Chapter 9
9
N atalya studied the small apartment. It was clean and bright. Far better than her last apartment in Hondo.
“Are you sure you want to move in here?” Rogan asked as he placed a bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. “You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you like.”
Part of her longed to take him up on his offer. She felt somewhat safe in his house. But she couldn’t stay there forever. At some stage, she had to stand on her own two feet.
She shook her head. “You’ve already done so much for us. It’s time we got out from under your feet. We don’t want to cramp your style.”
Not that Rogan seemed to have much of a social life. It had been three weeks since Mateo was rescued, and although she was grateful to Rogan for opening up his house to them, she felt like it was time they moved on.
Much as the thought terrified her. Most days, she barely felt like she was holding herself together.
Rogan had assured her that the men who had taken Mateo were no longer a threat to Mateo or her. She guessed that meant they were dead. She couldn’t really work up any regret about that.
They hadn’t found her cousin. Or the woman who’d called in the false report about seeing a little boy by the lake.
Even though her cousin had betrayed her, Natalya didn’t want to see her harmed. She just wanted to put this whole nightmare behind her.
“I need to pay you some rent.”
Rogan owned this apartment building. He’d insisted that if she wanted to leave, she’d have to move into one of his apartments.
And that she wouldn’t be paying rent. But she couldn’t allow that. Or at least she felt better trying to protest.
“No, you don’t,” he said firmly. “You need to focus on looking after yourself and Mateo. Don’t worry about rent or utilities. I’ll take care of that. I’ll bring up the rest of the groceries.”
She should protest again, but the truth was, she didn’t have the money to pay her way. It was humiliating to rely on others for everything. But there was no way she could work at the moment. She told herself that Mateo couldn’t handle the separation, but in truth, she was the one who was struggling. She was the one who sat up night after night, just watching him sleep.
Calm. Breathe. You can do this.
Rogan had found them a counselor, but she just couldn’t bring herself to go. She’d ended up canceling every appointment.
I wish Aedan was here.
He’s working. There was a crisis in the London office. He’d be here if he could.
At least, that’s what she told herself. She wasn’t sure if she believed it. Oh, he’d offered to stay, but she was hardly going to beg him to stay when he was needed elsewhere.
Although she wasn’t entirely sure what he even did now. Something about investments, but it seemed like he had a lot going on and he didn’t need to be worrying about her.
Still, she hadn’t expected him to be gone this long. Sure, he’d called a few times, but their conversations had been stilted and awkward. She missed him horribly. What if this was his way of telling her he didn’t want her? That he’d changed his mind?
Natalya attempted to smile at Rogan as he placed a few bags of groceries down on the kitchen counter. She fought against the urge to beg Rogan to take them home with him. She couldn’t keep relying on him. They weren’t his responsibility. She was a mother. She had to be responsible, strong. That meant she couldn’t rely on others for everything. So on the surface, she tried to appear tough and independent.
But on the inside, she was screaming desperately for help.
“What are you doing?” Rogan asked, walking into the kitchen.
“Uh, getting a soda?” Wasn’t it freaking obvious? Aedan popped the tab and took a long drink. He felt like shit; itchy eyes, stomach bubbling with nausea, and a pounding headache. His body was telling him that he needed sleep, something that had become increasingly elusive during the last three weeks.
“It’s three in the morning and you’re going to rot your teeth, but that’s not what I meant.”
“Jeez, Dad, you got anything else you want to tell me off about?” He was not in the mood for a lecture.
Rogan stared at him grimly. “Yeah, I have. Where the hell have you been?”
“Working.” He’d thrown himself into his work in an attempt not to think about Natalya nor to remember how beautiful she was when she smiled or how sweet she smelled. How much he missed the feel of her in his arms.
“For three weeks?”
“I had some things to catch up on.” Not that he’d managed to get much work done.
“You’re an idiot.” Rogan rubbed his forehead tiredly.
