You & Me Make Three: Barrington Billionaire's Series: Book Three

by Jeannette Winters

  “You seem to be getting close to them. First rule of protection, don’t ever let your feelings get in the way of your gut.”

  “I don’t need you to tell me how to protect my—”

  Bennett only smiled. “Exactly.” He downed the remainder of his coffee and got up from the table. “I’m off to accidentally bump into your sister and Morgan for lunch. Wish me luck.”

  Shaun wanted to pop the guy in the face, but the truth was he knew Morgan and Zoey couldn’t be in better hands. Bennett would never let anything happen to either of those ladies. For now, I can stop worrying about her and concentrate on some sliding stocks. He laughed slightly. This is like shooting fish in a pail of water. I just can’t miss.

  “This is crazy. I’m just being paranoid. There is no one watching me. Why would there be?”

  “Why don’t you talk to Shaun about it? I’m sure he’d want to know. I know your father would want me to talk to him about something troubling me,” Elisabeth said as she and Morgan cleared the table after dinner.

  “What would you tell me?” Loras asked as he came back into the kitchen and grabbed a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie from the jar.

  Morgan shot her mother a warning look, but it didn’t stop her.

  “Our daughter is worried that she is being watched.”

  Loras stopped mid-bite and looked at Morgan. “Are you serious?”

  She shrugged. “I haven’t seen anyone. It’s just a feeling I’ve had for a few days. I’ve looked over my shoulder a million times and have seen no one. So it has to be my imagination.”

  “I don’t like this.”

  “Dad, really. Mom is making this out to be more than it needs to be. You know Dora and her sister on the corner would be the first to notice anyone strange. I mean they practically sit on their porch with binoculars. Heck, maybe they’re the ones watching me.” Morgan laughed, trying to make the conversation light and normal even though she still wasn’t convinced herself.

  “I’m going to take a walk; I’ll be back.”

  Her father was a stubborn man. There was no way to stop him once he had decided to do something. Offering to go with him would only mean getting a lecture on how she needs to be more careful. I live such a boring life, any safer and I’ll vanish into the background.

  But that was her life a few weeks ago. Now things had changed. Her days, which she could have predicted months in advance, now spun wildly at times. Maybe that was what she was feeling, all the changes. Especially after last night with Shaun.

  Her body tingled all day from his loving touch. She’d had a few lovers before, but what she shared with Shaun last night didn’t seem like sex. It was more intimate than anything she’d ever known. She’d told herself to enjoy it because she didn’t know how long they were going to be together. But it went beyond enjoying herself. It was a connection she hadn’t thought she would feel. Yes, she was flirting and bolder than she’d ever thought she could be, but there was an emotional part that overwhelmed her. Because of that she knew it was best not to spend the entire night at his home. Waking up in his bed was only going to make it more difficult to say goodbye later. She never was a casual affair type of woman. What made her think she was capable of it now? And with a man like Shaun.

  “Earth to Morgan. Are you even listening to me anymore?”

  Morgan blushed. “Sorry, Mom. I was thinking about . . .”

  “Yeah, I know, Shaun.”

  “No.”

  Elisabeth laughed. “Honey, you let out a long sigh and said his name breathlessly.”

  Morgan slumped into the seat near her. “Oh, God. What have I done to myself?”

  “I think you know. And it’s a good thing. About time. You can’t live your life for Tyler only. You have to remember you’re not just a mother; you’re also a woman.”

  “You make it sound so simple, but what if he’s not the type of man that can—?”

  “Love someone like you? Or love someone like Tyler?” Her mother’s voice was sharp for the first time in a long time.

  She wanted to tell her mother she was wrong with those questions, but in fact, she’d nailed it. Those were the exact doubts she had. Shaun, even though he was here now, wasn’t going to be here for the long haul. It’s easy to go for a bike ride, but it was the day in and day out that made a difference. She wasn’t going to ask her mother to watch Tyler so she could run off at night and play with Shaun. It wasn’t fair to any of them. No matter how or what she felt last night, she wasn’t going to let it become a habit with her.

  I may be falling in love with Shaun, but that doesn’t mean he feels anything close to that for me. I have to keep tight reins on my emotions, or I’m going to self-destruct when it comes to an end. And it will, eventually.

  “You’re right. I have to stop this before it gets out of hand.”

  “Or you can let the man in. He wants in, but you’re either too stubborn or blind to see. Don’t jump to conclusions. Shaun is making an effort, and you need to as well.”

  Morgan didn’t want to open those lines of communication with him. It was only going to put him on the spot and make her uncomfortable. Why do I need to hear it? I already know what the answer is going to be.

  Her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket. Hmm. Were your ears burning, Shaun?

  “Hi.”

  “I was hoping to see you at work today, but I was tied up all day.”

  “I was as well. Was there something you needed?”

  “Yes. You.”

  Morgan blushed, and her heart skipped a beat. Don’t make me want you more than I already do. She couldn’t answer him with her mother sitting there, staring at her.

  “Anything besides that?”

