Chapter 31 #4
The distressing prospect shot panic and adrenaline through her veins as she boarded the elevator. The adrenaline made her shaky, her fingers fumbling as she took out her phone and fired off a text to her sibling group chat.
We need to talk.
Noah responded first.
Hey. Are you okay?
She chewed her lower lip, internally freaking out but trying to sound calm. Before going undercover, she’d been instructed to keep all phone communications as cryptic as possible. Sometimes, like now, it was hard to remember the rules of being a double agent.
Can we meet? I have a few updates to share.
Kenneth chimed in, his frustration coming through loud and clear.
You have the worst timing in the world, El. I’ve been begging you for regular updates and you’ve blown me off. Now that I’m headed out of town, suddenly you’re feeling chatty???
Daniela shook her head as she typed her reply.
I told you I’d share when I’m ready.
Can it wait until Tuesday? I’m taking Janie and the kids to South Padre Island for the weekend. I promised her no phones, no work, no distractions.
Noah’s text popped up right after Kenneth’s.
I’m about to board my connecting flight to Lake Tahoe. But I can turn around and come back home if you really need me.
Daniela forked trembling fingers through her hair. Noah took an annual fishing trip to Lake Tahoe with a bunch of his cop buddies. Those weeklong male bonding expeditions were one of the few things he looked forward to outside of work.
Sorry I forgot about your trip, Noah. There’s no way I’d let you cancel. The three of us can touch base next week when everyone’s back. You guys have fun!
Kenneth and Noah liked her response as she exited the elevator on the top floor. She made her way down the hall to Caleb’s apartment, a ball of dread lodged in the pit of her stomach.
When she stepped through the door, she could hear the low rumble of Caleb’s laughter. She paused in the foyer and took several deep breaths to steady her nerves and shake off the unsettling encounter she’d just had.
When she felt composed enough to face Caleb, she tacked on a bright smile and headed into the living room where he was lounging on the sofa with his laptop.
He’d put on a white t-shirt and appeared to be on a FaceTime call.
She didn’t want to disturb him, so she set the stack of mail on the coffee table and signaled to him that she would be in the bedroom.
Before she could walk away, he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her down to sit beside him.
“I want you to meet someone,” he said, surprising her.
She looked at the laptop screen, which showed part of a luxurious home office with gray paneled walls and French doors overlooking a huge pool, the water shimmering in the sun.
“He’ll be right back.” Caleb brushed a stray curl away from her eyes and thumbed her bottom lip. “You were gone a while.”
“I know,” she said with a forced laugh. “I got into a long convo with one of your neighbors. She talked a hole in my head.”
Caleb chuckled. “A few culprits come to mind. What was her name?”
Panic dried Daniela’s mouth. “I didn’t actually catch her—”
“Sorry about that, bro,” a familiar deep drawl interrupted from the laptop. “I had to— Well, hello there.”
Daniela whipped her head around, staring at the man who’d appeared on the screen. Her jaw dropped. “Oh my God! You’re Brandon Chambers! Sorry, Senator Chambers,” she quickly amended.
“Call me Brandon.” His dimpled smile was downright disarming. “And you are?”
She must have looked momentarily tongue-tied because Caleb grinned. “Brandon, this is Daniela Moreau.”
He didn’t add She’s my girlfriend, nor did she expect him to. “It’s so nice to meet you, Brandon,” she gushed.
His smile deepened. “Likewise, Daniela.”
With his decadently rich dark skin, eyes the color of black olives, chiseled features and immaculate goatee, Brandon Chambers had to be the hottest man in history to ever prowl the halls of Congress.
His gorgeous face had graced countless magazine covers and cable news programs, even a few music videos.
Born into Texas royalty, he was a power broker, a relentless firebrand and, remarkably, he didn’t give her the ick like ninety-nine percent of politicians.
He seemed to be the real deal, a man of true conviction.
It wasn’t surprising that he and Caleb were such good friends.
“Brandon and I met in college,” Caleb told Daniela.
“That’s so cool.” She grinned. “That makes two of your college friends I’ve met so far.”
“Yeah?” Brandon said with lazy curiosity. “Who was the other one? Evander?”
“No, Stuart Epps.”
Brandon and Caleb looked at each other and cracked up.
Daniela’s grin widened. “Poor Stuart.”
“That’s what we used to say.” Chuckling, Brandon hitched his chin toward her baggy shirt. “You went to UT?”
“Oh no, this is Caleb’s. I’m just bandwagoning.” She made the Hook ’em Horns sign and immediately felt like a ditz. It wasn’t her fault, though. Between Caleb and Brandon, there was way too much testosterone-fueled hotness going to her head.