“I’m out of here.” The last thing he needed was to have Rogan preaching at him. Couldn’t he see that Aedan was in a foul, fucking mood?
“Where are you going?”
“Home. Where there’s no one to nag me.” He shouldn’t have come here. He was in a crap mood and looking for a fight.
“Aedan.” Rogan reached out and grabbed his arm as he stepped past him.
Aedan swung around, forcibly pushing Rogan away. “Stop interfering in my damn life.”
Rogan held his hands up and took a step back, his face hard. “Far be it from me to tell the great Aedan Blake what to do. You selfish little prick.”
“What does that mean?” Fuck, his headache was getting worse. Maybe he should finish off the bottle of scotch in his luggage and fall into oblivion.
“It means you’ve got your head so far up your ass you can’t see what’s actually happening around you. You’re so busy feeling sorry for yourself that you’re going to end up a wrinkled old man of eighty trying to get it up, so he can fuck his twenty-year-old girlfriend, who’s only with him for his money!”
“Better than being a cold bastard whose dick is so frozen it would probably fall off the first time he stuck it in some warm pussy.”
A tic developed in Rogan’s cheek, and Aedan watched it with a sense of impending doom. What was he doing? Rogan was the only family he had left. His best friend. And here he was, trying to drive him away.
“I’m trying to help you,” Rogan gritted out. “God knows why. Why the hell haven’t you been answering your phone?”
“I was in the middle of a crisis.” Except he’d fixed that over a week ago. He’d lingered on in London, making excuses and avoiding phone calls.
“And that was more important than Natalya?” Rogan asked.
“Of course not. But I was giving her the space she needed.”
Natalya had never been far from his thoughts. So many times, he’d picked up the phone to call her only to talk himself out of it. Talking to her just made the distance between them more obvious. His gut had been screaming at him to return, but he’d ignored it, wanting to give her what she needed. Space.
Even if it was the last thing he wanted.
What if she didn’t want him anymore? Circumstances had changed, and her son had to come first. He just wished he knew where that left him.
He’d felt so useless. Unable to help her because Mateo didn’t want him near. The fact that she hadn’t asked him to stay had only worked to convince him that he’d made the right choice.
“How are Natalya and Mateo?” he asked.
You’d know if you’d talked to her, idiot.
I was giving her time. I was doing the right thing.
Christ, now he was arguing with himself. He really did need some sleep.
“Not good,” Rogan replied.
“What do you mean? Is she sick? Have you called the doctor?” He turned, prepared to run up to her room. He shouldn’t have stayed away this long.
Fuck.
What had he been thinking? Why did he allow her space? Why didn’t he bribe Mateo into liking him?
“She’s not here.”
Panic slammed into him, tearing at his insides as he turned back to Rogan. “What? Where has she gone? Not back to Hondo?”
“No, she’s still in San Antonio. I put her up in one of the apartments I own.”
“You kicked her out?” he asked incredulously.
Rogan gave him a dirty look. “Of course I didn’t fucking kick her out! But she couldn’t stay here forever, could she?”
“I was coming back!” Aedan said with frustration.
“When?” Rogan asked coolly. “How long was she supposed to wait? Did you tell her you were coming back?”
Bloody idiot. He hadn’t done any of those things.
“I was giving her space. It’s what she wanted.”
“Was it?” Rogan asked. “Do you really think that now was the time to leave her to face everything alone?”
“I thought she and Mateo needed time together. That she needed all of her focus to be on him. When I told her I had to leave on business, she acted relieved.”
“She probably thought you meant for a few days, not three goddamn weeks,” Rogan said with disgust. “Just because her focus was on Mateo doesn’t mean she didn’t need you. She probably needs you more now than she ever has!”
Shit. Had he actually made things worse for her? How the hell had he fucked up so bad?
“The kid doesn’t like me.”
“Oh, listen to yourself. He’s just been through a hugely traumatic experience. Of course, he doesn’t like you.”
