Page 12 of One More Kiss

“So, I’ve let the girls know to head over, stat. Kate’s working out babysitting, but Nash is home to snuggle sweet little Levi.”

I melted at his name. Levi was the best baby I’d ever been around. He slept well, ate like a farm hand, and had his daddy’s smile. He was, in a word, perfect.

“What about Cash?” I asked.

“When he wakes from his nap, Cam will take him out with the horses. Don’t worry, I got my sweet pea covered.”

* * *

My girls werebeautiful and precious, their eyes as sparkly as jewels and their coloring varied enough to remind me of butterflies. But these ladies were strong. Resilient. They didn’t suffer fools—and I’d been one, which meant they wouldn’t let me get away with my choices.

With a glance to ensure everyone had enough tea, I settled in my chair in my kitchen. We’d moved into the large, sunny room so the girls were closer to the refrigerator…and the cookies. My hands shook and I shoved them into my lap, trying to ignore the first age spots on the backs of my hands.

“I made a mistake,” I announced. I focused on Aya, most worried about her reaction to my next statement. “Steve and I…” Could I say it? My cheeks blossomed.

“What she’s trying to say is that she and Steven hooked up at your wedding,” Jenna said.

Aya hid a giggle behind her hand, her eyes dancing. At least she wasn’t upset about the situation.

“Hmm, I’ve been wondering about you two,” Kate said, her tone softer. She swallowed, and I worried she was thinking of her daddy. “I noticed the sexual tension.” She shrugged.

“I don’t want to cause problems between us,” I said. Worry gnawed at me and I shifted in my chair.

The three of them exchanged looks before Aya reached over and laid her hand on my arm.

“There isn’t a problem with us, and I doubt there’ll be a problem with our guys. But Steve…he’s another issue altogether.” Aya grimaced. “I’m guessing you told us this because he pushed you away, and you don’t know how to go about pursuing anything romantic with him.”

My shoulders slumped, mostly because I was relieved the girls weren’t upset, but also because Aya’s words reverberated against my insecurities, causing them the grow.

“He locks down his emotions so tightly.” I scowled. “I know he’s been hurt, and bad, but that kind of repression can’t be good for him.”

“I’m sure it isn’t,” Aya said. “I don’t know why he’s the way he is—just that Nash told me Steve had a very rough childhood.”

Aya held my gaze. Her eyes were a usual color—almost purple. So lovely against her tanned skin and black lashes and brows. She’d always been a stunning girl. She was prone to thinking for extended periods before acting, which made her Nash’s perfect foil. Much as I loved that boy, he used to leap before he looked, which caused him all kinds of problems.

But Aya slowed him down, added a hint of caution to his life. More than a hint now that Levi joined their family. Nash doted on his wife and infant son—just as a man should.

“You’re telling us this because you want to pursue something with Steve?” Kate asked.

I turned my attention to my daughter. Her red curls framed her lovely, pale face. Her big eyes remained dark, as if shadows ate at her. Ones I worried I’d brought forth.

I lifted my hand and placed my palm onto her hand, squeezing gently.

“I care for him, and I’d like a companion.” I sucked my lower lip into my mouth, wondering if it was appropriate to tell my daughter and the girls that I might be past my youth, but I had this desire to be touched, to be loved and worshipped just as I assumed they did.

“You’re lonely,” Kate said. Surprise colored her tone and she frowned. “I didn’t realize.”

Kate was the only one of us to love her father; I’d tolerated Laurence for my kids’ sake but come to dislike him over the years. Not so much because of his affairs—those left me numb and, at times, even thankful that I wouldn’t have to bed with him. No, my anger stemmed from his treatment of Camden. For that, I hoped Laurence burned in eternal damnation.

But I couldn’t tell my baby girl of my secret dreams for her father. She’d brought out the best in Laurence, and she’d had a loving relationship with him.

From the corner of my eye, I watched Jenna frown, and I marveled at how she walked the line between Cam’s disgust and Kate’s love for Laurence.

“I rarely left the ranch once I realized how bad the situation was between Cam and Laurence. I didn’t want your daddy to hurt Cam further…” I blew out a breath. “It was messy and…and difficult to navigate. And I did it wrong, too often. I know that.”

“I’m sorry I just realized that you don’t really go out with ladies your age,” Aya said. She shot me a sympathetic look.

“I never knew”—Kate’s mouth twisted—“If they were friendly with you because they liked you or if they were friendly in order to have a reason to come out to the ranch and get real friendly with my father.”

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