Page 28 of Securing His Family

Lauren latched onto that voice and gave herself a mental shake. “I don’t know, but it looks like you did.”

How she managed to form a coherent sentence was beyond her.

Reed shook his head. “Wilt was out the front the whole time I wasn’t here. Not to mention I had my phone, and if one of the many motion sensors went off I’d know about it.”

That appeased her a little but it also highlighted just how much having her in his house was disrupting, not only Reed’s life, but everyone at Power Security. “Oh. Okay.”

Thinking about it, Reed hadn’t been to PT since they’d moved in. He probably hadn’t gone even before, because he’d always been available to escort her when she took Charlee to school and followed her to work.

“I wouldn’t leave you and Charlee unprotected, believe me. And the guys are more than happy to miss one morning of PT if I want to attend while all this Patrick stuff is going on.”

Lauren sighed. “I wish you didn’t have to change your schedule because of us.”

Reed smiled, the one that curled her toes and set her body alight. “It’s not a problem. I’ve told you I’ll do anything for you and Charlee.”

Lauren was beginning to believe that. Everything Reed did showed her that nothing was a hardship. Nothing was an issue. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you being on my side, but I’m happy that you are.”

He took a step back and she mourned the loss of his closeness. “Now I’m going to hit the shower and then I’ll be ready to take you and Charlee to the places you need to be today.”

“Just Charlee, I’ve got the day off.”

“You’ve got the day off?” His eyes lit up. “That’s interesting.”

He didn’t say anything else, just disappeared down the hallway toward his room.

Damn his ass looked good in those shorts.

“Mummy, I’m hungry, and can we go to see Reed and everyone run and swim and stuff?”

If the rest of the team looked half as good as Reed did, she’d be surprised if they didn’t have a group of women who made their way down to wherever they trained at whatever time just to look at them. Muscles rippling. Sweat dripping down their chest. Their biceps straining as they did pushups or pull-ups.

“Mummy, can we?” Charlee tugged on Lauren’s sleeve and she shook off the images and smiled down at her daughter.

“We’ll see. Now let’s have breakfast.”

Heat still flowed through her as Lauren went over to the fridge on the pretense of getting the milk for Charlee’s cereal when in fact she hoped the cool air would reduce her body temperature.

By the time Reed returned, freshly showered with damp hair and his nautical scent filling the air, Lauren had gotten her hormones under control. “I fixed you your oatmeal, and there are two English muffins in the toaster ready for you,” she said.

After living with him for a few days she knew what he liked to have for breakfast.

“You didn’t have to do that. I could’ve got my own breakfast.” He came up to her and leaned down to brush his lips across her cheek. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

Thank goodness Charlee wasn’t in the room because Lauren was sure her cheeks were as red as the roses in the flower garden outside his bedroom. “Um—you’re welcome.”

She pushed back from the table, collecting her plate and popping it in the dishwasher. “I’ll just go shower and maybe I’ll give Tabitha a call to see if there’s something I can do. I don’t feel comfortable staying here when you’re not here.”

Even though Reed had opened his house to her and her daughter, she was still finding her feet and getting comfortable with living in such a big place.

“Don’t ring Tabitha. I messaged Steve before I got in the shower. I’m taking the day off. We can spend it together.”

Lauren’s heart skittered to a stop and then restarted again. “What? You took the day off?”

“Uh-huh,” he said around a mouthful of food.

“Why?”

The second she asked the question she wanted to snatch it back. Did she have to be so suspicious all the time? Why couldn’t she just accept things at face value?

---