Page 34 of Blind Trust
“It’s not cheating...it’s finding your competitor’s weakness and exploiting it.”
Her laughter paused, and when he glanced over, he found her looking at him with an expression that made him wish every moment with her was as easygoing as this.
“Etta used to scare me.”
“Pardon?” Etta was a lovely eighty-something woman he’d met briefly, but in no way would he consider her a threat. “You were scared of your grandmother?”
“Yep. Etta is the epitome of refinement. Her home is meticulous, she expected manners, dresses, and pantyhose.” Lyla scratched the top of her legs as if feeling the memory. “I was not a pantyhose kind of girl. Torn jeans and scraped knees were my outfit of choice. I’m not sure how old I was, maybe four or five, when I knew I didn’t belong.”
Nic’s heart ached at her quiet confession. “What do you mean?”
Lyla sighed. “I think my grandparents and my parents expected certain things of me. As a Whitlock, I’d act according to some of their assumptions, but it wasn’t me. The more they pushed, the more I pushed back.”
“You and your family seem so close.”
“Oh, we are now.” She smiled to herself. “But it took years of me testing the boundaries of their love until I began to trust that they did, in fact, love me for me.”
Without thinking, Nic reached over and took Lyla’s hand, appreciating the way her soft skin felt in his calloused palm. The touch spread warmth through him, waking up a part of his heart that had been lying dormant since...Brittany.
Nic pulled up to the stately home of Lyla’s parents and put his truck in park. Then he turned to her. In the moonlight, the color of her eyes looked like the depths of the ocean, and he knew he’d get caught in the current if he wasn’t careful.
Good grief. Kekoa would mock this moment for all eternity if he were here right now.
“Nicolás.” Her fingers moved between his, and the intimacy of the touch made him hold his breath. “Something tells me this situation with Jerry and his vendetta against me is bigger than we think.” She gently squeezed his hand. “I need you on my side. I promise I’ll do whatever you say. Just like at the bowling alley. If you think it’s getting too dangerous, I’ll pull back, but you can’t let Walsh or Jack keep me from this assignment. Please promise me.”
Nic ground his molars. He stared straight ahead as the warning battled the beating inside his chest. After hearing what Terrel had to say, he agreed the situation had taken a turn, and he knew Jack and Walsh would be concerned. He was too. So then why in the world wasn’t he refusing?Because if I refuse, she’ll do it anyway.
As he looked down at her hand in his, the touch no longer felt light and intimate but weighted with the promise she was asking him to make. He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “Do not make me regret this.”
“Thank you, Nicolás.” Lyla nodded and squeezed his hand once more before she released it to unbuckle her seat belt. “Do you want to come in? I bet there are leftovers I could warm up for us.”
“I think I’d better call it a night. I want to get back and ask if Mr. Brandt will be my date for tomorrow.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting him.” He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment in the smile she forced to her lips. She opened the door. “You have Etta and Tully’s address, right?”
“I do.”
“Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Nicolás.”
“Think you can stay out of trouble that long?”
This time her smile reached her eyes, and the sight of it loosened the breath he’d been holding. She ran a finger across her chest. “Cross my heart.” She raised a brow. “Besides, my rental is back at the office, which I don’t think was a coincidence.”
Nicolás gave an innocent shrug. “We’ll get you to work onMonday. Don’t worry.”
Her lips twitched into a smile before she closed the door, jogged up the front porch, and gave a quick wave before disappearing inside. Looking up at the luxurious home Lyla grew up in, he found it hard to reconcile the down-to-earth woman she’d grown into, especially given the insight she’d just shared with him. He had no doubt the little girl who’d pushed boundaries inside those walls was fiercely loved.
He wasn’t imagining the hope he heard in her voice. And he didn’t know if it was due to Naomi’s earlier comment or Lyla’s touch that still vibrated his soul, but the boundaries he’d carefully set up when it came to Lyla were blowing up, and that was dangerous. Boundaries were there for a reason—to protect.
12
“Lord, thank you for the meal we are about to eat and the dirty little hands that made it.” Giggles erupted, and he peeked one eyelid open to see the faces seated around the table. Eyes were pinched closed, the older ones’ hands were folded nicely in front of them, but the littles had theirs tucked up under their tiny, round faces. A rainbow of skin colors that made the backs of his eyes burn with tears.
I have so much to be grateful for.
“Brooks, honey.”
Across the table he caught Lydia using her eyes to indicate patience was waning. He smiled at his wife before closing his eyes and continuing. “Thank you for my amazing family who’s going to let me see the Cowboys beat the Chiefs tonight instead of watching their silly movie. Amen.”
