by Lori Foster
“In the bathroom. I’ll just go get him…”
Nicki, who didn’t like to be ignored, stepped forward and mimicked Sam’s pose by crossing her arms over her chest and bracing her feet apart.
Both men stared down at her.
Clearing her throat, Anabel said, “Nicki, these are your uncles, Pete and Sam. They’re your daddy’s brothers.”
“Daddy’s brothers,” Sam repeated, somewhat poleaxed.
Pete nudged him with an elbow. “Uncle Sam. Now ain’t that a kicker?”
Anabel urged Nicki forward. “You want to say hi to them, rat?”
Nicki scrunched up her face, thinking about it for some seconds before saying, “’kay.” She marched forward—and sat on Sam’s foot. “You do the horsie.”
“Do the—?” Sam looked at Anabel for help.
Pete started snickering uncontrollably while Anabel rushed to explain. “She rides on my foot sometimes. It’s a game we play.”
Sam said, “Oh,” while standing there with that one leg stuck out comically, as if he feared he might hurt her if he moved.
Gil chose that moment to appear. He was freshly shaved, smelled wonderful, and wore only jeans. He scooped Nicki up with a grin. “You’re terrorizing my brother, sweetheart. Look at him.”
“I want pancakes.”
“All right.” Gil tucked her up against his hairy chest and turned to Anabel. “Why don’t you go do…whatever you have to do and I’ll take the brood into the kitchen.”
That sounded like a fine idea to Anabel. Not only was she hung over from too much sex the night before, but now she had two family members to face. “Do you think you could produce some coffee?” Caffeine would hopefully kick-start her thinking processes.
“It’ll be ready when you are.”
As Anabel made her escape, she heard Nicki ask, “Are you as whiskery as Daddy?” She didn’t know which brother Nicki addressed, and she didn’t wait around to hear the answer.
What would Gil’s brothers think of her? She was an interloper, a deceiver, and now a seducer. She knew she loved Gil, that she’d been in love with him almost from the day she’d met him. But they didn’t know that.
In record time, Anabel washed her face, brushed her teeth, applied her makeup, and chose clean jeans and her most conservative tee to wear. Barefoot, she hurried back to the kitchen. She’d barely been gone ten minutes.
Sam and Pete were sitting at the table and Gil was at the stove. Nicki, bless her heart, was perched on Gil’s foot, getting hauled around as he prepared her pancakes. No one noticed Anabel looming in the hall outside the room.
“So she showed up, asked you to marry her, and now you’re sleeping with—”
Gil cut Sam off with a pointed look at Nicki. “That’s about it.”
“What are you going to do?” Pete asked.
“I’m taking legal measures to make sure Nicole is financially noted as my daughter. There shouldn’t be any question of custody, but I’m addressing that, too, just in case.”
“I meant about the woman.”
Gil shrugged while measuring out batter onto a hot griddle. “I’ve known Anabel for three years, and I’ll admit I’ve thought about her in a lot of different ways.”
Pete bobbed his eyebrows and Sam grinned.
“But not once did I ever consider her the type of woman to marry.”
“Why not?” Pete asked.
“Did you see her earrings and that damn tattoo?”
“Damn tattoo,” Nicki repeated, making Gil groan and giving both Pete and Sam a chuckle.
“Sweetheart, you can’t say damn.” Nicki just stared up at Gil until he sighed. “Do you want to go look out the patio doors at the birds?”
“Birds!” Like a flash, Nicki left the dubious enjoyment of Gil’s foot to study the backyard. He’d have finger and nose prints on the glass, but Anabel knew he wouldn’t mind.
From his position at the stove, Gil could still see Nicki, but now that she was out of hearing range, he had more freedom to talk to his brothers—much to Anabel’s discomfort.
Gil shook his head. “The thing is, I kept thinking about the influence she might have on Nicole. She’s not like any mother I’ve ever seen before, that’s for sure.” And then, with a thoughtful frown: “She even has a belly button ring.”
“Yeah?” Pete’s interest rose. “Those are sexy.”
