Page 48 of Bulletproof

He nodded, emerald eyes locked on mine as his hand, which he hadn’t withdrawn, slid higher on my shoulder, fingers grazing the side of my neck. “I hope my kids weren’t⁠—”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I’ve enjoyed hangin’ with them. Maybe they could get something to eat? I don’t know what time their bed⁠—”

“It’s going to be a late night,” he told me, looking back at his daughter. “And they’re stuck here anyway, and I don’t want to put them to bed, only to have to wake them when their mother finally arrives.”

I waited because I could tell there was more.

“Rebecca is usually really shy and—” He cleared his throat before saying, “She’s usually shy.”

“Baby?”

We all turned to look at the model-perfect, stunning, raven-haired, blue-eyed man standing there, looking down at us.

“Honey, Tim and Monica are here. Come say hello.”

David looked over his shoulder. “I’ll be right there.”

“But,” he said, trying to smile, “they just got here, and they don’t know any⁠—”

“What did I say?” he asked flatly, his voice icy.

The man nodded, his eyes flicking to me. “Okay, I’ll go get them, and then I can make Becca the hat I prom⁠—”

“Jory made me a swan.” She held it up so the man could see before turning her big anime eyes to her father. “You can go talk to Auntie Monica and Uncle Tim, Daddy. Jory will stay with us.”

David Fisher’s eyes moved from his daughter to me, to his son and then back to me. I turned from his penetrating gaze when my shoulder was tapped. I found Scott looking at me.

“Jory, can you play Tekken?”

“Yessir, I can.”

Scott held out the controller to me. “Can you do this part of the campaign? I can’t beat this guy.”

“Sure, lemme⁠—”

“Could you sit over here?”

By him. He wanted me right next to him. It was very cute.

“Come over there by you?” I teased him. “Are ya sure?”

He smiled and nodded.

“Okay.”

Becca got up, and then I did, walking around the coffee table, and when I sat down, she climbed right back into my lap. Scott scooted close, his hand on my thigh as he looked at the screen.

“Do you wanna see Jamie?” she asked me.

“Ah, c’mon, Bec,” Scott grumbled. “Jory doesn’t wanna see your lame doll.”

“I do though,” I said, kissing the top of her head.

“I put her to sleep in Grandma’s bed.”

“Well, go wake her up,” I suggested.

Her face, the beaming smile I got, was something to see. She hopped off my lap and was gone seconds later.