“Exactly! And he doesn’t need to compete with me for his mother’s attention.”
“It’s not a goddamn competition. And he’s never going to like you if he doesn’t get to know you. He needs time to get used to you. Are you seriously going to reject them because Mateo isn’t your son?”
What the hell? “That’s not why I’ve been keeping my distance!”
“No? Does Natalya know that?”
Aedan breathed in deeply and forced his anger back, so he could think for a moment.
“She thinks I don’t want them?”
You left. What was she supposed to think?
“Fuck.”
“And finally, something gets through to him. You can’t just stand back and hope that one day she’ll come to you. You’ve got to fight for what you want.”
“And what if she doesn’t want a relationship now that the crisis is over? What if everything between us was just due to the circumstances? I’m not the man I was three years ago.”
“What? You mean the fact that you can be a grumpy asshole? You always tried to be whatever you thought people wanted you to be. It was fucking annoying. Give her a chance to know the real you. Stop letting the past blind you.”
“You’re a fine one to talk,” Aedan muttered without any heat. “When was the last time you let anyone close?”
“I don’t care about anyone like you care about Natalya.”
“Yeah? And what about Miller?” He enjoyed getting a bit of his own back. He was getting tired of Rogan being right all the time.
“There is nothing between me and Miller.”
“Then how come I heard that you’re moving her in with you?” Aedan asked.
Rogan scowled. “How’d you hear that?”
He shrugged. “Dylan called me.”
“Oh, so you’ll answer his calls. They wouldn’t let her out of the rehab center unless someone was willing to take responsibility for her.”
“I’m sure Tilly would have done that.”
“Miller wants to stay in the city. Drop this, Aedan.” A chill filled the room.
Even Aedan knew not to push his cousin too far.
“Fine, but just for the record, I think you’re a hypocrite and a sanctimonious, know-it-all bastard.”
“I try my best,” Rogan replied dryly.
Aedan felt a bit foolish standing on the doorstep with a teddy bear in one hand and a bunch of flowers in the other—like a scene from one of his cheesier movies. Only he’d never been this nervous when he was acting.
That was just pretend. This was all too real.
“Who is it?” she called out.
“It’s me, Natalya. Aedan.”
There was a long pause, and he wondered if she wasn’t going to let him in. He heard the sound of a deadbolt being flicked back and sighed with relief. Then another deadbolt was flicked and another. What the hell?
The door swung open, and his smile faded as he studied Natalya closely.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed. “Are you ill? Is it Mateo? Is he sick?”
She looked like hell. There was no nice way to put it. Her hair was a mess. Her clothes, which hung on her too-thin frame, were stained, and her face was pinched and pale.
“Aedan?” Her gaze widened. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check up on you.” Why the fuck hadn’t Rogan warned him? Well, he guessed he sort of had. “May I come in?” He didn’t wait for an invitation but just stepped inside the apartment, which was awash with toys. Building blocks lay strewn across the floor, there was a train set in the corner, and piles of books were spread over the sofa.
Mateo glanced up as Aedan walked in, panic growing on his little face. “Mama!”
“Here, baby.” Natalya slipped past Aedan and gathered Mateo close, ignoring his sticky, paint-covered hands.
Aedan checked the door. Just as he’d suspected, Natalya had already set the deadbolts. He counted them. Six.
Okay then. Aedan placed the teddy bear and flowers on the only open surface he could find, the kitchen counter. The apartment was an open plan with a U-shaped kitchen that ended in a breakfast bar. Large windows let in plenty of light, making the apartment seem larger than it actually was.
Aedan crouched down and smiled at Mateo, who was staring at him with mistrust. “I can see I didn’t need to bring any toys.”
“Rogan and the others went a bit crazy.” Natalya smiled.
Others? He pushed down the surge of jealousy.
“Oh?” He tried for nonchalance. “What others?”