  “Yes, I just wanted to remind you I’ll be there tomorrow for your ride. Ten a.m.”

  Reminder? I never knew you were coming again. “Okay. I’ll see you in the morning then.”

  “Are you going to dream of me tonight?” Shaun’s voice was soft and teasing, sending a warm feeling through her.

  Why wouldn’t I? I’ve been dreaming of you since the day I met you. Only now I know what I’m missing, and it’s even more than I dreamt about. “We’ll see.”

  She ended the call and turned to face her mother again. She was grinning from ear to ear. Really. Nothing better to do than torture me?

  “I’ve got to get Tyler ready for bed. Good night, Mom.”

  Elisabeth laughter echoed through the room as she said, “Sweet dreams, Morgan.”

  Oh, God. She heard. Thanks Shaun for feeding into her hopes. She’s not going to let me forget this one. But there is something so much bigger I know I’ll never forget, and that is you.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “We have an issue.”

  “With Morgan?” Shaun’s voice filled with panic.

  “Her father, Loras, knows we’re watching the house, watching her.”

  “How the fuck did that happen?” Shaun wasn’t ready for Morgan to know what was going on. If she found out, there was no telling what her reaction would be. She should be happy that someone is dealing with that asshole. But probably not.

  “I guess Morgan said something to him, and he had all the plates of unknown vehicles run. When ours came up, he came knocking.”

  Shit. He was already on his way to her house for their bike ride. She hadn’t called him, so was she waiting for him to get there before confronting him? “What did you tell him?”

  “Times like this, you tell something close to the truth.”

  I like that saying. “And that was?”

  “That you cared deeply about Morgan and Tyler and wanted a bit of security watching her. That you’d caught wind that the Sapp family wasn’t doing as well as before, and you didn’t want any of their issues coming down on Morgan.”

  Not bad. “What did he say?”

  “That he’ll discuss it with you while Morgan and Tyler go for the ride. It looks like dear ole dad wants to have a sit down with you,
Shaun. Good luck.”

  Shaun didn’t miss the sarcasm. But he couldn’t sit with Loras because he needed to be on that bike, watching Morgan. There wasn’t much time to develop a plan. He pulled in front of her house, and Loras was waiting by the gate. “Keep your guys alert. I might not be on the ride this morning.”

  “Roger that.”

  Shaun got out of the Jeep and walked right up to Loras. “I think we should talk.”

  “You took the words right out of my mouth, young man,” Loras said, then called out, “Morgan.”

  She came out of the house. “Yes, Dad?”

  “Shaun and I are going to get some coffee while you and Tyler take your ride.”

  He watched Morgan’s eyes widen even before she looked at him puzzled. “Is there something either of you want to tell me?”

  “No,” they replied in unison.

  Morgan put her hands on her hips and said, “I’m not a child.”

  “No, but you’re still my daughter, and Shaun and I are going to sit down for a little man-to-man time. Your choice is to go on the bike ride with Tyler or stay in the house. We should be back within an hour.”

  “Loras, what are you up to?” Elisabeth asked, now standing by Morgan.

  “Being a father,” Loras replied and headed toward Shaun’s Jeep. “You can drive.”

  He’d never encountered having to sit and explain himself to someone’s parent. Hell, I never explained myself to my own father. “Where to?”

  “I don’t care. Just make it out of this neighborhood to a place we can talk privately.”

  Shaun started the Jeep but pulled out his cell phone and sent a quick text to Bennett, letting him know the new plan before driving off.

  He wasn’t familiar with the area, but came across a small breakfast place. “Is this okay?”

  “Fine with me.”

  Shaun could hear the tenseness in Loras’s voice. If the tables were turned, he probably would’ve demanded the answer right there on the front walk, never waiting for a private moment to speak.

  The waitress came and took their order. Once they had their drinks Loras started the conversation.

  “I had a chat with your friend, Bennett. Let’s just say I am not accepting his answer to my question. So now I’m going to ask you, and you better have an explanation as to why you’re having my daughter watched.”

  So many things came to mind. Tell the man it’s none of his business and see what he does. He could make up a lie. “Morgan is not aware of what I am going to tell you.”

  “I figured that much. After you tell me, I’ll decide if she needs to know.”

  He could respect that. “Fair enough. Let me start by saying that I care about your daughter very much.”

  “If I thought otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here with you.”

  He nodded. “This is about Tyler’s father, Walter.”

  “What’s that bastard up to now?” Loras’s voice became louder than he expected and people around him turned and looked in their direction. He gave them a wave of apology and addressed Shaun again. “If he thinks after all this time he can walk back into their lives he has another thing coming.”

  “No, that’s not the issue. He and his family are still as hateful as they were six years ago.”

  “Then what’s going on?”

  “They are slandering her name in the business industry. So I decided it was time to shut them up once and for all.”

  Loras had a look of concern. “And how do you plan on doing that?”

  There are things you are better off not knowing. “By hitting him where it’ll hurt him the most. His one true love.”

  “His wallet.”

