Page 22 of The New York Nighthawks, Vol. 2

AVA

Inever expected to wake up cuddled up against Roan…let alone to the sound of a woman’s shout. Scrambling off his lap, I pressed my hand against my chest and stammered, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to my sister,” Roan grumbled as he cranked the reclining footrest back down before getting to his feet. “She’s the one who barged in the place like she owned it and woke us up.”

I was unusually relieved to learn that they were related and she wasn’t his girlfriend or something.

“You never used to mind before,” his sister mumbled before crossing the room to hold her hand out to me. “Then again, he’s never had a female guest over in the morning…or any other time that I know of. Which makes me very curious about you. I’m Iris, by the way.”

Sliding my palm against hers, I gave it a quick squeeze before dropping my hand. “Um, there really isn’t anything to be curious about. I’m just Cassidy and Daisy’s aunt, Ava Cromwell.”

Her gaze darted between Roan and me as her lips curved into a mischievous grin. “I have a feeling there’s isn’t anything ‘just’ about you being here.”

Instead of correcting Iris—or even acknowledging what she implied—Roan crossed his arms against his broad chest and quirked a brow. “Now that we all know who everyone is, what are you doing here, sis?”

“Since you mentioned that you were taking the girls to the zoo today, I thought I’d come over to help you get them ready and maybe tag along.” Her smile widened. “But now that I know you have Ava here to pitch in, I guess I’ll just go…find something else to do today.”

My eyes were wide as I watched her whirl around and race back out of the room. Turning to Roan, I asked, “Is she always like that?”

“Yup, pretty much.” Interlacing our fingers, he led me up to my bedroom. “But it’s a good thing she woke us when she did because it’s unusual for the girls to sleep in this long. I’m sure they’ll be up any minute.”

“Then it’s also a lucky thing that I’m a whiz at getting ready quickly.” I reluctantly pulled my hand from his hold to head into the guest room and did just that.

About two hours later, we pulled into the parking lot at the wildlife park and children’s zoo. I cringed a little when the cashier gave us the total for our tickets, but when I went to pull my wallet out of my purse, Roan wrapped his fingers around my wrist and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Um, paying?” I blinked up at him. “You got dinner last night, and you’re letting me stay at your place this weekend.”

“It’s not gonna happen, baby. If you’re with me, I pay.

” My eyes widened at the finality in his tone as he handed his credit card to the cashier.

I was used to paying my own way—and my brother’s more often than I should.

It was refreshing to be around someone who wanted to take care of me for a change.

He was still muttering to himself about me trying to pay when we headed toward the first exhibit. Bumping my hip against him, I murmured, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to put a damper on our outing.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry, baby.” He flashed me a sheepish grin. “I’ll shake it off, don’t worry.”

I wasn’t sure if he used nicknames like baby for everyone in his life, but I loved to hear him call me that. Probably too much. Same with when he called Cassidy sweet cheeks.

“Ready to see the lemurs?” I asked.

“Lemurs, yay!” Cassidy screeched while Daisy clapped her hands.

Being here with the girls made me feel Carrie’s loss more than usual.

She loved to bring them to the zoo in West Orange, so as we stopped to see her favorite animals, I shared stories with the girls about their mommy.

Seeing Cassidy’s eyes light up as I reminded her of things she’d forgotten about Carrie got me teary-eyed after a while.

As we neared a restroom, I tapped Roan’s arm. “I need to make a quick pit stop.”

“Okay.” Tilting his head back as he grabbed the stroller, he asked, “Do you need to go potty, sweet cheeks?”

“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head. “I’s still good.”

Walking away, I listened as Roan corrected her grammar. Luckily, there wasn’t a line, so I was in and out of the bathroom in only a few minutes.

Even though I was very aware that I wasn’t their mommy, touring the exhibits with Roan carrying Cassidy on his shoulders while I pushed Daisy’s stroller, I felt as though we were almost like an instant family.

So I was even more rattled than normal when a man tugging a toddler boy in a wagon blocked my path to chat me up.

His gaze raked the length of my body, lingering on my boobs as he said, “Hey, want to come see the peacocks with us?”

The way he stressed the last half of the animal’s name was creepy, especially with his son sitting right there.

Taking a step back, I bumped into Roan, who must have moved closer while they were waiting for me.

He tugged me behind the stroller, then lifted Cassidy off his shoulders and handed her to me.

“What the fu—” He bit off his curse and took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. “You don’t come up to a woman and ask something like that, especially when she’s somewhere with my daughters and me.”

The guy’s gaze landed on Roan’s face, and his beady eyes practically bugged out of his head. “Holy fuck, you’re Roan Ellis. Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to tread on your territory. I suppose I blew my chance at getting an autograph?”

“An autograph is the last thing I’m gonna give you after the stunt you just pulled.” Roan slid his arm around my back, wrapping his hand around Cassidy’s thigh where it dangled from my hip.

“Damn,” the guy groaned.

“I’m not gonna tell you how to raise your own kid, but I am going to insist that you watch what you say around mine. Or even better, get lost,” Roan growled.

The other dad held his palms up in a gesture of surrender. “Shi—um, I mean…crap. Sorry again.”

I bit my bottom lip to hold back a giggle as Roan stared the guy down while he rolled his kid down the sidewalk. His reaction made me feel better about the spurt of jealousy I’d experienced before he told me who his sister was this morning. It made my encounter with the creep worth it.