Page 20 of Hold Me Tight

It’s almost a shock when Nora takes a hesitant step from behind me before carefully setting her beloved stuffy in his hands. It would be difficult not to notice how much bigger and masculine they are than hers.

He handles the toy with care, turning it one way and then the other, as if he’s inspecting it.

“Does he or she have a name?”

“Gaffy,” Nora whispers.

River nods, his expression turning thoughtful. “I like it. Does Gaffy like to color?”

Nora takes another step closer.

“Do you want to check out some of the things I brought for you to play with?”

When she glances up at me, I nod and give her an encouraging smile. “You’re going to have so much fun while I’m gone.”

River holds out the bag, and Nora peeks at the contents before dipping her hand inside and pulling out the oversized crayons.

She stares at the colors before glancing at him. “Me?”

“Yup. All for you.”

As much as I try to keep the walls in place where River Thompson is concerned, they’re already starting to crumble. Watching him interact with my daughter is all it takes to melt my normally icy reserve where this man is concerned. He’s paid more attention to her in five minutes than Zane has in the past year.

That realization is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

I blink them away when Nora grabs River’s hand and tugs him into the living room. He pops easily to his feet and follows her. His gaze locks on mine as he settles on the couch. It doesn’t take Nora long to plop onto his lap as she digs through the bag, pulling out toys and playing with them.

I don’t think she’s ever taken to someone with such ease. For a long moment, I stare, silently watching them interact.

He’s not just babysitting.

He’s engaging with her.

With a smile, River listens as Nora talks, even though he can’t possibly understand everything she’s saying. The ache that blooms within me is too big to name.

I cough lightly to break the silence. “I’m going to run to the bathroom before I leave.”

“No problem,” River says. “We’re all good here.”

Yes, it seems like they are. And I couldn’t be more surprised.

Once I’m done, I pick up my purse from the table and glance through the contents, making sure I have everything I need.

Hmmm. My phone.

I look around, spotting it on the coffee table near the couch. What’s strange is that I don’t remember leaving it there. Although, it’s not uncommon for Nora to play around with it. River watches me as I scoop up the slim device and shove it in my bag. The heat of his gaze is enough to singe me alive.

Tension crackles in the air between us, ratcheting up until it’s enough to choke on. It’s almost a relief when there’s a knock at the front door. I open it and find Beau in a stylish gray suit, his hair combed away from his face. He offers a charming smile that should make my pulse race but does absolutely nothing.

“Evening, Callie.” His gaze slides past me toward the living room. “And this must be Nora.”

My daughter glances at him from where she sits perched on River’s lap before thrusting a toy in his face.

Beau gives a slight chuckle before dismissing her as his attention returns to me. “Cute kid.”

For a brief moment, I’m disappointed he doesn’t make more of an effort with Nora. The second that thought slips in, reality crashes over me.

Right.