  Exactly. “I’ve left Morgan out of this. They should have no reason to link anything to her, but a cornered dog will bite, and I want them protected.” He didn’t care if he took the hit, but if anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself.

  “How far are you taking it?”

  “All the way.”

  “Closing the company?”

  Crushing it. “Yes.”

  “Shaun, I respect you want to defend her honor, but you need to think of all the employees who’ll lose their jobs. What you’re doing is going to have a chain reaction that affects innocent families. Morgan would never want to hurt another child to protect her own. That’s not who she is.”

  He hadn’t thought that far. There had only been one mission, and that was to make him pay for what he’d done to her and to Tyler. Technically it wasn’t too late. He could contact Trent, and together they could put a halt to it, but then what did they gain? Nothing.

  If I crush Walter and lose Morgan, is it worth it? She could go back to her life, and I go back to mine. Would that be so bad? I wasn’t looking for anything serious to start, so cutting my ties would be the wisest choice. He downed his coffee and waved the waitress for a refill.

  “I don’t want him in her or Tyler’s life ever again.”

  “That’s hard. He is Tyler’s father. There is such a thing as parental rights. He could walk back in anytime he wants to, and there is nothing any of us can do to change that, whether he has money or not.”

  Shit. How could I have forgotten that? Oh, because I’m not a parent. I don’t know this shit. He ran his fingers through his hair. Frustration filled him, and he felt as though he was back to square one.

  “Shaun, you might want to stop and think about why you’re doing this before you continue. I know you said you care about Morgan, but your actions are . . . extreme. Something you’d expect from someone who loves a woman. Do you love her?”

  Love? I don’t know anything about such feelings. They’ve never been part of my life. “I like her . . . very much.”

  Loras nodded. “Then I suggest you think about how to fix whatever you’ve done before Morgan catches wind of it. Because if she does, it might not matter if you like or love her; she might not forgive you. Trust me, son. I’ve been married a long time, and I know a thing or two about women. They don’t forget shit.”

  “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “Good. Let’s get you back to the house. It’s early, and if you’re smart you can take those two out to the zoo or something fun to make up for the lack of the bike ride.”

  Shaun never had a father to guide him. Was this what it would’ve been like if his father had been even half human? He remembered Morgan telling him these were her adoptive parents. He never realized how lucky a person could be finding a home filled with love, even when they’re not blood.

  As they made it to the Jeep, Shaun knew exactly what he needed to do. Why hadn’t I thought of this before? It’s the perfect answer and will solve all the problems, now and in the future.

  “Are you okay?” Loras asked as he buckled up his seat belt.

  I will be. No. We will be. I just have to put the new plan into action. “Yes sir, I am. I’m just thinking about all the things I want to do with Tyler and Morgan.”

  “Good. But today, the zoo is a good start. He loves to ride the elephant.”

  Excellent. Something we all can ride together.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Morgan had a fantastic weekend with Shaun and Tyler. Her first thought when she saw her father talking to Shaun was that the romance was over. She knew that look on her father’s face. He was upset and wouldn’t share what was wrong, not even with her mother, which was out of character. Thankfully whatever it was, they solved it as both men had returned in one piece.

  She sat at her desk, holding her phone and scrolling through the pictures. Tyler truly had a good time at the zoo. He would have ridden the elephant a hundred times if she’d allowed it. Ordinarily she just watched, but this time had been different. She found the picture she was looking for. She was in the front, Tyler in the middle, and Shaun in the back as they rode around on the great beast.

  When he first said he wanted them all to ride together, she thought for sure he was joking or only doing it to humor Tyler
. Looking at the picture now, she noticed Shaun looked as happy as her son.

  “Who would’ve thought Shaun was just a big kid at heart?”

  “I would have.”

  Morgan put her phone face down on her desk, embarrassed to have gotten caught playing at work. She recognized the voice because of the daily phone conferences she’d had. Crap. Surprise personal appearance.

  “Hi, Tessa.” Morgan got up and came out from behind her desk to shake her hand. “I’m Morgan. It’s so nice to finally meet you in person.”

  “Please sit and relax. I didn’t stop by to check on you. I’m actually meeting Dean for lunch. You and Shaun should join us.”

  Oh, no. We’re not . . . well, I don’t know what we are. But whatever it is, I like it. I like him. A lot. “I have a lot of work to finish.”

  “Morgan, I’m your boss, and I know exactly what you need to complete today. Do you think I was bored and just happened to find my way down here?”

  She shook her head. I actually thought you were checking up on me. Someone should. I’ve been here for weeks and only once did Shaun come down. Morgan remembered exactly how that ended. Kissing him until I thought I would die.

  “I didn’t realize this was a business lunch.”

  “It’s not. So we’ll see you in the lobby at noon. No excuses.” Tessa smiled and left Morgan alone once again.

  There was a time she craved the solitude. Now, not so much. There was one companion she was missing terribly. How is it that in just a few weeks he has me tied in knots?

  She picked her phone up again, and it was still on the picture of the three of them. It was what a family photo would look like. If we were actually a family.