Page 10 of Nothing to This (Nothing to… #8)

Rylee followed Baxter into his apartment.

Just. She stayed put by the door as he traversed the kitchen to enter the living room and turn on an end table lamp.

Casting off his jacket, he sat on the couch to untie his boots.

Once everything was neatly in the closet, he returned to the kitchen for wine and glasses.

“You’ve been quiet tonight,” she said, putting her purse on the kitchen counter. “Guess I monopolized conversation and didn’t ask what’s going on with you.”

“You think that’s why I’m quiet?” he asked. “Because you didn’t ask about my day?”

Unbuttoning her coat, thinking she’d always liked Baxter’s deep voice, that night, it worked against her.

“Then tell me why,” she said.

He stopped pouring the wine and put the bottle on the counter. “You’re living with your ex-boyfriend.”

“He was never my boyfriend, Bax,” she said, tossing her coat over the dining chair behind her. “You know it was a one-night stand.”

“That’s supposed to make it okay? All that means is you were so into each other you couldn’t contain yourselves long enough to think about a rubber! And you expect me to just be okay with this guy living with you?”

She leaned on the breakfast bar, perpendicular to him. “Living with me and my kids. It’s temporary, until he gets something else.”

Peering at her, he wasn’t reassured. “You believe that? What happens after the kids are in bed?”

“Do you really think we’re going to sleep together again? Geez, Bax, it was almost six years ago. If we were going to make a go of a relationship, we’d have found the time to do it by now.”

“You said you never saw him.”

“I didn’t.”

“But you do now.”

She threw up her hands. “This is crazy. I don’t want to be with him.”

He followed her into the living room. “What am I supposed to think? This guy shows up from nowhere, you tell me we can’t go to your place because he’s there, but you won’t tell me anything about him. You never tell me anything about him.”

“Because I can’t,” she said and dropped onto the couch. “I’ve explained that before, this isn’t new information. Nothing has changed.”

“What is he? Like a politician? A celebrity?”

She slipped off her shoes and picked up a foot to massage her toes. “Nothing like that.”

“The guy has money, plenty of it,” he said. “No way you’d be able to afford your place on your salary without serious child support or is it hush money? Is he married?”

She stopped massaging to glare. “Yeah, that’s it, you found us out. He’s married and I’m a whore,” she snapped. “How the hell do you know how much money I make?”

“Am I wrong? There has to be a reason you don’t talk about him. You should trust me. It doesn’t feel like you trust me.”

“Why are you obsessed with him? This is his weekend with the kids, just like it’s been fifty times before. Why do you care about his identity now?”

“You won’t tell me who he is, you won’t let me meet your children. There are more secrets in this relationship than truths.”

Shooting to her feet, she didn’t appreciate sitting under his looming form. “Thanks for clearing that up. If you didn’t want me to stay here tonight, you could’ve just said that. If you want me to go, say it.”

“Go? To him? Is that what you want?”

She growled in frustration as her head fell back. “Men and their goddamn egos!”

“That’s your way of avoiding the truth,” he said and turned his back on her.

“If I was so eager to have sex with him, why didn’t I do it last night? Why didn’t I just call you and cancel tonight?”

Extending his arm, he faced her again. “Maybe you’re trying to make him jealous.”

“Everyone really overestimates how much time I have to obsess about his thought processes,” she muttered, heading toward her purse in the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” Baxter asked, chasing after her.

“You don’t want me here, and I really don’t have the time, or energy, to argue about this.”

Clasping her shoulders, he brought her around to him. “I’m sorry. Seriously, I am. I’m jealous, you’re right. Can you blame me? I don’t want to lose you.”

They didn’t wax lyrical about feelings for each other. Did she have feelings for him? Did he for her? The night had taken them from casual to whatever this was without any detour. Things were changing left and right, and she didn’t have time to figure out how she felt about it all.

“You’re not going to lose me. He and I want nothing to do with each other beyond our children. Yes, he’s moving to town and there will be a transition period, but it could work out for the best.”

“How?”

“I’m going to see a lawyer on Monday. It might take some time to iron out the details but it’s possible I’ll be able to share everything once we do.”

“And will you? Tell me everything?”

Would she? Could she? “Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it,” she said. He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t want to make any promises when I have no idea what the lawyers will say. There may still be restrictions I have to adhere to. Please, Baxter, just trust me.”

“Okay,” he said and lowered, sliding his arms around her body to bring their mouths closer.

Before they made contact, her phone rang.

She froze and leaned back. “It could be the kids.”

Though he wasn’t thrilled, he exhaled and backed off, letting her fish her phone from the front pocket of her purse.

She read the screen. Looming over her shoulder, Baxter read it too: “Baby Daddy.” With a huff, he stomped into the living room.

Though she didn’t want him to be upset, she wouldn’t take the risk of ignoring the call when something could be wrong with her babies.

“Hello?” she answered.

“Kye makes Daddy hate me.”

Her daughter was in a grump. It had only been a few hours since she’d seen them, but she smiled at the warm love her daughter’s voice inspired.

“Oh, sweetpea, he doesn’t hate you.”

“Daddy let’s Kye pick all the movies!” Sky whined.

