Page 75 of Stolen Kisses
The mother’s cheeks blushed. “I’m actually having lunch with a new friend at The Landing today.”
Krista squealed quietly.
“My sister-in-law runs that place,” Noah said. “Tell her that Noah sent you and she’ll hook you and your friend up.” He didn’t know who the mother’s friend was, but judging by Krista’s excitement, it was a male friend.
Noah helped Adam in the back where Krista had installed a booster seat, then they drove to the docks. No one would ever know Adam had been sick just a short time ago. He chattered all the way there and didn’t stop as they boarded the boat. “You remember that we have to keep quiet once we throw the lines, right?”
“Aye-aye, captain,” Adam said, giving him a salute. “We don’t want to scare our fish away.”
Noah shared a glance at Krista. “This kid just might join my crew when he’s older.”
“I believe it.” She sat on the boat’s front seating area as Noah navigated out into the ocean. He watched Krista with one arm hugged around the boy as he navigated the boat to one of his favorite fishing spots. She was a natural with kids. He could envision her with four or five of her own, clinging to her waist and calling her mom.
His chest constricted around his heart. He could also envision himself with Krista long-term, but not so much with the four or five kids hanging off him.
Can I even picture one child hanging on me?
Noah considered it. Maybe if the child was a boy. He was good with boys. He’d been raised in a house of only males. A little girl, though? He’d have no idea what to do with one. And the thing about parenting is that you didn’t get to choose. And you didn’t get to back out if you got antsy, which wasn’t so far off-base when it came to him.
Shit, why was he even contemplating parenthood? Neither of them were ready for that. They’d just had sex for the first time last weekend.
Noah slowed the boat when they arrived at a good fishing spot and tossed in the anchor.
Adam came barreling toward him.
“Whoa, there. No running on the boat, remember? If you go overboard, I’ll have to toss Krista in to save you.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny.” Krista put her hands on her hips. She was wearing a fun little dress over her bathing suit that fluttered around her figure in the wind. For a split second, Noah considered that the kid might need to go for a swim anyway so he could put his hands on her. But that would be wrong, and he wasn’t sure Adam could even swim. Either way, he was wearing a life jacket, so he’d be okay for a few minutes. Noah was certain he could satisfy both his and Krista’s needs in that amount of time.
“Remember how to bait the line?” she asked Adam.
The boy nodded enthusiastically. “Yep.”
Noah sat down with him on the front bench and coaxed him as he demonstrated. “Good job. You’re a pro already.”
Adam giggled and Noah’s heart tugged hard. He wouldn’t mind having a family one day if his kid could be just like this one. And his wife just like Krista.
He looked up and met her blue eyes, shaded under a wide-brimmed hat. She was watching them intently, a dreamy expression on her face. Were they thinking the same thing? And heck, if they were, he was getting way over his head in their relationship. And he didn’t have a proverbial life jacket if he started to drown.
—
Krista couldn’t have dreamt up a better morning. The weather was perfect and every time Adam tossed his line overboard, within minutes he had a fish. If she didn’t know better, she’d wonder if Noah had paid someone to place a ready fish on the hook down below. It was as if the stars had aligned for one perfect day. Perfect because of the weather and the setting, and the man taking his time with one of her favorite kids.
She’d never seen Noah quite so patient. He answered every one of Adam’s questions—and Adam asked a lot of questions—and he told stories about his own childhood. They laughed together and when Adam needed a stern look to keep him safe on the boat, Noah gave it. Before loading the boat today, she didn’t think she could be more attracted to him, but yes, she definitely could.
“You’re staring at us,” Noah said, dipping into the cooler and grabbing a bottled water as Adam sat intently and stared into the blue abyss below.
Krista blinked and realized he was telling the truth. “Sorry,” she said, a little embarrassed.
“You haven’t tossed your line in today. Want me to bait it for you?”
Krista cocked her head. “I can bait my own hook, thank you very much.”
He stepped closer, casting a look at Adam over his shoulder. The child was still staring at the water, so he stepped even closer.
Krista lifted her face to look at him.
“But you don’t like to touch the bait. Too slimy. You told me that once.”
