Page 37 of When We Were More (Aron Falls #1)

T illie

Why did I agree to this? I’ve been asking myself the same question for the last five minutes, tapping on my steering wheel as I stare at the brick colonial across the street.

“You know why. It’s that magic dick of his. He screwed you into an orgasm induced haze, then asked you. Twice.”

Great, now I’m talking to myself. This is crazy.

I about jump out of my skin when there’s a loud rapping on my passenger window. With my hand on my chest, I glance over, and Henry stares back at me. I shake my head and unlock the door, then he climbs into my passenger seat.

Damn, he looks good—dark jeans, a cashmere sweater, and no winter gear except a scarf around his neck.

“Hi,” I whisper.

“Hi. You’ve been sitting out here for a while, tiger. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m rethinking this, Henry. This is a family event. I shouldn’t be here. I should go home.”

“Hey, no. No, you shouldn’t. Plus, it’s not only family. There are friends, too.”

“Who?”

“What?” His forehead wrinkles, and his eyes narrow.

“What friends are there? What if you’re only saying that to calm me down, and I get in there and it’s only your family?”

He pulls back a little and gives me a pointed look.

“Because I don’t lie to you, remember?”

I don’t answer, and he watches me for a few seconds.

“My mom’s best friend, Heath’s best friend, my mom’s?—”

“Is Heath here?”

“Would it help me convince you to come in if he is?” He looks like he’s fighting a grin.

“Maybe.” I nibble on my lower lip, and Henry’s eyes focus on my mouth.

“Don’t do that, tiger. It’s no secret you’re sexy as fuck when you do that with your lip. Unless you want me to lower this seat, and?—”

“Stop,” I say as I throw my hand over his mouth. “I can’t go in there turned on if I’m going to meet Hea?—”

He pulls his head away to free his mouth.

“Don’t. If you say my brother’s name, and ‘turned on’ in the same sentence, you can’t hold me responsible for what happens next.”

I grin at Henry. He has a gift for turning any moment sexy when he wants to.

“C’mon, let’s go inside. I want to see the girls.”

“Just the girls?” I roll my eyes at him. “Fine. I’ll introduce you to my brother.”

Fifteen minutes later, Henry has introduced me to his mother, his brothers, Hayden and Heath, and Heath’s best friend, a lovely young woman named Georgie.

“Was it everything you thought it would be?” Henry teases after we walk away from Heath and Georgie.

“Eh, it was anti-climactic, to be honest. He’s a lot smaller without all his gear.” Of course, I’m joking, but it earns a smile from Henry. “I’d like to go find the girls and say hello now.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. They’ll be downstairs getting ready for the ball to drop. Follow me.”

He heads across the room, with me close on his heels.

“Isn’t it a little early? It’s only six-forty-five.”

“Ah, yes. Did I forget to tell you that we celebrate the British New Year first, so my girls and my cousin Keith’s kids can be awake for it? Then, they go to bed, and the grown-ups celebrate in real time here.”

As we approach a set of stairs, a beautiful woman off to the right tracks Henry with her eyes as he passes. I don’t like the way she looks at him, but I scold myself because it’s not my place to feel possessive over him. He’s not mine, I remind myself.

“That’s a brilliant idea. Hell, maybe I’ll start doing that and I can get to bed at a decent hour for future New Year’s Eves.” I’m only partly joking.

Before Henry can answer, we’re at the bottom of the steps, and Layla comes barreling into my legs.

“Tillie! Happy New Year! You’re in time, the ball’s about to fall.”

I hug her, and Lena has toddled her way over to us and is reaching her arms up. I lift her and give her a little squeeze, earning me one of those giggles I love.

“Happy New Year. Looks like I barely made it.”

“C’mon. I want you to meet my cousins. Daddy, can you get our kid’s cham-champ…” Frustration mars her pretty little face, and she peers up at me for help.

“Champagne,” I answer.

“Yeah, can you get it ready, Daddy?”

“Will do, ladybug.”

A few minutes later, the introductions done, the fake champagne is poured and in the hands of the children.

Most of the adults from upstairs have come down for the first countdown of the night.

We sit with the kids and ring in the New Year from across the pond with confetti, poppers, and a variety of noisemakers.

It’s impressive how the adults get into it for the sake of the kids.

The activity lasts for about half an hour, and then the large majority of adults drift back upstairs.

Henry and I stay down with the kids, though, and Henry leads a pretty cutthroat game of Simon Says, with the children and a few of the adults who remain.

Meanwhile, I play blocks with Lena off to the side.