“You think everything on a female is sexy,” Sam pointed out.
“And you don’t?”
Ignoring Pete, Sam said, “You don’t have to marry her to keep your own child.”
“I have to do something with her. But it’s a complicated situation, so I’m not going to rush things.”
They discussed her like an inanimate object instead of a person. Anabel had heard enough. Pasting on a smile, she stepped into the kitchen. “My damn tattoo is part of a business agreement.”
Spatula in hand, Gil jerked around to face her. His gaze was cautious, concerned. “You were listening in?”
“Nasty habit of mine, I know. Almost as bad as wearing body jewelry.”
“Anabel.” He sounded very put out with her.
She turned to Pete and lifted her shirt a bit. “There it is, that offensive belly button ring. Disgraceful, isn’t it?”
Pete’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. His gaze stayed glued to her stomach. “Um, cute.”
“Thanks, but don’t you mean sexy?”
Chagrined, he said, “Somehow I think it’s in my best interest not to answer that.”
Sam crossed his arms over his chest and rested back in his chair. “And you all thought my romance was entertaining.”
Gil wasn’t amused. “Put your shirt down, Anabel.”
“Why? Am I embarrassing you?” She dropped her shirt, but only because she saw no point not to.
“No, but Pete is bright red.”
She rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was explain herself to Gil and his brothers, but her situation didn’t afford her the luxury of pride. “I do web page designs. It was about the only thing I could figure out that’d pay enough and still let me work from home so I could be with Nicki. Most of my work is for small businesses, and those include some that are just starting out. I let Dixon, the guy opening the tattoo shop, practice on me. He tattooed my arm, took pictures, and we used those to put up at his shop and on the website that he hired me to do. Same thing with the jewelry. Dodger gave me the earrings and the belly button ring to advertise his business. He didn’t have to hire a model, and I got paid to design his website.”
“So you didn’t even want the tattoo?” Sam asked.
“I had never really thought about it, but no, I wouldn’t have spent the money on a tattoo because my budget was too tight.” She traced a fingertip over the delicate flowering vine. “But now I kinda like it. It suits me. And we know it helped Dixon get new business because it’s his most requested design.”
Pete said, “Got anything else pierced?”
She shook her head at the same time Gil said, “No, she does not.”
Sam leaned over to Pete. “Gil’s going to serve you for breakfast if you don’t pipe down.”
Gil turned off the stove. In very precise terms, each word carefully enunciated, he said, “You’re telling me that pictures of your belly are on the Internet?”
Anabel couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that the only part you heard?”
“Are they?”
“Yep. I got body parts flashing all over the Web.”
Gil fell back against the sink counter. “Dear God.” He looked incapable of doing or saying more.
Sam pushed from his seat and relieved Gil of the spatula. “You’re burning our breakfast.” Like an expert chef, he began filling the plates that Gil had set out. “And for the record, I like her tattoo, too. It’s not like she’s got a giant rattlesnake or the words ‘I love Killer’ emblazoned on her arm. It’s tasteful and feminine.”
“Maybe I’ll suggest t
hat Ariel get one.”
“Try it, and I’ll kick your ass.” Sam turned to Anabel. “Ariel is my wife, and she’s dying to meet you and Nicole. In fact, I’d be surprised if she and my mother didn’t finagle an invite for later today.”
Pete interrupted to ask, “What’s the url for the sites where you’re at?”
Gil rounded on him. “Forget it, Pete.”
“All right, all right. Sheesh. No reason to breathe fire on me.”
Sam began serving up breakfast. “Hey, Nicki, Uncle Sam has your pancakes ready.”
Gil glared at him. “Way to hog all the credit.”
“Hey, I gotta make a good impression while I can.”
Nicki came barreling back into the kitchen, jabbering ninety miles a minute about the birds and pancakes and uncles who cooked. She felt right at home with Gil’s brothers, so Anabel gave up. After all, it was just her feelings that were hurt, and she had to get over that real quick because it was bound to happen a few more times. She’d known from jump how Gil felt about her. Just because he enjoyed sex with her didn’t mean he’d suddenly have a personality transformation. They were as different as night and day—except in bed. And Gil could certainly find another woman to fill that role if he chose to.