Brandon smiled at her. “Where you from, Daniela?”
“San Antonio.” She waited for him to ask how she’d met Caleb, but the question never came.
She wondered if he already knew, if he was only pretending not to know certain details about her.
She was trying not to read too much into Caleb’s insistence on introducing her to his good friend.
She told herself it didn’t mean anything, but a secret hope had taken root and was slowly, foolishly, starting to bloom.
She grinned at Brandon. “Are you enjoying your August recess from Congress?”
“Definitely.” He put his finger to his lips. “But shhh, don’t tell anyone.”
“Oh, I totally understand. If I were in Congress, I’d take as many breaks from that cesspool as possi—” She broke off, clapping a hand over her mouth. “Shit, I didn’t mean—”
Brandon and Caleb burst out laughing.
Mortified, she buried her face in Caleb’s shoulder, whispering too loudly, “This is why you can’t take me anywhere!”
He laughed harder and wrapped his arm around her, kissing the top of her head.
“Daddy!” a child squealed in the background.
Daniela looked around to see a handsome little boy clambering up into Brandon’s lap, giggling and wiggling as his father started tickling his ribs.
They were carbon copies of each other. Same beautiful skin tone.
Same melty dark eyes. Same irresistible dimples.
Brandon Junior was going to be a heartbreaker like his daddy, cliché be damned.
“Wassup, buddy,” Caleb said fondly.
The little boy beamed at the computer screen. “Hi, Uncle Caleb!”
Daniela’s heart melted. Uncle Caleb? Too stinkin’ cute!
Caleb grinned. “How you been, little man? Ready for pre-kindergarten?”
“Yeah! It’s gonna be fun!”
“Atta boy. That’s the right attitude.”
“Say hello to Miss Daniela,” Brandon told his mini-me.
He waved at her. “Hiii.”
“Hi, Brandon Junior,” Daniela said warmly. “So you’re starting pre-K? Does that mean you’re four?”
“Three,” he crowed, holding up the appropriate number of fingers.
“Goodness, you’re a big boy.”
“Yup.” He nodded. “Grandma says I’m gonna be tall like my daddy, Uncle Beau and Grandpa.”
“I bet you are.” Daniela grinned. “Maybe even taller. How about that?”
She could tell he liked the sound of that, but he glanced back at his father as if seeking permission to entertain such a possibility.
Brandon shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “It could happen.”
His son turned back to Daniela with a cheek-splitting grin and boasted, “It could happen.”
Everyone laughed.
“Grandma says we’re having a big party on Monday,” the little boy announced.
Brandon sent an amused look at Caleb and Daniela. “It’s a cookout.”
His mini-me snickered. “Grandma doesn’t like that word. She says it’s too…too”—He scrunched up his face, trying to remember the specific term—“basic.”
Brandon did a facepalm.
Caleb and Daniela laughed. Gwen Chambers was notoriously bougie. Of course she’d never host something as ordinary as a cookout.
“Are you coming to our party?” Brandon Junior asked Caleb.
“Not this time, little man. But I’ll see you soon.” Caleb smiled. “Where’s your baby sister?”
“Taking a nap with Mommy.” He pointed across the room to the open door. “Oh, there they go.”
“Hey, babe,” Brandon called over his broad shoulder. “Come here for a sec.”
A woman’s smoky voice could be heard in the background.
Moments later Tamia Chambers came to stand beside her husband, a drowsing baby cradled against her shoulder.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman with skin the color of caramel, sultry dark eyes, high cheekbones and naturally full lips.
Even after birthing two children, her Coke-bottle curves poured into yoga pants could still stop traffic.
Her stylishly layered black hair hung past her shoulders and flattered her face, and her nails were perfectly manicured and painted a pale pink.
She looked thrilled to see Caleb. “Hey, handsome,” she cooed affectionately.
“Wassup, girl.” He grinned at her. “How’s life in DC treating you?”
She laughed, squeezing Brandon’s shoulder. “Let’s just say it’s good to be back home in Houston.”
“I feel you.” Caleb took Daniela’s hand and linked their fingers, spreading warmth through her entire body. “Tamia, I’d like you to meet Daniela. Daniela, this is Tamia, the lady of the manor and Brandon’s better half.”
Daniela smiled at her, suddenly feeling weirdly shy. “Hello, Tamia. Nice to meet you.”
“You too, Daniela.” Her smile was genuine. “I love your hair. It’s gorgeous.”
“Thanks. Yours, too.” Daniela couldn’t resist adding, “I’ve seen you on magazine covers, and you’re even more stunning in person.”