It doesn’t escape me that the woman who was ogling Henry earlier is still down here. She’s sitting on the arm of the couch, a few feet away from where I sit with Lena, and is watching the game. Well, watching Henry, at least. None of the children down here seems connected to her.

As the minutes tick by, Lena gets less interested in the blocks and climbs up on my lap, wraps her arms around my neck, and rests her head on my shoulder.

Contentment fills me. I pat her softly on the back, and I’m pretty sure she’s almost asleep when the game finishes, and Henry begs the kids for a break.

“Hey tiger, you lulled my girl to sleep, huh?”

I swear I hear an annoyed huff from the gawker woman sitting near me, but Henry doesn’t react so I assume I imagined it.

“It wasn’t difficult. She simply scrambled up and crashed.” I smile over at Henry. Fatherhood looks good on him.

“Those kids were hardcore. I thought I’d never throw any of them off. Who knew today’s kids are this good at Simon Says , right?”

Before I can answer, Layla walks over and slides down the wall, sitting on the floor between Henry and me. She rests her head on Henry.

“Daddy? Can I go take a nap for a while? Then I’ll get up and come back down.”

She yawns and scoots closer to Henry.

“You sure can, honey. Why don’t we put Lena to bed, and you can take a nap in your room here at Grandma’s, okay?”

“Mm hmm,” she says sleepily.

Henry stands and helps Layla up, then he takes Lena from me. Before I can stand, Layla wraps her arms around me and squeezes.

“Goodnight, Tillie. Thanks for coming to see me.” I hold back a grin.

“Goodnight, Layla. I hope you have a cozy nap filled with lots of wonderful dreams.”

When I rise, Henry puts a hand on my elbow. It feels intimate, though I’m sure that’s not his intention.

“I’m going to get them to sleep, then I’ll be back down. You’ll wait, right? I have some things I was hoping to talk to you about.”

“Oh, um… sure.”

“Great, see you in a few minutes.” Then Henry disappears up the stairs with the girls in tow. I wait a few seconds and follow. I’ll get a drink and force myself to mingle a bit. Maybe.

Ten minutes later, satisfied I’ve completed my requisite attempt at being social. I’ve got a glass of wine in hand and talked briefly to a few people upstairs. It’s fair to go back to the rec room and sit quietly in the corner until Henry returns. So, that’s what I do.

I’m engrossed in the pool game a few of the older gentlemen are playing when the couch dips down next to me, and I turn to see it’s Heath’s best friend, Georgie.

“You hangin’ in there? These things can be tough until you get to know everyone. Don’t worry, it’ll get easier.” Kindness oozes from her, and I like her already.

“Oh, well, I’m not sure I’ll be back around, but everyone has been lovely.”

“Trust me, if Henry has anything to say about it, you’ll be back.”

I grin at her. “Yeah, well, that’s the thing I’m still trying to get through his head—that he’s not the boss of everyone. Plus, Henry and I are only friends.”

Georgie lets out a riotous laugh. “Ooh, I really like you. How’s Henry taking that? The finding out he’s not the boss part?”

I smirk in response. “We’re taking it day by day. Baby steps.” Now we’re both laughing.

“Well, whether you’re friends or more?—”

“Not more. Friends.” Shit, I was a little too zealous in my denial, and I can see doubt in her eyes.

“Okay, even if you’re only friends, it looks like it’s good for Henry. He seems genuinely happy. I’m guessing you have something to do with that.”

“I don’t know about that…”

Georgie is gracious enough to smile but not push, and a few seconds later, we’re issued a challenge to a game of doubles in pool.

We accept and, for the next thirty minutes, we run the table, much to the chagrin of our previously cocky opponents.

They challenge us to darts after it’s clear they can’t beat us in pool, but I glance down at my watch and realize Henry’s been gone forty minutes. Georgie must notice my hesitance.

“We’re gonna pass this time, fellas. But you practice between now and next New Year’s, and we’ll have a rematch.

” Georgie winks at me, and the old men grumble some, but then get back to trash-talking each other as they rack up the balls to play another game of pool.

Suddenly, they’re interested again now that there’s no real competition.

I follow Georgie upstairs, and she directs me where to find Henry. A minute or two later, I’m climbing the stairs to the upper level of the house, and I’m three steps from the landing when I hear a female voice. I stop dead in my tracks.

“Thanks, Henry. As usual, I can count on you to come through and help a girl out. I owe you one. Remember you’ve got my number when you need a stress reliever with a woman who knows how to please you.”

I can’t move. I desperately need to get away from here before one of them finds me, but my legs are shaking and won’t cooperate. Hence, I’m standing here wide-eyed when the woman who was staring at Henry earlier this evening walks down the hall where Georgie told me I’d find Henry.