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Authors: Nancy Gideon
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comments about my crabgrass.”
Cale grinned, winking slyly. “Thanks for the recommendation.”
There was just enough gleeful malevolence in his expression for the very human Babineau to remember who and what he was. His smile faded.
Kendra thumped her mate’s hard, if empty, belly. “Stop that.” Then for their host, added, “He’s just kidding.”
“I knew that,” Alain claimed, only a touch of uneasiness lingering.
Kendra hauled Cale inside to whisper, “Don’t forget what he is,” to which Cale replied, “I don’t want him to forget what I am in case he decides to mistreat my sister and nephew.”
There was no amusement in his tone.
“Bathroom’s over here.” He led her down a narrow hall then turned her abruptly up against one of the closed doors. He leaned close, body pressing into hers, features dynamic with intensity. “I want this, Kendra. I want what they have.”
Her heart leapt, but she kept her response light. “A nine-to-five, a mortgage in the suburbs, and dishes in the sink?”
He huffed in kingly disdain. “Don’t be ridiculous. This!” He made an abstract gesture. “You feel it. I know you do. The sense of closeness, of a real family. We had those dreams once, and they were torn away from us. I want it back, Katy.”
She swallowed hard, her hand touching his face. “I want it, too.”
He pulled a big breath and urged gruffly, “I want to make babies with you.”
“Aw, geez,” interrupted a tall, lanky youth as he exited the bedroom opposite. “Not right here in the hallway, please. There are kids present.”
Cale gave an explosive laugh to break the tension and pulled the boy into a rough headlock. “Your timing sucks, little man.” Cale let him straighten, but didn’t let him go as he put his other arm around the blushing Kendra. “Ozzy, this is my queen, that sunrise I was telling you about.”
He smiled a bit shyly. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
At the sound of the slider opening, a delicious smell intruded. Cale drew it in noisily. “I’m starving. If I can’t have what I really want, I’ll have to settle for second best.”
“You are so embarrassing,” Oscar exclaimed, wriggling free.
“I’m an education.”
Ozzy laughed at his uncle’s boast. “I don’t think that’s the kind of schooling my mama would approve of before I’m old enough to drive. Wash your hands while I try to wash out my mind.”
Cale grinned. “Good luck with that.”
Oscar smiled at Kendra. “You must be a saint to put up with him.”
“That’s what I’ve been hearing.”
Cale steered her toward the bathroom to Oscar’s wry, “Leave the door open, or we’ll never get dinner.”
“Wiseass kid.”
Kendra angled up to the sink beside him to smile at their reflections. “He’s cute. They all are.”
“One big happy family.”
So why didn’t either of them really believe that?
*
Dinner went well, the food excellent, the conversation animated and centered mainly around Oscar. All too soon, Cale pushed back from the table to thank their hosts.
“That was great. Haven’t had a meal this good since I lived with my momma. Hate to break things up but I’ve got to meet with my brothers tonight and I need to get Kendra back to the hotel.”
Kendra wasn’t quick enough to hide that this was news to her. Unwelcomed news, at that.
“It’s still early,” Tina interjected. “Kendra, why don’t you stay. Alain can take you into the city when he goes to work. I hate to think of you alone in a hotel room.”
She hated the thought of it, too.
Cale shrugged. “Fine with me, if it’s no bother.”
“And I can help you clean up,” Kendra offered.
“Oh, that isn’t necessary,” Tina insisted, “but the company would be wonderful.”
Cale stood. “Walk me out, baby.” As Kendra rose, he bent to touch a kiss to his half-sister’s brow. “Thanks for having us over. It’s nice to do normal things.” No one questioned his meaning. He
Cale grinned, winking slyly. “Thanks for the recommendation.”
There was just enough gleeful malevolence in his expression for the very human Babineau to remember who and what he was. His smile faded.
Kendra thumped her mate’s hard, if empty, belly. “Stop that.” Then for their host, added, “He’s just kidding.”
“I knew that,” Alain claimed, only a touch of uneasiness lingering.
Kendra hauled Cale inside to whisper, “Don’t forget what he is,” to which Cale replied, “I don’t want him to forget what I am in case he decides to mistreat my sister and nephew.”
There was no amusement in his tone.
“Bathroom’s over here.” He led her down a narrow hall then turned her abruptly up against one of the closed doors. He leaned close, body pressing into hers, features dynamic with intensity. “I want this, Kendra. I want what they have.”
Her heart leapt, but she kept her response light. “A nine-to-five, a mortgage in the suburbs, and dishes in the sink?”
He huffed in kingly disdain. “Don’t be ridiculous. This!” He made an abstract gesture. “You feel it. I know you do. The sense of closeness, of a real family. We had those dreams once, and they were torn away from us. I want it back, Katy.”
She swallowed hard, her hand touching his face. “I want it, too.”
He pulled a big breath and urged gruffly, “I want to make babies with you.”
“Aw, geez,” interrupted a tall, lanky youth as he exited the bedroom opposite. “Not right here in the hallway, please. There are kids present.”
Cale gave an explosive laugh to break the tension and pulled the boy into a rough headlock. “Your timing sucks, little man.” Cale let him straighten, but didn’t let him go as he put his other arm around the blushing Kendra. “Ozzy, this is my queen, that sunrise I was telling you about.”
He smiled a bit shyly. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
At the sound of the slider opening, a delicious smell intruded. Cale drew it in noisily. “I’m starving. If I can’t have what I really want, I’ll have to settle for second best.”
“You are so embarrassing,” Oscar exclaimed, wriggling free.
“I’m an education.”
Ozzy laughed at his uncle’s boast. “I don’t think that’s the kind of schooling my mama would approve of before I’m old enough to drive. Wash your hands while I try to wash out my mind.”
Cale grinned. “Good luck with that.”
Oscar smiled at Kendra. “You must be a saint to put up with him.”
“That’s what I’ve been hearing.”
Cale steered her toward the bathroom to Oscar’s wry, “Leave the door open, or we’ll never get dinner.”
“Wiseass kid.”
Kendra angled up to the sink beside him to smile at their reflections. “He’s cute. They all are.”
“One big happy family.”
So why didn’t either of them really believe that?
*
Dinner went well, the food excellent, the conversation animated and centered mainly around Oscar. All too soon, Cale pushed back from the table to thank their hosts.
“That was great. Haven’t had a meal this good since I lived with my momma. Hate to break things up but I’ve got to meet with my brothers tonight and I need to get Kendra back to the hotel.”
Kendra wasn’t quick enough to hide that this was news to her. Unwelcomed news, at that.
“It’s still early,” Tina interjected. “Kendra, why don’t you stay. Alain can take you into the city when he goes to work. I hate to think of you alone in a hotel room.”
She hated the thought of it, too.
Cale shrugged. “Fine with me, if it’s no bother.”
“And I can help you clean up,” Kendra offered.
“Oh, that isn’t necessary,” Tina insisted, “but the company would be wonderful.”
Cale stood. “Walk me out, baby.” As Kendra rose, he bent to touch a kiss to his half-sister’s brow. “Thanks for having us over. It’s nice to do normal things.” No one questioned his meaning. He
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