Closing one eye, with her back to Baxter, she blocked him out. Although he was on the other side of the room, she didn’t doubt he was listening.

“Who are we telling on here?” she asked. “Kye or Daddy?”

“I want to watch Meemo.”

“Nemo, sweetpea. You want to watch Nemo. What does Kye want to watch?” Waiting, she rested a hand on her coat on the dining chair. “Sweetpea?”

“Woody,” Sky said.

“Kye wants to watch Toy Story .”

“Daddy picked Kye. He loves Kye more.”

It wouldn’t help to smile, but her baby was so cute while breaking her petulant heart. “He does not. I promise. Daddy loves you both the same. You can watch Nemo after.”

“Daddy says we can only watch one.”

She glanced at the kitchen clock. “It is getting late. If you watch Woody tonight maybe Daddy will let you watch Nemo tomorrow.”

“Auntie Brenna is visiting tomorrow.”

“She’s taking you out to buy your birthday clothes tomorrow afternoon, remember? Where’s Daddy taking Kye?”

“Don’t know,” Sky grumped. “They’re best friends. Come home, Momma. I need a friend.”

Her heart broke a little. “Let me talk to Kye. I love you.”

“Love you,” she grumbled.

There was a scuffle on the phone and some mumbled words before her little guy’s voice reached her ear. “Mommy?”

“Are you being good to your sister?”

He took a big breath, then stated his case. “She’s whiny, Mommy. She’s moaned all night. She is being mean. She should go to bed.”

“You’re not in charge, little prince. Daddy is in charge. And your sister isn’t used to being around so many boys.”

This was an odd shift for them. Daycare consisted of a mix of genders, but most staff were women. Being used to living with her, seeing their aunt and grandmother, they lived in a female dominated world.

Having his dad around more would probably benefit Kye, but the last thing she wanted was Sky pushed out.

“Boys are best,” Kye said.

Breathing out a laugh, she pulled out the chair to seat herself at the dining table. “Oh, I love you, little guy. Put Daddy on the phone.”

Her baby boy mumbled something that she decided was his declaration of love. Though it was equally possible he was moaning at her.

Another scuffle and then another voice on the phone. “Babe?”

“Are you playing favorites?” she asked, not thinking he was.

“What? No! Sky’s—”

“She’s feeling pushed out,” she said.

“Kye and I were roughhousing and she got upset. She hasn’t been herself since.”

“She’s not used to being around boys. Is your mom still there?”

“No, she made dinner and left.” Really? That surprised her. Usually Marjorie grabbed any opportunity to be around the kids. “She’s meeting us in the morning.”

“I’m surprised.”

“I was too. She said she had to leave, something Brenna told her about your uterus.”

Despite her attempt to contain her laugh, it leaked out in a single blast. “I’m going to kill her.”

“I’m not even going to ask.”

“Don’t,” she said. “I don’t suppose I could persuade you to rethink the movie?”

“Kye gets to pick tonight.”

“Their aunt is over tomorrow night, she usually brings something ancient for them to watch,” she said. “The babies—”

“We’re going to the aquarium in the morning.”

So much for honesty in this new beginning. “The aquarium is closed for refurbishment until the end of the month.”

His snicker was smug. “I’m taking them to the aquarium.”

“How are you—”

“My daughter made a request,” he said. “If my children ask me for something, they get it.”

“Show off,” she said. “So Kye gets to pick the movie because Sky picked the activity? Remember she’s going shopping in the afternoon.”

“She and Brenna won’t let me forget. Kye’s going next week, right?”

“He is,” she said. “I promised Sky we’d have a girlie afternoon; I’ll do her hair and nails.”

“You telling me I have to clear out next Saturday?”

“You could go shopping with your son.”

He laughed. “Take him to my tailor?”

“He’s a little young for that. My kids buy off the rack.”

“I can change that,” he said.

It was ironic that Brenna threatened he’d be a SpaghettiOs dad. Gifts were fine, to a point. She didn’t want her children spoiled.

“You will not. Your mom takes care of all the spoiling they need.” He laughed. “You should put the movie on or they’ll be tired and grumpy all day tomorrow.”

“Any last-minute advice before bedtime?”

She didn’t have to think for long. “Don’t sleep naked.”

A sound from the living room matched the sound of surprise that came down the phone. She’d managed to shock both Baxter and JD simultaneously.

“Excuse me?” the latter asked.

“If they shout you in the night or get sick, you’ll have to move fast… and you’re pretty much guaranteed to wake up in the morning with at least one of them in your bed… so no late-night booty calls.”

“Damn. I had a couple of Russian models on speed dial.”

Opening her mouth, she kept her mock laugh loud. “I love to rain on your parade,” she said. “Keep ‘em safe.”

Hanging up the phone, she looked down at the handset. She missed her babies and their voices already.

“I’m going to bed,” Baxter said, pulling her from her reflection.

He was on his way to the bedroom when she left the table, his tone betrayed his grouchy mood. Hadn’t they got over that fight?

Drawing in a breath, this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. With two men to wrangle, she couldn’t lose sight of her babies being a priority.

Life didn’t like making things easy, but she didn’t live in hardship. If she had to do a dance to keep things in balance, that’s what she’d do.