Page 7 of Just One More Temptation

“That must make you Dylan!” Clara applauded herself as if she’d accomplished a miracle.

Both girls giggled, the sound warming Fallon’s heart. They were adorable kids.

Though Dylan’s hair was down today, as was her sister’s, Fallon had figured out the identity question already. She knew Dakota was more likely to give away information and ask questions, while Dylan held back. By personality alone, Fallon could already recognize each twin. By looks? Not so much without a difference in hairstyle and being alerted to identity.

“Look what I happened to find in my bag!” Clara held out two lollipops and the girls grinned.

“What color?” she asked them.

“Red!” Dylan said.

“Yellow.” Dakota spoke next.

Clara handed them the candy.

“Thank you,” they said, proving Noah and their mother had instilled good manners in them.

Since she didn’t know how far Noah’s office was from here, she walked the girls over to her painting they’d admired and began to give them a lesson on modern art. Dakota leaned in, soaking in the details while Dylan was more mesmerized by the colors that had drawn her to the painting to begin with.

The chimes above the door jingled and Noah came rushing in, this time in a suit and tie that exuded power. His gaze met hers and heat flared in his eyes. This time she was sure she didn’t imagine the mutual awareness between them.

She swallowed hard and waited as he approached. His gaze narrowed as he pinned his girls in place. “Dylan, Dakota, explain. Now.”

“We just really wanted to see the pretty paintings again,” Dylan said.

“And Janine wasn’t paying attention to us at all,” Dakota added, a whine in her tone.

Who was Janine? Fallon wondered with an unhealthy amount of what had to be jealousy. She didn’t like that… at all.

Noah turned an unhealthy shade of red. “Do you have any idea how dangerous New York City is for two girls alone your age?” His voice raised as he spoke. “You could have been kidnapped, for God’s sake.”

Their eyes opened wide, then shimmered with tears. “We didn’t think about that,” Dakota said.

“That’s right. You didn’t think. And apparently neither did I by letting you off lightly last time. Hand over the iPads,” he said, hand out.

“But—”

“Now.”

They deposited the tablet they’d each clutched against their chest in his open hand.

“And no television for one week.”

“Daddy!” they moaned simultaneously.

He shook his head. “No. You’ll have plenty of time to think about why these stunts aren’t cute. And while you’re at it, think about how devastated your mom and I would be if anything happened to either of you.”

Though Fallon felt bad for the now crying girls, she understood his anger and the need to follow through with punishment to make his point.

“Stay here while I talk to Fallon,” he instructed them.

They huddled together and Fallon followed Noah a few steps away.

Nervous from the situation and wanting to lighten the mood, she said, “You do realize I’ll have to start charging for babysitting services if this keeps up?”

Only a slight curve of his lips indicated he found her comment amusing. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with them,” he said, showing a true hint of vulnerability as he ran his hands through his hair, further messing the strands. “They’ve run off every nanny to the point where the agency basically fired me. My admin was focused on her computer screen and they disappeared on her to come here.”

Janine was his administrative assistant, she realized, hating the relief that washed over her at the knowledge.

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