She’d have liked to tell him to go to hell—but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even really argue with him because it might mean she’d lose Nicole. An ominous dread had skated down her spine when he said he planned to take legal action to bind Nicole to him. If she didn’t make headway soon, he’d probably kick her out and she’d lose Nicole as well as Gil. She couldn’t let that happen.
But what could she do?
Suddenly Gil was beside her, the consummate gentleman, holding out a seat for her with one hand and offering a cup of coffee with the other.
Anabel would never understand him. “Thank you.”
He kissed her forehead, saying very softly, “You’re welcome.”
Nicki grinned and reached up for him. “Tank you.”
Gil lifted her into her high chair, then kissed her, too, before reaching for his own seat. When he turned around, Pete puckered up as if waiting his turn, but Sam wielded the spatula like a weapon, saying, “Keep those lips on the females.”
Nicki thought they were hilarious; Anabel just thought they were nuts. Breakfast, she discovered, was a circus—and quite thoroughly enjoyable. The brothers were anxious to hear all about Nicole’s preferences and peccadilloes, but they asked just as many questions about Anabel. As far as she could tell, Gil’s brothers had no problem with her at all. Now if only Gil would feel the same.
After his brothers had gone and the kitchen was cleaned, Gil pulled Anabel into his arms. “Hi.”
She blinked at him. Gil knew she was very uncertain, that she had no idea what the future might bring. Well, she’d just have to go on wondering for a little longer. He was no dummy; he’d already decided that Anabel deserved more than a trial run, and more than a marriage of convenience. How to convince her of that was the question plaguing his mind. He didn’t want her to feel like a convenience, not when she was so much more. He had a plan and he’d stick to it.
“Can I have a kiss?”
Her brows came down in suspicion. “Why?”
“Because I enjoy kissing you and you look sexy as hell this morning.”
Ever the doting mother, Anabel glanced around for Nicole.
“She’s busy dressing up a near bald doll with crayon marks on her face. Ugly thing.”
Anabel grinned. “That’s her baby.”
“So she told me. It looks older than dirt.”
“It’s not that old. I gave it to her for her first birthday.”
Gil wasn’t surprised, but he was touched. Again. “Perhaps,” he whispered, “that’s why it’s a favorite.”
Anabel’s smile faded in nostalgia. “A few months ago, the little rat decided it needed makeup, and she did a job with her crayons. Then she decided she didn’t like the look after all and insisted I wash the poor thing. Most of the yarn hair fell out—but Nicki still takes that doll with her everywhere.”
Without waiting for permission, Gil caught Anabel’s chin and tipped her face up. Deliberately, he kept the kiss tender instead of sexual. It wasn’t easy.
“Do you like my brothers?”
She dropped her forehead to his chest. “The more important question is whether or not they like me.”
“They do—not that it matters. I don’t have to have their approval for anything I do.” He held her shoulders and bent his knees to see her face. “Besides, what’s not to like?”
She snorted at that. “Body jewelry? Tattoos?”
Gil grinned. “What else have you traded on the Internet? Nothing too risqué, I hope.” He rubbed his thumb over her lips and his voice dropped. “You haven’t traded this pretty mouth, have you?”
She slugged him in the stomach, but he held her so close that it was an ineffectual punch. “Nicki’s old room was painted by a mural artist that I worked for. I used her room as the background for the website. She had birds and trees on all her walls. It was beautiful. I’ve had different hairdos to help advertise for a beautician friend.” She ran a hand through her short curls. “I remember you came around once when it was red.”
“Yeah. I liked it.”
“You did?”
He just grinned. He wouldn’t tell her yet that he liked everything about her—even her belly button ring. He needed to show her first. “Why don’t we take in a movie? Would Nicki like that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never taken her before.”
Because she couldn’t afford it? Gil decided they’d spend the day out. He wanted to give Nicki everything she didn’t have, to watch her experience new things with him. But he was also driven to treat Anabel to a few luxuries, as well. She’d given much of herself and it was time she got something in return.