“Cillian and his little boy brought over some of his old toys and clothes for Mateo, didn’t he, baby?” She flicked her hand through the boy’s dark hair, pushing it out of his eyes.
“Tex come and play?” Mateo asked.
“Not today. But I think he’s coming over next weekend for a few hours.”
“Playground?” Mateo asked hopefully.
Natalya shook her head and his shoulders slumped.
“Why can’t he go to the playground?” Aedan asked. “Is it too far to walk?” He should have arranged a driver for her. She didn’t need to be taking the bus. There were probably all sorts of crazies that used public transport. And germs. He bet there were a lot of germs. You’d have to be careful of that with a kid, right?
Damned if he knew.
“Oh no, the park is only two blocks over,” she explained.
“Can he not walk that far?” Did she need a stroller or something? He’d add that to the list of things she required. Like a cleaning service. Natalya had always been a little untidy, but nothing like this. The apartment was in a real state.
“He’s got plenty of energy. He can walk that far.”
Okay, what wasn’t he getting here? He wished he knew more about children. Was there a course or something he could take? He’d have to look into it, maybe get a tutor. He was a fast learner.
“This is an awesome train set, Mateo. I wish I’d had one of these as a kid.” He eyed Mateo, who was watching him with suspicion. Aedan could already feel himself sweating.
Stay relaxed. Stay cool.
He had money, power, and fame. And he was terrified of a two-year-old.
“Why don’t we play with the train, Mateo?” Natalya said, rescuing him.
Still watching him with distrust, Mateo grudgingly let Aedan touch his train set. Gradually, Mateo relaxed, and surprisingly, Aedan found he was actually enjoying himself. He stole a glimpse at Natalya, who was watching them both with a small smile. As soon as she saw him looking, her face closed down and she turned her gaze away, checking her watch.
“Mateo, it’s time for a nap now.”
Mateo glanced up with a frown, his lower lip coming out.
“No nap!” he announced.
Aedan opened his mouth to agree, but Natalya’s look of warning had him closing it again.
“Yes, nap,” Natalya said firmly. “You’ve been playing for over an hour, and it’s already past nap time.”
Mateo’s bottom lip stuck out farther and he folded his arms. Obviously stubborn like his mama.
“Hey, go have your nap, and when you wake up, you can show me your books,” Aedan suggested. “They look pretty cool.”
Mateo stared at Aedan, then his mother. Aedan was certain he was going to refuse. Then the little boy shrugged and took the hand his mother held out to him.
“Okay.”
When Natalya returned ten minutes later, her demeanor had grown colder. “I wish you hadn’t said that.”
“Said what?” he asked with surprise.
“That you would play with him when he woke up.”
“What? Why?” He needed to figure out this child stuff quickly if he was going to win both of them over. That is, if he could get Natalya to forgive him for being an idiot.
“Because he’ll nap for over an hour, and you won’t be here when he wakes up.”
“I won’t?” He raised his eyebrows.
“No, you won’t,” she said with frustration. “And I can fold my own goddamn laundry!” She snatched a pair of pants he’d been folding.
“Just trying to help. Looks like you’ve gotten a bit behind.”
She stared at him as though he’d slapped her. Shit, this was like navigating a damn minefield without a map.
“I might not be the best housekeeper, but I’ve been kind of busy taking care of Mateo.”
“Baby, that wasn’t a criticism. I just meant . . . ” Christ, way to fuck this up, man. “Natalya, if you needed help, you should have asked.”
“How? You haven’t exactly been available.”
He couldn’t argue that. His only excuse was that he thought he was giving her what she needed. In truth, he’d been patting himself on the back for being a martyr.
“I know. I’m sorry. Mateo didn’t seem to like me, and you needed to concentrate on him, so I figured it would be easier if I kept my distance. I really thought I was doing the right thing.”
She messily folded a T-shirt and threw it on the sofa.