“Aw, aren’t you sweet?” She winked at Caleb. “I like her already.”
“Yeah?” Caleb brought Daniela’s hand to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles. “Me, too.”
Pleasure tingled through her veins. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brandon and Tamia share a secret grin.
She didn’t know if they were reacting to Caleb’s PDA, or just being lovey-dovey.
They were clearly crazy about each other.
Anyone looking at them would never suspect that their relationship was once mired in a shocking scandal that nearly tore them apart for good.
When their napping three-month-old daughter stirred and lifted her head from Tamia’s shoulder, Brandon scooped her into his arms and kissed her noisily on the cheek while she gurgled adorably.
Her beautiful cinnamon complexion was somewhere between medium and dark.
With a halo of shiny black curls, big brown eyes, sweet round cheeks and cupid’s bow lips, she looked like a Gerber baby, like an actual living doll in a leopard print onesie and matching socks.
Brandon settled her on his lap and pointed to his computer screen. “Look, Tatiana. Who’s that?”
The baby followed the direction of his finger, homing in on Caleb. Her whole face lit up, and with a happy squeal, she lunged toward the screen, her chubby little fingers outstretched to Caleb.
“Hey, baby girl.” A broad grin split his lips as he lifted his hand to meet hers, laughing fondly when she gurgled a delighted greeting.
Daniela’s ovaries nearly burst at the cuteness overload. She gave them a minute to bond before cooing, “Hi, Tatiana.”
The baby’s eyes shifted to Daniela. Her delicate brow furrowed slightly and her lips puckered.
“Uh-oh,” Tamia joked. “I think someone’s jealous of Caleb’s girlfriend.”
Or she knows I’m a big fat liar. Babies have scary intuition.
“Sometimes she’s mean when she wakes up,” her big brother offered, trying to make Daniela feel better. “Daddy says Auntie Brooke was like that, too.”
Daniela gave the frowning newborn a hurt look. “You gonna do me like that, Princess Tatiana?”
The baby eyed her a moment longer and then cracked a tiny smile.
“Yay!” Daniela cheered with the others before Tatiana turned away, burrowing her face into her daddy’s shoulder.
Grinning, Brandon cuddled her closer, rubbing her little back and nuzzling the springy curls on top of her head.
When she started drooling and gumming his neck, he chuckled softly, his eyes glowing with tender affection.
Tamia grinned. “She’s probably hungry. I was about to feed her.”
“Speaking of food,” Caleb said, “Daniela and I were about to get some breakfast, so we’ll let you guys go do your thing.”
“It was great meeting you all,” Daniela told them.
“You too, Daniela,” Brandon said warmly.
“Look forward to seeing more of you,” Tamia added, dark eyes sparkling. “You and Caleb have an open invitation to visit us in DC. We’ll have a wonderful time.”
Daniela swallowed a pang of deep sadness and smiled enthusiastically. “I’d love that.”
After another friendly round of goodbyes, Caleb exited FaceTime, closed his laptop and set it aside.
Daniela sighed. “What an awesome little family.”
“They are,” Caleb agreed, smiling. “I’m glad you like them.”
“I really do. Brandon and Tamia are so down to earth, and their kids are super adorable. You’re great with them,” she added, smiling softly at Caleb. “You’re going to be an amazing father someday.”
“Think so?”
“Absolutely.”
He looked at her, those black-lashed eyes searching her face until she swallowed and glanced away.
“Do you want kids, Daniela?” His voice was quiet.
“I do,” she said, a touch wistfully. “With the right man, of course.”
“What does that look like to you? The right man, I mean.”
She met his gaze, and without intending to, she told him the unvarnished truth: “You.”
His expression changed, his eyes darkening, nostrils flaring slightly.
They stared at each other, heat spreading from her cheeks to her throat. His sudden intensity was overwhelming, and she found herself looking down, unable to hold his gaze a second longer.
“Caleb—”
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said in a low voice. “I ordered a lot of food for breakfast. We can eat on the terrace.”
The non sequitur brought her eyes back to his. “You already ordered?”
The corner of his mouth kicked up at her surprised tone. “Told you I would.”
She grinned. “Executive decision, huh?”
“I’m a Scorpio, remember?” Slowly he stood, giving her a mouthwatering eyeful of his tented gray sweatpants.
“Oh my.” Her insides went all shivery and hot. “Won’t our food be here soon?”
“Probably,” he rumbled, picking her up like a new bride, “but let’s take a shower first. I need you naked and wet right now.”
“I’m already wet,” she breathed in his ear. “Just get me naked.”