Page 33 of Nothing to This

“I’ll have lots of time with them, as much as you allow.I’m a rookie, but learning is fun.Surprisingly.”A few beats passed.“We’re family, Ry; you and me and our twins.We do whatever it takes to support each other.I’m sorry if I’ve let the three of you down.”

Compelled to comfort him too, she coiled her arms around his waist.“You haven’t let us down.I shouldn’t have said that.”

“And I shouldn’t have commented on how you spent your weekend.Your relationship is none of my business.You deserve time off to have fun.”

Breathing in, her muscles grew heavier.“He’s not happy,” she said.“He wants to meet you.”

“We can send the kids to my mom’s if you want—”

“He doesn’t know who you are,” she said.“He knows nothing about you or us.”

“You didn’t tell him?”

The thread of curiosity in his voice could be construed as judgment.Being in his arms, warm and comfortable, she didn’t want to push away or fight again.He smelled good, like male soap and expensive cologne… and her kids.Her precious babies.

“It’s second nature for me to protect you, to keep us a secret.”

“Protect me,” he murmured.

“Protecting you protects the kids,” she said.“Me and my babies live a normal life.I’ve always thought if anyone found out how much their father was worth…”

“You’re worried about their safety?”he asked, instantly hitting concern.Calm and gentle but concern all the same.“Why have you never told me?Babe, we can get them security—”

“They’d ask why.They’re safe now, while they’re so young and under supervision at all times… We will need to talk about it again if our lawyers revisit the contract given you’re in town.”

“Have you made an appointment to see your lawyer?We should get everyone together this week.”

“Are you okay with that?”she asked.“We don’t have to change the status quo.”

His hands opened on her lower back and splayed to press them closer.“I’m not going anywhere, Siren.”

The word opened her eyes.

Staying loose, she leaned back to seek his gaze.“You haven’t called me that since our night together.Is that what you call every woman you’re intimate with?”

“Only you,” he said.“No other woman’s drawn me in the way you did that night, babe.You remember?I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

Settling her head against him, she smiled when his embrace tightened.“I remember it was your hands you had a problem with.”

“Soon as those elevator doors closed, I couldn’t restrain myself anymore… Your finger touched mine and it was so damn soft, I… It broke me, babe.I snapped… and I never snap.”

Her breathing slowed; had she ever been so calm?“I was sunk after that first kiss.I’d have given you anything for making me feel that way.”

“You gave me two children, Ry.I’ve never shown you my true gratitude for that.”

“We’ve never talked about the night we met.”

“We’ve never talked.”He pulled her closer.“You’ve never let me hold you like this.”

With their lives being so disparate, they’d never had the opportunity.

“Feels good,” she said.

He stooped to kiss the top of her head before squeezing her in his arms again.

It did feel good.JD was strong, his embrace secure.Since he’d arrived, she’d been off-kilter and overwhelmed, unsure how to make the pieces of her life fit together.But standing there in his arms, a weight lifted.Not that she didn’t have the same responsibilities, but that she didn’t have to shoulder them alone.

Pressure on her leg broke their embrace.JD must have felt it too because he stepped back at the same time.