Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Connor sighed under his breath. “Hello, Sandra,” he said, giving her a grimace instead of a smile and a curt wave back.
She crossed the room, heels clicking lightly against the floor. “Mind if I join you?”
Connor gestured vaguely toward the empty chair. “Suit yourself.”
Sandra slid into it, leaning forward to showcase her cleavage. “You’ve been hard to catch lately.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Been busy.”
“Too busy for me?” she said, her face a practiced pout.
Connor met her gaze calmly. “Yeah.”
Sandra crossed her arms underneath her breast, managing to shove them even higher. “You used to like spending time with me.”
Instead of responding, Connor started perusing his notes again. Getting dragged into whatever Sandra had cooked up was not on his list. He had far more important things to do today.
Undaunted, she tried again. “I was thinking,” she said lightly, “maybe you could come over tonight.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “For what?”
“Supper,” she said with a suggestive smile. “And… dessert.”
Connor’s expression didn’t change. “No, thank you.”
Sandra blinked but didn’t lose her beauty pageant smile. “What?”
“I said no.”
Her smile faltered. Good. Maybe she was finally getting the picture.
“Oh. Come on, Connor. Don’t be like that.”
She was not taking the hint. He didn’t answer.
Before she could push further, the bell over the door jingled again. Connor glanced up automatically. Bliss stood just inside the doorway, driving Sandra completely out of his mind.
Bliss’s hair was pulled into a messy braid, loose strands framing her face.
A baby sling was hung across her chest, with Nori’s head tucked against her shoulder.
Behind her, she maneuvered a double stroller through the doorway.
There could not have been a starker contrast between Bliss and Sandra, yet Bliss somehow still looked more beautiful.
Connor’s brain stalled for a moment before he noticed the babies again.
She had three babies, but every time he saw her, it hit him like it had the first time.
He’d been in the grocery store. Before she could spot him, he’d left his almost full cart in the aisle of the Piggly Wiggly and bolted out the door like he was a doofus kid.
Hell, even as a kid, he would’ve never done that.
His attention snapped back to Bliss’s face. Their eyes met. Surprise flashed across her features. Then something else. Something… softer.
And then her gaze landed on Sandra. The warmth vanished as if it had never been there. Bliss turned and hurried toward the bookstore side of the shop. Connor barely registered that Sandra was still jabbering away.
His focus was entirely on Bliss. On the soft sounds drifting from the other side of the shop. Bliss cooing gently, “Let’s look at the books, my sweet girls.”
Connor’s chest tightened. The coffee shop was still busy, but all he could think about were small giggles and babbling voices. At that moment, a brutal truth cut right through all the chatter and noise of the shop, and clean through Sandra’s unrelenting speech.
He still wanted her just as much as he ever did. But now she had three kids. Beautiful baby girls. What about them? He would be the worst thing in the world for them.
Connor’s jaw tightened. Nothing about her made sense. He knew from the night before that the youngest baby was hers by birth. There was no denying it. But what about Sadie and Sophie? Just thinking about it made him mad. She must have gotten pregnant the minute she went back to the compound.
If someone had told him she would have ever let the Society remove her contraception and pair her with one of the men there, he would have called them a liar. Yet there she was with a newborn baby plus two more.
Cold hit his chest when he thought of the other ways she could have gotten pregnant in that godforsaken compound. What if it hadn’t been her choice? What if they’d forced her?
His world was shifting, and for some reason, Sandra was still talking.
“…so you could come over around seven?”
“No.” He had no idea what she had just asked. The answer was still no.
She huffed. “You’re being rude.”
Connor didn’t respond, too lost in thought about Bliss.
Sandra tossed her hair dramatically. “Fine. I’ll just grab a drink at the counter and be on my way.” She sat there for a few seconds, evidently waiting to see if he would stop her. When he didn’t, she flounced toward the counter.
Connor leaned back in his chair. And listened. Bliss was talking again.
“Okay, sweet Sadie, you can look at this one.”
Happy squeals answered her. Connor closed his eyes briefly and smiled. Damn it.
A few minutes later, Bliss appeared on the café side again.
