Page 74 of Don't Brake My Heart
He was across the room, but I felt him as thoughhewere next to me instead of his sister. My hair stood on end; all of my nerves suddenly flicked on.
He grinned at something Derek said, the lopsided smile that wasn’t from his heart. His wavy hair was a mess from the humid day. His shoulders were as expansive as I remembered, but hunched today. I thought of Valerio the dragon on his back and a hundred desires rose up – mainly the desire to touch him, anywhere.
Lori was saying something. ‘Uh, is this some Romeo and Juliet shit, because I’m not…’
I didn’t hear the rest, because Colin caught sight of me and smiled – properly this time – and I lost my faculties. Breathing thankfully returned first, a giant inhale that was a few heartbeats late. I hoped he couldn’t tell I wanted to launch myself at him, wrap myself around him like an aggressive octopus and talk to him all night until the sun came up tomorrow morning.
He seemed startled to see Lori next to me, but he headed towards us, only for Derek to call him back, draping an arm around his shoulders. The doors opened again to reveal Jarin Nelson pushing an enormous baby buggy, his dark-haired wife next to him.
‘Aw, you brought him, Nellie,’ Colin drawled, peering warily at the buggy. He reluctantly allowed Amir to drag him closer. ‘He doesn’t look much like his picture. Ramila, on the other hand…’ He shot Nellie’s wife a smile. ‘Congratulations!’
‘Thanks, Colin,’ she replied.
‘You, um, sure got busy quickly after you got married.’
Lori gave an amused snort.
‘I mean…’ Colin gave up with an inarticulate grunt, his neck flushed. ‘He’s… little.’
‘You don’t know anything about kids, do you, Gallagher?’ Amir asked.
He scratched the back of his neck. ‘I know how you make ’em.’
More laughter, which Colin joined in with this time, his throat bobbing.
‘Can I hold him?’ Amir asked. When Nellie nodded, Amir carefully scooped the little body out of his buggy and cradled him close, cooing and making faces at the baby. ‘I love kids,’ he said. ‘They smell good.’
‘Not all the time, they don’t! Phewhiff!’ Nellie disagreed emphatically. ‘Lucky he’s cute.’
Amir turned to Colin. ‘Are you going to hold him?’
‘Nah, mate. I’m good. Well done, Nellie! Your swimmers got there.’ He clapped Nellie on the shoulder.
‘Go on, you can hold him,’ Nellie replied with a perplexed smile. ‘He’s not that fragile any more and you’re not allergic.’
Colin released an uneasy breath. ‘I suppose not.’
‘I would not trust my brother with a baby,’ Lori said to me with a wince. ‘Lucky there’s no chance of producing one any time soon.’
I wasn’t sure if she meantshewouldn’t produce one soon or Colin wouldn’t. Both probably. There was no reason for my throat to constrict or my mixed-up mind to bringmeinto this. I wanted kids – at least I’d always assumed I did. I’d never thought about it beyond soft-focus images of a vague future when I’d hit all my other goals. But I’d never had anyone to imagine as that soft-focus partner in those unimaginative pictures.
And then Amir slipped the baby into Colin’s big scarred hands and the soft focus sharpened dangerously – especially dangerously because Colin was obviously uncomfortable. He was just 25. Nellie wasn’t much older, but Colin wasn’t cut from the same cloth. He was too bright and restless to settle down.
He had to juggle the boy to get him comfortably into the crook of his arm and then the baby fussed, turning his head and flinging his arms. Colin ducked to stare at him, brushing a thumb over the little red cheek.
Then a twitch of a smile touched his lips and no matter how hard I tried to stop my heart changing, it did. So much for keeping my distance.
Chapter 27
Colin
Don’t look at Leesa.Don’tlook at her! Under no circumstances—
My dad could tell you self-discipline wasn’t my strong point. I barely resisted. Maybe I’d felt her gaze or maybe I just had no self-control when it came to Leesa Magdalena Kubicka. Whatever the reason, when I glanced up and found her staring right back at me, the ripple of gratification became a full-on wave.
Did she want kids?
I didn’t know why I was wondering. I’d never ask her to her face and even if she admitted she wanted a family, it wouldn’t be with me. She’d be looking for some solid, stable guy – who actually liked kids. Although this little guy wasn’t as weird as I’d expected. He might look like an alien, but he felt pleasantly squishy.
