Chapter 17
When Matti was sure Sam was asleep, she eased out of bed.
Ryan was in the living room watching a basketball game with the volume down low.
He’d finally convinced Sam that the couch was the best place to sleep so that he could guard the front door.
The pillow and blanket she’d brought him were still stacked on the corner of the couch.
Because he hadn’t intended to spend the night, he hadn’t brought anything to sleep in. Occasionally, one of her brothers would spend the night, and she had sleep pants and T-shirts one or the other had left. He looked really good in them… Okay, really sexy.
“Hey,” she said as she sat, not touching him but close enough she could feel his heat. She had on her favorite soft pajama pants and a T-shirt. She probably should have put on a bra, but whatever.
“Our boy asleep?”
She liked how he said our boy. “Finally. He asked a dozen times if I was sure the mean men wouldn’t come. Then, if they did, would you be able to make them leave?”
“Let’s hope Wyatt finds these men soon so Sam can feel safe.”
“Cal’s working on the case, too, and who knows, Dylan might be. He’s FBI, and we’re never sure what he’s involved in.”
“So you have a firefighter, a sheriff, a police detective, and an FBI brother?”
“Yep. And let me tell you, it’s been a lifelong dream to be constantly outnumbered by armed men with trust issues.”
He laughed. “I don’t think I envy your big family after all.”
“And don’t forget I also have a mayor foster brother.”
“Right. And then you have a sister. I think your dad once told me she’s an attorney?”
“Yes, Kelly. She’s a defense attorney, so you can imagine the arguments she and my cop brothers have. All in good fun, though.”
“It’s great that your family’s close.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“I noticed that only Jon and Emily call you Matilda. It’s an old-fashioned name, but I like it.”
“Eh, it’s okay. It was my grandmother’s name. I think I look more like a Matti than a Matilda.”
“What you look like is kissable. Want to make out like lusty teenagers?”
He waggled his eyebrows, making her smile. “I do. I really do.”
“Then come over here, Matti.”
He had a way of saying her name that sounded intimate, as if she was special to him.
She scooted over, and he took her hand and tugged her onto his lap.
He stared into her eyes for a moment before slipping his hand around the back of her neck and pulling her toward him.
Her heart fluttered as their lips touched, his warm breath mingling with hers.
Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss that he quickly deepened. She’d never been kissed so passionately before, and he lit a fire inside her, the likes of which she’d never felt before him. When they pulled away, breathless and flushed, she wondered if he felt it, too, whatever it was.
“I need more of that,” he said as he brought his hands to her cheeks.
“Yes, more,” she agreed right before their mouths met again.
When he broke away, he leaned his head back, and his eyes locked on hers.
Although brown, they were far from ordinary.
They were the color of rich dark honey, so beautiful and intense when looking at her.
The heat in them mesmerized her. She could lose herself in them.
“I want you like crazy, Matti, but tonight’s not the time for us. There’s a little boy in your bed, and if he wakes up and comes looking for you, I don’t think it’s a good idea for him to find us naked.” He grinned. “All three of us would be traumatized.”
“So traumatized. I walked in on my parents once when they were naked and doing it.” She gave an exaggerated shudder. “I’m still not over it.”
“I think every child has that happen at least once growing up. I was six. Old enough to know something strange was happening, but too young to know exactly what. I thought maybe they had taken their clothes off because they were going to take a bath. My parents didn’t look me in the face for a week. They were more traumatized than I was.”
She laughed. “Well, since I don’t want Sam having that kind of story about us, I’ll head back to bed.”
“Give me a kiss first,” he said, that hunger she’d seen in his beautiful eyes back. “Then send me off to wonderland where you’ll be the star in my dreams.”
“The man’s a poet.”
“Only for you, I think.” He brought his hand to her face, then trailed his fingers down to her throat, and then to the back of her neck.
His touch was sensual, a word she’d never thought before when with a man. She moaned as he deepened the kiss, explored her mouth, tasted her. She could become addicted to kissing him. Before she was ready for him to, he pulled away.
“Go to bed, Matti, before I decide I don’t care if we end up traumatizing us all.”