He winced, restraining himself from picking it up and refolding it. “So I threw myself into my work. I thought I would just get in the way here, and that space was what you really needed. I never expected you to leave Rogan’s.”
“I couldn’t stay there forever. Bad enough I have to rely on him to pay for my apartment, but he shouldn’t have us under his feet.”
He knew how proud she was, how difficult it was for her to accept help from others. It should have been him helping her, supporting her. Not Rogan.
“I thought giving you some space was the best idea. I didn’t want to get in the way, to take away any attention from Mateo. If you needed me, then you should have told me. My old insecurities reared their head when you didn’t ask me to stay.”
There, he’d admitted his true feelings. She had to understand now.
“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She threw her hands up in the air. He wondered if she realized that she was holding a pair of lacy panties. “You said there was a problem in the London office, so of course I wouldn’t ask you to stay. But I didn’t expect you to be gone so long, and I certainly didn’t think you’d be so distant. Why wouldn’t you just talk to me instead of reading something out of nothing?”
“You’re right. I made a mistake. Several, actually. I don’t know anything about children and I didn’t want to make things harder for the two of you.”
“Even though I’ve had to concentrate on Mateo, that didn’t mean I didn’t need you.” She pointed at herself with the pair of panties. “It didn’t mean I wouldn’t have made time for you. Mateo would learn to like you in time. Children are resilient. They can overcome their fears far quicker than adults.”
It went off like a lightbulb in his head and he glanced over at the six deadbolts. “Is that what’s going on here, Lovely? Is your fear holding you hostage?”
She looked away from him and grabbed some more laundry to fold. Then she seemed to see that she was holding some panties and dropped them like they were burning her.
“Look, I’m kind of busy. Maybe it’s time you left.”
“Natalya, sit down,” he said firmly.
No way was he going anywhere.
She glared at him. “You never used to be this bossy.”
“I was. You just never saw that side of me.”
She didn’t answer, but she’d stopped pretending to fold the laundry. “What do you mean?”
“Remember how I talked about wanting to become an actor because I thought people would like and respect me if I was famous?”
She nodded, looking at him now.
“Over the years, I’ve realized that I don’t need to care about what other people think. That I’m happy just being me. Warts and all.”
“That’s good,” she said. “You shouldn’t hide who you are.”
“No. It took me a while to realize it, though. But I did.”
“Did you hide parts of yourself from me?”
“I was the happiest I’ve ever been when I was with you. That was me or who I thought I wanted to be, if that makes sense. I wanted everyone to like me. And so I thought I had to be fun and easygoing all the time. Most of all, I didn’t want to scare you off.”
“Aedan, I’m not the same person I was before. I’m tougher than you think I am, and I definitely don’t scare easily. I’ve also learned to control my temper better. I suppose we don’t really know each other at all anymore.”
“But I want to get to know you now. I’ve missed you so much over these past weeks. I’m so sorry for taking off. Can you forgive me?”
Silence greeted him.
“I promised Mateo I’d play with him when he woke up, and I want him to know that I always come through on my word. I want him to know he can depend on me.”
“Like I can depend on you?” she asked bitterly.
He deserved that. He cursed himself for being an idiot. “You can depend on me, Natalya. I fucked up, but I did it with the best intentions. I thought giving you and Mateo space was the best thing I could do for you. I want to be in your life. I want to have the right to look after you and Mateo, and I want to have the right to worry about you. I may not deserve it, but I’m asking for that chance. I know I’ve got a lot to make up to you, but I swear I won’t let you down again.”
“You can’t just disappear like that. I was all on my own . . . ” her voice trailed off.
Aedan pulled her into his arms, unable to take it any longer. He had to hold her. He was scum. A horrible person. Why had he left her?
“I’m so sorry. I will never do that again. I’m going to work on my communication. From now on, we’ll talk things through rather than making assumptions.”
“We’ve both made a muck of things, haven’t we? You forgave me for fucking up,” she said.
