Sierra #2
“I think that would be good,” she said. “They all love you, Rich. Elijah said he wished you were his daddy.” She paused and shook her head, kicking herself for saying that aloud.
What was wrong with her? That kind of talk could scare him off.
“His dad was gone from our lives right after he was born. He doesn’t remember him.
You’ve been the only constant in his life. ”
“That’s definitely his sperm donor’s loss. He’s a great kid. They all are.”
“Are you planning to stay-over tonight after you tuck them in?” she asked.
Burke would love to. In this room, holding her.
He couldn’t deny to himself that he was attracted to her as a woman as well as be attracted to the family as a whole.
Every time he was with them, those feelings surged.
Keeping it mostly platonic between them was one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
But just maybe he didn’t need to keep it that way any longer.
Maybe after the kids were in bed would be the perfect time to have that conversation with her.
“I’d like to, if you don’t think your mom would have a problem with it.”
Donna chuckled at that. “Rich, you do realize I have three kids? It’s not like I’m a fifteen-year-old virgin my mom needs to protect. Besides, she knows you stay at my place when you come out to see us, though I don’t think she buys that you sleep on the couch.”
Rich chuckled. Then he pulled her in close again, and his lips brushed over hers. It was a quick kiss. “I’m glad you’re here. Phone calls and videochats are good, but I did miss being in the same room with you.”
Donna gazed into his eyes, surprised by his words.
Could this visit be different from the others when it came to their relationship?
Every time she dared to hope, she was left disappointed.
“Me too, but I am glad we have the calls and videochats when you’re away.
” She reached up and initiated another kiss.
Burke allowed himself to get lost in the moment. He deepened the kiss. It was as erotic as well as emotional; the feelings the kiss expressed were more than just desire. The kiss lasted for several pleasurable minutes. When he pulled his lips from hers, Burke would not deny that he was aroused.
“Shopping, lunch.” He flashed a smile at her.
“Shopping, lunch,” she repeated with a smile, eager to spend alone time with him.
Her mom, of course, agreed to watch the kids.
There was plenty of food in the refrigerator and freezer that she could heat up for the kids and herself for lunch.
The kids were disappointed that Rich would be going out until he wrote down their Christmas lists so he could go shopping.
He promised he and their mom would be back in the afternoon and they’d spend the rest of the day together.
He’d tuck them into bed, and he also promised he’d be there when they woke up in the morning.
Donna sat beside him in his car, trying not to read too much into this outing.
She’d like to think of it as a date, but was it?
Had any of the time they’d ever spent together been something to consider as a date?
The only relationship he’d ever affirmed was friendship.
She was surprised when he took hold of her hand and held it as they walked into the store.
He only let it go when he grabbed the shopping cart, as he needed two hands to push it. She fell into step beside him.
Staring at the shelves of toys, Donna could see Rich was overwhelmed.
They’d discussed the kids’ lists as they drove.
Some of the items she or her mom had already bought.
A few of the things on them wouldn’t ship well, and they had no room to bring them home on the plane.
And a couple of items, Rich said he didn’t want to give them, but he hadn’t said why.
Donna pointed to the list, specifically the Lego sets the boys had recited. “These would work. You could put them together with the boys and then disassemble them, and we could ship the box home if it doesn’t fit in the suitcase.”
“I’d love to give them that climbing gym they want.” Burke said. “They’d all play with it. And then I could get them each something small as an individual gift.”
“The box for that thing is huge. It would cost a fortune to ship home. Besides, we’d have to keep it at my mom’s house. I can’t keep anything like that outside of my place and it’s too big to have inside.”
Burke knew he was warming up to the idea of her living with him.
He’d love to provide a house with a yard for the kids.
Even if it was just the small backyard of a townhouse like the one Wilson lived in.
He and Rae had put in a small swing set in their backyard for Lilly, and they still had space for a table and chairs.
Until they had a much bigger conversation, the climbing gym would have to wait.
He selected the Lego sets the boys wanted and the Disney Princess dress-up box Jeriah wanted.
He didn’t think it was enough though. He wanted to get each of the kids another gift, but Donna assured him more was not necessary.
Donna sat across the table from him at the restaurant. Rich seemed distracted or uncharacteristically restless. “Is anything wrong?”
“No.” He knew, though, that he was still preoccupied with the mission.
“You seem worried or distant,” she said.
“Not at all,” Rich said. He reached across the table and took hold of her hand.
“Not at all,” he repeated once he held her hand.
He was thoughtful for a moment. He’d never talked with her about how he felt after a mission, but felt the need to today as he was considering if it was possible for them to have a relationship deeper than friendship.
“I’m still coming down from the last case.
Sometimes it’s hard to purge work from my thoughts.
That’s one reason I like spending time with you and the kids.
You remind me that not everything is that reality.
Just spending time with you and the kids helps me disconnect from the job and focus on something more important, like the kids, you, and normal life. ”
Warmth filled Donna. He referred to her and her kids as something important. That was quite a statement. He’d never expressed that sentiment to her before. “I know you can’t tell me about what you did at work last week, but was it more intense than usual? Is that why you’re feeling this way today?”
“No. Some cases are horrendous, and it takes a day or two to purge the remaining thoughts and feelings. This wasn’t one of those.
I’m sure by the time we get back to the kids I’ll have it properly tucked away and if I don’t, once I start to interact with them, the job will be gone from my thoughts.
” He smiled. “One of my buddies said that he doesn’t understand how focusing on the kids brings me peace, but it does. ”
“I’m glad spending time with them does that for you,” she said.
“And you’re good with them. They get a lot out of the time they spend with you, too.
” She was encouraged that he was confiding so much in her, even if his peace was brought by the kids and not her.
Again, a small wave of disappointment hit her.
Was he really expressing any feeling for her beyond friendship?