Page 49 of Sinful Promise

Her blonde hair is loose around her shoulders, and she’s wearing an NYU T-shirt and a pair of shorts that leave very little to the imagination.

I clear my throat and plaster an easy smile on my face. “Hey.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to make good on my promise. I’m here to babysit.”

“Really?” Emily’s eyebrows shoot up, and I hold my hand up to my chest in mock offense.

“I never break my promises.”

Emily rolls her eyes.

Ben jumps up and down. “We brought you choccy buttons!”

I laugh, handing her the bowl of half-eaten chocolate and the lukewarm cup of tea. “Here. Study fuel.”

“Oh, wow, this is…very sweet of you. How many of these did you eat, Ben?”

Ben glances at me, and I hold my finger to my lips.

He smiles at her. “None.”

“Danil. Don’t teach them to lie.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I try to hold back a smile.

Sasha tugs on Emily’s shorts. “Play with us.”

My eyes flick to her bare legs, and my mouth fills with saliva. I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to have them wrapped around my waist as I kiss her deeply.

When I glance back at Emily, I notice a soft pink blush staining her cheeks.

Does she like the fact I was looking at her legs?

Emily turns my attention away from her very bare legs to the twins. “I have to finish my homework. But I promise I will play with you later.”

I clear my throat. “We’re going to go play outside so I can wear them out.”

“They’re not dogs.” Emily laughs, her green eyes lighting up.

“It’s the same principle, right? Feed them, walk them, train them not to piss in the house.”

“Danil!”

“Shit, sorry. You guys didn’t hear that.”

Emily shakes her head at me, but she’s grinning so hard that I don’t feel the least bit bad for swearing in front of the twins. It was worth it just to make her smile.

After bribing Sasha and Ben with another handful of Emily’s chocolate buttons, I take them down to the communal garden around the back of the apartment building. Somehow, I carry both of them and their balance bikes and various balls.

By the time we’re outside, I’m sweating buckets.

I shrug out of my jacket and undo a few buttons on my shirt as well as roll up the sleeves.

“I did not think this through.”

I glance up at the sky and wince at the sun that is beating down over us.

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