Aedan cupped her face in his hands. “This isn’t about things being even. It’s about me learning what the two of you need and doing everything in my power to provide it.”
“It goes both ways, Aedan. I need to give you what you need, and I’m not sure I have that in me right now. I mean, look at me. I don’t exactly have my shit together.”
He grinned. “Hey, if people only ever went into a relationship when they had their shit together, then the world would be a far less populated place.”
“I suppose so.” She leaned her head against this chest. “But I really don’t have things together. I haven’t left the apartment since we moved in here. I’m so scared.”
She peered up at him. “I hate how I feel, but I’m terrified of someone taking Mateo from me. I know it’s not fair to Mateo. He doesn’t understand. He wants to go outside, play at the park, and I’m keeping him locked inside. I spook at any little noise. I try not to let him see my fear, but I know he must sense it. I don’t want to raise him to be afraid, but I don’t know how to get over this.”
“Oh, Lovely.” Christ, how could he have let things get this bad? Rogan should have told him. Aedan ran his hand up and down her shaking back. He pulled her toward him, staring down into her haunted gaze. “We’re going to sort this out. I promise.”
“How?”
“First thing we need to do is find you a counselor. You need to speak to someone. Perhaps Mateo should see someone too who specializes in young children. Someone who has experience with these sorts of situations.”
“Rogan already found one for me, but I refused to go. I don’t know if I can talk to a stranger.”
“I’d like you to try,” he told her firmly. “You never know until you try, and I don’t like that you’re living in fear.”
Natalya sighed and nodded. “I suppose you’re right. I need to try.”
“Also, I think you should move in with me.”
She stiffened in his arms.
“Not as lovers, but as friends. We went through things backward. We need some time to get to know each other again. I want to get to know you, Natalya. I want to know Mateo. Plus, I think you could use a friend right now.”
She bit her lip.
“And so could I,” he added.
“You?” she said with surprise. “But everyone likes you.”
“I don’t have a lot of genuine friends. Most people see me as a fun-loving playboy. Only those really close to me see the real me. Move in with me. I have a high-tech security system, a security guard, and a large fenced yard that Mateo can play in.” Not that he wanted to give her a bigger place to hide out from the world, but he wanted her close, where he could keep an eye on her and Mateo.
“I need to talk to Mateo first. Maybe he could get to know you a bit better before I make that decision?”
“Whatever you think is best. You’re the expert. I know nothing about children.” He would need to learn quick, though. Winning Mateo over was an integral part of his plan to make them a family. If there was one thing that had become crystal clear while he’d been apart from Natalya, it was the fact that he loved her.
“Nobody does when they first have a child. It’s trial by fire. You’re handed this tiny baby and just expected to know what to do with them.”
That sounded absolutely terrifying.
And she hadn’t had any help. His heart hurt for her.
“Listen, why don’t you go take a long shower and relax for a bit?” he suggested. He wanted to help her relax. “I’ll listen for Mateo.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. He could have a nightmare.”
“Does he have them a lot?” Poor kid. Who could blame him?
“Yes, but usually at night. And he doesn’t have as many as he did in the beginning.”
But he bet they were terrifying. No wonder Natalya looked as though she hadn’t slept well in weeks.
“Go on,” he urged. “If I hear him, I’ll come running to get you.”
“Are you trying to tell me I stink?” She gave him a faint smile.
“Not at all,” he replied smoothly. “You always smell wonderful to me.”
She snorted. “Charmer.”
Aedan waited until she left the room to pull out his cell phone and call Rogan.
“You could have warned me,” he snapped as his cousin answered.
“Hello to you too.”
“Why didn’t you tell me how bad things were?” Aedan demanded.
“Because you haven’t been here. What point would there have been in telling you when you were halfway across the world?”
“I would have come back.”
“I was kind of hoping you’d both come to your senses on your own. When neither of you made the first move, I realized I needed to nudge you in the right direction. I don’t like to interfere in other people’s lives.”
