17. Erin
ERIN
T he twins jumped into the pool, without hesitation and sprayed us with water.
I flinched back. "Is it warm?” Because the shower I just received didn’t feel warm at all.
I dipped my toe in. Then looked back at him, but he was focused on the winter wonderland outside.
"Perfect temperature. One of the perks of having an indoor pool—no shocking cold water to deal with,” he finally said, then looked back at me. There was something in his eyes, something that told me, the cooling off we’d agreed on, might not happen.
A glint appeared in his eyes. And before I fully comprehended his intentions, he swept me up into his arms.
“James, what?—”
He launched off and jumped. And took me with him into the water.
The water engulfed me, and it took a couple of seconds before my brain registered the contrast between the warm water and the cold air. I reached the surface again, sputtering and cursing at James. “What the…”
His easy grin made him look more like a boy than the powerful man he was. His slicked-back hair and dark lashes made him even sexier.
Shit.
“It’s easier getting in this way,” he murmured against my ear. “Even when it’s warm.”
That’s when realization trickled in—he was still holding me in his arms.
I felt his warmth against my skin where his body touched mine.
I looked up at his face. “That wasn’t necessary. I would’ve…”
His grin turned serious. His eyes turned darker, which had me on edge. When his gaze darted to my mouth, I just knew he wanted to kiss me again.
And I wanted him to kiss me.
Then suddenly, Abby and Marley were all over us.
Marley climbed James like a little monkey, and Abby wedged herself between our bodies. “Daddy, Daddy, do it with me,” Abby said.
“No, me,” Marley shouted.
James let go of me, and I floated away. Gone was the warmth, the connection.
I watched James get out and jump in first with Abby, then Marley, then with both at the same time. The cheering and laughter of the two girls filled my heart and echoed off the glass walls.
Outside, the snow fell harder, creating an intimate cocoon around our little scene. The Christmas lights strung around the pool area cast dancing patterns across the water's surface, making everything feel magical and surreal.
James was completely focused on his girls, made them giggle, snuggled with them. Stole kisses and gave them boosts so they could torpedo out of the water.
This was a healthy, happy family scene if I’d ever seen one.
And there I was. Floating on the outskirts, watching, longing…from a distance.
An outsider looking in.
“Daddy, Daddy, do it with Erin.”
James zeroed in on me again. I thought he’d lost track of me, but by the way he looked at me, he’d known where I was the whole time.
“I’m good over here, thank you,” I said with a smile.
Playing around in the water looked like fun, but I was content floating and feeling the smoothness of the warm water against my skin.
Also, I was an outsider.
“Tell you what, little one. Why don’t you and Marley practice your jumps a couple more times? Your skin is already all wrinkly. And Marley’s lips are turning blue. So we can’t stay in here all that long”
It didn’t even occur to me to watch for those signs. But it was another testament to how dialed in James was as a father. He had that shit down—was loving, protective, and caring of his children.
He was exactly the man I’d always wanted. Exactly the father I’d always wanted for my imaginary kids.
“Earth to Erin. You still with me?”
I hadn’t realized he’d come up next to me, not until his hand touched my shoulder.
The soft touch was enough to catapult me out of my musings and back to reality.
“You okay?”
I nodded. “I’m fine. Just been thinking about how good you are with Abby and Marley.” I swam around him.
He grinned. “Well, they’re perfect, so it’s not that hard.”
“Did you always want to be a dad?” Our hands touched underwater, and I widened the circle.
He scoffed. “The opposite, really. I never wanted kids. I was a shark through most of my twenties. Honed in on the business when I was in my thirties. Family, kids, were never an option.”
“How old are you now?”
A glint entered his eyes again. “I’m thirty-eight. You?”
“Twenty-seven.”
“I know. I read it in your file.”
“My file?” I stopped my movement and paddled in place. “I have a file?”
He cocked his head. Exhaled. Then slowly swam around me in a circle. “You think I would let just anyone near my kids?”
That stunned me for a moment. “What is in that file?”
“The resume you sent over.”
“And?” I turned in place, watched a drop of water slide down his face.
“And a report.”
“A report?”
“Just a small dossier.”
“About?”
He faced me, so we were both treading water. “You.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Me? So you had me investigated?”
He turned around, looked at Marley somersaulting into the water. “Just a routine background check.”
“Routine for you. Feels like an invasion of privacy to me.”
His head snapped back to me. “I did this before I knew you.”
“And you failed to mention it.” I was pissed.
“There’s not much in there. Just the facts of your circumstances. I haven’t read it.”
“You knew about the fire?”
He shook his head.
“What do you know?”
“Well.” He looked down at the surface.
“What is it?”
“Your car was likely tampered with.”
My body froze, and all I could do was stare at him. “Excuse me?”
I sank like a stone, and he pulled me up again, then immediately let go.
“Bailey thinks somebody tampered with the brake line.”
My stomach hardened into a tight knot. Foreboding fear and guilt made me shiver. “Are you sure?”
“Not yet.” His features softened, and he moved closer.
“When did Bailey tell you?”
“Yesterday evening.”
I was seething. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “I was selfish.”
We’d had sex. Was that why he didn’t say anything? To not ruin the mood? Not to jeopardize his chance to get laid?
Fuck.
How could I be so na?ve? I trusted him. Enough to have sex after knowing him for a full two days.
I laughed, and the bitterness came through. I felt violated and disregarded and like the biggest fool on the planet. “You had me investigated and withheld information from me.” I scoffed. “Just to get laid.”
“Erin.” He growled, the warning in his voice barely veiled.
I held up my hand. My mind was still reeling with all that information, but I’d heard enough. And right at that moment, I couldn’t even look at him.
He broke my trust. Lied to me. Withheld information. Somehow, it shook the base of what I thought our budding relationship was built on.
Honesty.
No pretense.
I needed to talk to Bailey about my car. It was a piece of shit. Maybe Bailey was wrong, and it was just wear and tear.
But what if he was right?
I shivered, and not just from the revelation. Despite the heated water, the thought of Bob finding me here, in this peaceful winter haven, made ice form in my veins. I looked out at the snowy landscape through the steamy windows.
Could it be that Bob knew where I was? Knew where I had gone?
Had he been the one to tamper with my car? And if that was the case, I needed to be as far away from Abby, Marley, and James as humanly possible.
If he knew where I was, this perfect little bubble of happiness could shatter like an icicle.