She maneuvered the stroller carefully through the tables. Connor noticed she hadn’t ordered anything for herself. Just a small plate with one pastry to split between the two older girls.
The place was packed, but this time he didn’t mind. Because he was a masochistic sonofabitch. The only empty table left was directly behind him. Perfect.
Bliss hesitated and seemed to come to that same conclusion. Sighing, she rolled the stroller over. Maybe it was the slight hint of her perfume that did it. He didn’t know, but Connor felt her presence like a physical thing.
He should talk to her. Explain why he’d walked out the way he had the night before. Just as he was pushing his chair back, Georgia and Tazzy sat down with her and slid a steaming mug toward Bliss.
“Herbal tea,” Tazzy said. “Because I know you’re watching your caffeine.”
“Thank you,” Bliss murmured.
Connor scooted his chair back up and picked up his notes again. Sitting so close, he would have to try hard not to listen. It was going to be almost impossible.
“So,” Georgia asked gently, “how are you handling things? The Musketiaras were talking about setting up a schedule to bring out meals and help you with the babies.”
Bliss’s face got that adorably confused look she always got before saying something awkward. He knew her every expression.
“Um, a musky what?”
Connor inhaled his coffee and choked, coughing and spilling his drink. All three women stared at him. Well, Georgia and Tazzy were glaring.
“Are you okay?” Bliss asked.
He thumped his chest and croaked, “Swallowed wrong. Sorry.”
Bliss’s eyes lingered on him in concern as Georgia drew her back into the conversation.
“Not musky. Musketiaras. It’s a sort of club. Most of us have Daddies at Sabre Security, but there are a few others. We have fun, and we always look out for each other. As soon as your life settles a bit, we plan on pulling you into our crew.”
Bliss’s voice was quiet. “That sounds awesome. I knew Winnie was one of you. I just forgot what the group was called. It, um… it may be a while before I can join you guys. Life is, you know, pretty hectic right now.”
From his table, Connor wondered how hectic it was. And why the hell did she sound embarrassed for needing help?
Tazzy didn’t miss a beat. “What can we do to help?”
Bliss shrugged and gave a forced laugh. “Take your pick of almost anything. It seems there’s always something important I miss or forget. When you have three babies under a year old, there is always something to do.”
Connor turned his head a little so he could hear better, knowing somehow that this was important.
“And what can we do to help?” Georgia repeated.
“I love my babies. I’d give up anything, do anything for them.” Bliss hesitated. “But if someone could be with them long enough for me to clean the house or buy groceries or take a bubble bath…that would be amazing.”
“It sounds like you need a Daddy,” Georgia said. “They are annoyingly overprotective about bucket lists, but they’re pretty awesome otherwise.”
Connor’s vision went red. The idea of another man living with her… helping with the babies, touching her… his hands curled into fists. He didn’t have the right to feel this way. He knew it. But that didn’t stop the surge of possessive anger.
Tazzy said gently, “The right Daddy could make all the difference, you know.”
Bliss made a small, helpless sound, her eyes finding Connor’s before darting away. “I wouldn’t even know where I’d start trying to find a Daddy now. No one wants a Little that comes with three babies to feed.”
“Oh, I’ll bet we could find someone just right for you,” Georgia said.
Connor shoved his chair back. He was done sitting there pretending he wasn’t listening. Like hell she was finding somebody else. He stepped over to Bliss’s table. All three women looked up at him.
Connor walked around the table to the empty chair. “Mind if I sit?”
Georgia and Tazzy exchanged glances. “We should get back to work,” Georgia said. “Come on, Tazzy.”
She grabbed Tazzy’s hand and dragged her back to the counter.
Connor dropped into the chair. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Connor forced himself to look at the babies. Two little girls sat in the stroller munching pastries. Another slept against Bliss’s chest.
Something tugged at his heart. A strange pull he’d never felt before. It unsettled him because it was a line he couldn’t cross. Not with his family history. He cleared his throat. “How's your day been?”
Bliss gave him a small smile. “Okay.”
“Girls look healthy.”
Bliss’s lips twitched. “They are.”
Silence stretched.
Connor finally said bluntly, “I overheard your conversation.”