Sure, he didn’t. What a liar.
Natalya stared at herself in the mirror. She looked terrible. Scraggly hair hung around her drawn face in clumps. Her dirty, ripped clothes were going straight into the rubbish. No wonder Aedan insisted she’d have a shower. She sniffed under an armpit. Yep, she stunk. It was official. She’d hit rock bottom. She wouldn’t blame him for running the other way.
His absence had hurt her. Part of her had wondered if it was his way of punishing her for leaving him. Tit for tat. But Aedan was a better person than that.
She’d spiraled into a hole she couldn’t climb out of. Not taking care of herself, devoting her every waking moment to Mateo and his needs, and long nights of lying awake, worrying, stressing, and jumping at every little sound. She’d gotten to the point where she was too scared to shower in case someone snuck into the apartment.
But with Aedan standing watch, she could relax a little.
And maybe it wouldn’t hurt her to eat better. She stared at her protruding hip bones and grimaced. She looked skinnier than those waiflike models Aedan had dated. Maybe he’d find her more attractive like this?
No, he’d always loved her curves.
She stepped into the shower. What did it matter anyway? Her libido had died a fast death, whittling away to nothing.
When she emerged from the shower, she felt like a new woman. Wrapping a towel around herself, she wandered into the bedroom and found some clean, nearly wrinkle-free clothing. Dressed and still toweling her hair dry, she walked into the living area and came to an abrupt stop.
“You didn’t have to clean up,” she told Aedan, feeling embarrassed.
“I needed something to do,” he replied with a shrug. “I’ve put your clothes over here, and Mateo’s are on the kitchen counter. Do you have a comb?”
“Ahh, yeah, it’s in the bathroom.”
“Go get it. I’ll comb your hair.”
She shook her head. “That’s not necessary.”
“Natalya,” he replied in a stern voice. “Go get your comb and bring it here.”
Feeling surprised, she found herself going to get the comb without a thought. Then she returned and found some sass as she handed it back to him. “Here you go, oh master of the universe.”
“Just master will do,” he replied with a wink from where he sat on the sofa. He took the comb and pointed at the floor between his legs. “Sit.”
“Woof. Woof.”
“Good doggy. You know, you’d look cute with some little ears and a tail. I could put you on a leash and teach you to heel.”
She sprang to her feet and glared at him, pointing her finger. “You try to put a leash on me and I’ll bite your balls off.”
He cupped his crotch, looking at her reproachfully. “Aww, no need to threaten the family jewels.”
With a snort, she turned and sat. “Family jewels . . . right. As if you have anything that fifty percent of the world’s population doesn’t have.”
“I’ll have you know that my family jewels are of a very fine quality.”
“Seen a lot of other men’s junk, have you?” she asked.
“Well, not men. But I did go to boarding school for six years.”
“You did? When?” she asked. That was the first she’d heard of it.
“When we lived in Ireland. Before my father lost his job and we moved to the States.”
“You must have been young.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
She couldn’t even imagine sending Mateo away.
“Don’t you like what I have?” he asked, in a clearly disgruntled voice as he worked the comb through her hair.
She patted his leg, glad he couldn’t see her grin. Men were so easily upset when they thought you were disparaging their package.
“Of course I do. You’ve got the finest family jewels in this apartment.”
“Hey!” he protested.
“Mama? What you doin’?” a sleepy voice asked.
“I’m combing your mama’s hair,” Aedan replied, placing his hand on her shoulder as she went to move.
Mateo stared at them curiously. She should get up and go to him. Was he scared? Upset?
Was getting involved with Aedan really the best idea?
But Mateo just shrugged and moved over to the blocks. “Okay, but after you’ve finished, you’re going to play with me, right?”
“Right,” Aedan said calmly. “As soon as I’ve finished brushing Mama’s hair, I’m all yours.”
Maybe things would work out. Maybe.