16. Kane #2
Last thing I was about to do was disappoint her, so I pushed to standing and held up a finger. “Give me one second. I just might have an idea.”
I backed the couple of steps to the picnic table and sat down on the bench facing them, and I leaned over and untied my boots, shucking them and my socks from my feet. Then I rolled my jeans up the best that I could.
It only brought them to about midway up my calves, but it was going to have to do.
Standing, I lifted my arms out to the sides. “How’s that?”
Maci cracked up like it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen, head tossed back and face tipped toward the sky. “Are you gonna go swimmin’ in your jeans, Mr. Kane?”
“Guess I am.”
My attention drifted to Emery. To Emery who was toiling. Not sure if she should give or reject this idea.
Maybe what she was really contemplating was gathering Maci back up and running.
Shield her from the threat I brought.
Except, I didn’t want to be that.
Didn’t want to be a threat or a detriment.
This thing deep inside me that was flaring hot .
The only threat right then was the fact that I was getting ready to burst from the seams.
Wendy broke the tension that stretched between us. “Why don’t you all go swimming for a bit, and I’ll set up our picnic?”
A frown pinched Emery’s brow. “Are you sure, Mom?”
Wendy’s gaze landed on me, studying for a moment, her reservations palpable though hedged in hope. “Yeah, you three go on. I’ll handle this.”
Maci hopped into the air with her hands thrown above, hands clapping in time with the bounce of her feet. “I already got sunscreen on so the sun can’t bite me, and my bavin’ suit is on under my dress, so I’m all ready! Watch!”
She tore out of her dress to a pink one-piece bathing suit she had on underneath. A dolphin splashing out of the ocean was printed on the front.
“See, Mr. Kane! I got a dolphin because dolphins are so smart, just like me.”
Affection roiled.
Brimming and building.
“I bet you are very smart.”
“Well, yeah, no way are they gonna win me at cards.”
She turned to Emery. “You got your bavin’ suit on, too, Auntie Em? We gotta get in right now!”
It was the first time I allowed myself to fully look at Emery today.
Probably shouldn’t have.
Probably should have kept my unruly eyes on the child in front of me.
On what was important.
But there I was, taking her in where she stood itching ten feet away.
Woman wearing short jean shorts and a fitted beige tank, flip-flops on her feet, toes painted this dusty pink.
The ties of a black bathing suit peeked out from under the tank, coming up to wrap around her delicate neck .
That heavy fall of thick blonde hair rained around her, caressing her bare, slender shoulders.
Face void of makeup. Her style simple and unpretentious.
Though there wasn’t a single thing about her that was plain.
This stunning vision that stole the breath from my lungs, something about her so compelling it somehow felt like I was looking at a piece of myself.
Like I was supposed to know her in every way that mattered.
Like she could so easily possess all the places I couldn’t let her.
She shifted like she could feel the intensity of my gaze devouring her, like she could sense the outright hunger that lit inside me, even though I’d already berated myself a thousand times that my thoughts couldn’t go there.
It was jacked, wanting her the way I did after finding out our connection.
It appeared telling myself that didn’t sway a damned thing.
Because my cock kicked, need slicking like an oil spill through my bloodstream.
For a second, we were frozen, stares locked and fiery.
There was no doubt in my mind that her thoughts were right back to the same place as mine. On what’d gone down between us on Friday night.
The lust that neither of us had come close to sating.
Emery blinked a bunch of times, then moved forward to take Maci’s hand. Her eyes were still pinned on me when she whispered, “We won’t be going in too deep, so I can go like this.”
“What? We gotta go really deep if we’re gonna swim all the way to Australia.”
My focus dipped to Maci, and a low laugh rippled out. “Australia?”
“They got really pretty fishes there, and I fink dolphins, too.”
“Well, I don’t think we’re going to make it all the way to Australia today, but I’m betting we can still have a little fun,” I told her.
“That’s right ’cause that’s my specialty.”
Exaggerating a gasp, I touched my chest. “Well, it seems we are a perfect match because it’s kind of my specialty, too. ”
Maci giggled like mad while Emery mumbled, “Yeah, I bet it’s your specialty.”
It was nothing but a sarcastic indictment.
And I didn’t know what came over me. Why I couldn’t help myself. But I eased toward her, getting slammed by her aura, that morning glory scent.
Her body nothing but buzzing electricity as I leaned down close to mutter near her ear. “Oh, the fun I could show you, gorgeous.”
Fuck.
Talk about crossing a line.
But there was nothing I wanted more than to bust through it right then.
Obliterate it.
Emery startled, no time to respond or reprimand before I turned and took Maci’s hand.
Second I did, it felt like a beam of light suddenly speared through the middle of my chest. The amount of warmth that pierced me.
I had never believed in love at first sight.
Thought it total and utter bullshit.
But one look at my daughter, and she’d proven me wrong.
Because right then, holding her hand as I led her down to the shore?
It was the second time when I truly understood what love meant.
Once for my mother, though that belief had been crushed. I thought it would be impossible to ever feel it again.
Had never wanted to feel it again.
But there it was.
Instant and whole.
I glanced back at where Emery remained on the beach.
Little Warrior fighting through her reservations. Expression fierce and posture harsh.
And I wondered if maybe she had the power to change everything inside me, too.