his daughter. Unfortunately for Eve, the move also outlined the hardened shaft behind his zipper. Eve was amazed at how little it had taken for him to become aroused. On the other hand, it hadn’t taken more than a look from him for the same thing to happen to her. Except she
loved
him. He only
liked
her. His reaction was merely a physiological male response to a half-naked female. It could have been any female. It just happened to be her.
She heard Leah’s admonition in her head.
Be careful
.
What if the children hadn’t been here? Would he have acted on his attraction? Would she have acted on hers?
Connor had already admitted he wasn’t heart-whole, that he was still mourning Molly. Was she willing to accept the little bit of himself that he had to offer?
Yes. I want him. I love him
.
She had the awful feeling that a single look wouldhave been all he needed to have her flat on her back the instant they were alone. Pride kept her from giving Connor any encouragement.
As Brooke sat up, Eve brushed the little girl’s bangs away from her face and said, “I was surprised to find you here this morning.”
“Me and Sawyer woke up and wanted to go home. We were looking for a phone to call Nana and Bampa when we found you.”
Eve saw Connor wince at his daughter’s explanation.
“I’m glad you found me,” Eve
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