“I hope I really do star in your dreams. Good night, Ryan.” She slid off him and walked to her bedroom with a smile on her face.
The smile disappeared at seeing an empty bed. She turned and went to the guest room, where Sam had been sleeping. He wasn’t there either. She ran back to the living room.
“Ryan, Sam’s missing!”
“What?” He jumped up. “He has to be in the house. To leave, he’d have to pass us to get to the front or back door.”
They looked everywhere but couldn’t find him. Her panic that he’d been somehow taken grew. “Did they take him?”
“All the windows and doors are still locked, so no. He’s here somewhere.”
He might think that, but there was panic in his voice, too, and that didn’t help her fear that the men had somehow found a way to get in her house and take him.
“Sam,” she called. They went into each room and called his name. In her bedroom, she tried again. “Sam! Where are you?”
“Matti?”
“Under the bed,” Ryan said.
She dropped to her knees and peered under the bed. “Sam, what are you doing under here?” She reached her hand to his. “Come out of there.” When he scooted out, she said, “Why were you under the bed?”
“I woke up and you were gone. I thought the mean men took you.”
“Oh, sweetie.” She hugged him. “The mean men aren’t coming here. I promise.” She prayed that was true. “I just got up for a few minutes. You have to go to the bathroom or want some water before we go back to bed?”
“No.” He lifted his gaze to Ryan. “I want you to stay in here, too. I won’t be scared if you’re here.”
That was how Matti found herself in bed with the first man in a long time she actually wanted to be in bed with. She just hadn’t expected it to happen with a little boy between them.
Matti could have sworn she’d bought Pop-Tarts when she’d shopped yesterday morning. She could even visualize putting them in the pantry. They weren’t there today, though.
Sam had seen an ad for them on TV. “Are those good?” he’d asked.
“I haven’t had any in a long time, but I remember them being good.”
“Can we get some? I never had them before.”
“Sure.” Maybe she was imagining something that had never happened.
“Why are you standing there, staring into the pantry?” Ryan asked, coming into the kitchen.
“Could’ve sworn I bought Pop-Tarts.” She glanced over her shoulder, and jeez, a barefoot Ryan in the morning with his hair all mussed and sexy, and still wearing the sleep pants and T-shirt she’d given him, was a mighty fine sight.
Seeing that first thing in the morning made for a perfect start to her day.
He came to stand next to her. “Want me to go get some?”
“Thanks, but no. It’s no big deal. Sam said he’d never had them, so I was going to toast him a couple for breakfast. They’re not healthy, so maybe it’s for the best.”
“You know what is healthy?”
“Vegetables.”
He chuckled. “Not what I had in mind.”
The way he’d lowered his voice and the intimate tone got her attention. “No?”
“No. A good morning kiss before the invasion of a six-year-old is what I had in mind.”
She turned toward him. “How is that healthy?” Not that she objected to more kissing.
“It gets the adrenaline going, makes the heart beat faster, and as a doctor, I can assure you kissing is good medicine.”
“Ah, a kissing prescription. How many times a day do I need a kiss, Doctor?” They were being silly, but she liked it. She didn’t mean to keep comparing him with the men who came before him, but it was hard not to. He was just so different, so much better.
“I recommend at least a dozen.” He put his hands on her shoulders and lowered his mouth to hers.
This kiss was different from the passionate ones last night. His lips were soft and gentle against hers, filled with a sense of tender affection.
“Best medicine ever,” she said when he pulled away.
His eyes locked on hers. “I think another dose is necessary, just to be sure.”
“Matti?” Sam called. “Where are you?”
She sighed, disappointed there would be no more kisses this morning. “In the kitchen.”
Ryan stepped back. “The doctor will reschedule your next treatment, Miss Colton. When there are no outside distractions.” He winked, then picked up Sam as he ran into the kitchen. “Did you brush your teeth this morning, Sam my man?”
“No.”
“Then let’s go do that.”
Matti smiled at their backs. Ryan was going to make a great father someday. Her smile fell at the thought of him kissing some faceless woman and having her babies.