Bliss shrugged her shoulders. “I figured.”
“Is it true?”
“What?”
“That you’re having a hard time handling everything by yourself.”
She looked down at her tea. “I feel like a total failure.”
Connor put his hand on her arm. “You’re not a failure. I don’t want to hear you say anything like that about yourself again. You are doing the best you can, and a damn sight better than most.”
Glancing at Sadie and Sophie, she whispered, “Language. That’s a nickel for the swear jar.”
A sharp voice cut in. “Well. Isn’t this cozy?”
Connor turned to see Sandra standing beside the table, her expression tight. Her hand landed possessively on Connor’s shoulder, making Bliss flinch.
Connor immediately shrugged Sandra’s hand off. “What do you want?”
Sandra blinked. “You used to like it when I was a brat. I always loved it when you punished me.”
“There’s a difference between being a brat,” Connor said coldly, “and being a bitch.”
Her jaw dropped for a second, but she recovered. Pasting her smile back in place, she said in a sing-song voice, “Whatever you say, Daddy.”
“That has been over for a long time,” he replied. “I’m trying to have a private conversation.”
“I heard.” No longer smiling, she turned to Bliss, putting on an exaggerated expression of concern. You might want to lower your voice, sweetie. But I get it, I mean, you don’t want everyone to know that you’re unable to care for your kids properly, right, Bliss?”
Connor slammed his hand on the table and stood. “That’s enough.”
The entire café went quiet. Sandra stared at him. “You’re taking her side?”
Was she crazy? “Of course I’m taking Bliss’s side. What you said was inexcusable, not to mention dead wrong. I want you to leave. Now.”
Her face twisted, and she shot Bliss a venomous glare. Without another word, she spun on her three inch heel and stormed out. The bell over the door jingled violently behind her.
Connor exhaled slowly, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.”
Bliss stared at the table. “It’s not your fault. You owe the swear jar another fifteen cents.”
He stared at her for half a second, then tilted his head back and laughed. This Little girl was perfect. “Swear jar, huh? Put it on my tab. And just so you know, she’s not right.”
Bliss’s voice was small when she answered. She dropped her gaze to the table and began to shred her napkin. “Maybe she is.”
Leaning forward, Connor tilted her face up to look at him. “Hey, you’re doing a good job.” Her eyes filled with tears, but he pressed on. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t need help.”
She looked back down as soon as he moved his hand. “Don’t you think I’d have that if I could afford to hire someone?”
“I didn’t say hire someone.”
“You implied it.”
Connor sighed. “Now you are being a brat.”
Bliss sniffed. “And you’re a big fat meanie with a big fat nosy nose.”
Connor blinked. Then he laughed again. He took the toy mirror from the girls’ stroller and held it so Bliss could see her reflection. “What do you see?” he asked.
She cut her eyes toward him, mischief emerging from her tears. “A brat?”
“Exactly.”
She crossed her arms. “Well… maybe I like being a brat.”
He leaned closer. “Maybe you do. But I have a cure for that.”
“Oh, really?” she asked. “Well, this is one brat that doesn’t have time to be one or get cured, for that matter.”
“That brings us back to the subject of you needing help.”
Her eyes narrowed, but he didn’t miss her shiver and the way her nipples pebbled. She delivered her best shot. “Are you volunteering to help, Mr. Nosy Nose?”
Connor opened his mouth and closed it. He tried again, opening his mouth and then closing it again. Then he shocked the absolute shit out of himself. “You bet, I am.”
Bliss stared at him. “If you meant that as a joke. It’s not funny.”
“It’s not a joke.” Now that he had said it, he knew he’d never been more serious.
She shook her head. “You’re insane.”
She stood and gathered her things. When she had everything situated, she said, “See you around, Mr. Nosy Nose,” and started toward the door.
“I meant what I said,” Connor called out after her.
She stopped at the door. In a perfect parody of Sandra, she winked and said, “Whatever you say, Daddy.”
She left him sitting there, wondering what the hell had just happened. What had he just signed himself up for? And why, even though he knew she’d called him Daddy in mockery, did it still make him feel so good?