A few hours later, at the matinee show, Gil began questioning his wisdom. With so many kids in attendance, the chattering was nonstop. “I’ve never been to an afternoon movie before,” he remarked to Anabel over the drone of crying babies, fussing toddlers, and cajoling moms. “I’m not altogether sure I like it.”
She leaned into his shoulder and laughed. “You’re just disappointed that you can’t make out.”
“True.” Then he whispered, “But there’s always tonight.” He felt Anabel’s shiver before she could move away.
They had lunch at McDonald’s, but by then Nicki was getting cranky. Her constant whining was trying, more so because Anabel looked horrified that his little angel wasn’t being all that angelic.
“She’s tired,” Anabel explained.
“And loud,” Gil agreed. “But she’s also a toddler and I suppose they all get this way on occasion.”
Anabel rushed to give Nicki another french fry. “Just some of the time.”
Gil shook his head. “Don’t sugarcoat the reality. I can take it. Besides, it doesn’t matter how she fusses, I can still see that you’re an excellent mother.”
Wary hopefulness darkened her eyes. “You really think so?”
Gil lifted Nicki from her high chair. “Of course. And I think I’ll make an adequate father once I get the hang of it.”
“You’re already a wonderful dad and you know it.”
She sounded disgruntled about it, making him fight a smile. “Thank you.” He hoisted Nicki up to his shoulders. She liked that enough that they got her out of the restaurant and into his car with nothing but cheers and squeals of happiness.
But once in the park, she fell asleep on the blanket they spread beneath a shading tree. Gil smoothed her short dark hair. “I wanted to show her the different birds.”
“There’ll be plenty of other days for that.”
“Thanks to you.” He picked up Anabel’s hand and kissed her palm. Together they leaned back on the tree, still holding hands. It was peaceful. And nice.
They were a family.
Gil hadn’t realized how
much was missing from his life until Anabel showed up. After his father’s death, he’d buried himself in his work. At the time it had been a necessary escape, a way to cope with his grief. But he was done with that. He was ready to move forward.
On the drive home from the park, Gil considered all the changes that still needed to be made. Anabel could use a minivan to replace that heap she currently owned. And he should have one of the bathrooms remodeled to include a tub that Nicki could use. Perhaps Anabel would even want to do some redecorating.
Gil was contemplating the various ways he could tie Anabel into his future when they pulled up to his house and found a black BMW in the driveway.
“Oh no.” Anabel stiffened in alarm. “It’s Shelly’s parents.”
“So I assumed.” Gil noted the older couple waiting on his porch, and smiled in anticipation. “I wonder if my lawyer has spoken with them yet? No matter. I’m glad we’ll be able to get this settled.” He parked the car and started to get out.
Anabel reached for his arm. “What are we going to do?”
“I’m going to talk to them. You’re going to wait with Nicki in her room.”
“No. You can’t just shut me out—”
“Yes, I can.” Gil walked around the car to her door. The grandparents watched impatiently from the porch. “Leave it to me, Anabel. It has nothing to do with you.”
“That’s not true!”
He gave her a stern look and dropped his voice to a whisper. “You’re too emotional. You came to me, now let me handle this.” He reached in and lifted Nicki out. She stretched awake, immediately slipping her thumb into her mouth. “Go to your mommy, sweetheart.”
Nicki was too tired to argue.
Anabel squeezed her close. “Gil…”
He put his hand at the small of her back and urged her forward. “Trust me. Everything will be fine.”
The grandparents looked beyond rigid. With no sign of welcome, Gil said, “Mr. and Mrs. Tyree. I’ve been expecting you.”
Mr. Tyree, tall with dark brown hair showing no signs of gray, cleared his throat. “We’re here to discuss—”
Gil cut him off. “We’ll talk in my den.” He opened the door and ushered a miserably silent Anabel inside. Nicki, bless her heart, had her head on Anabel’s shoulder, her thumb in her mouth, watching the intruders warily.