Page 24 of Forever Fascinating

“We don’t want a wedge or anyone hurting each other in our extended family,” Glory admitted. “It’s okay to befriend, talk, or even date… just be careful.”

“Thank you both for the advice,” Matthew said openly, realizing that this could be much more of a ripple in the proverbial ‘pond’ than he ever expected.

And all morning long, those words kept replaying in Matthew’s head repeatedly, making him wonder again if he should cancel. He could step away now, back out, and deal with the pang of loss that would fade the moment he was back in Ghazni.

Instead, he kept seeing her smiling face outside where they had danced, unseen, unknown. Two strangers, meeting for the first time, yet drawn together.

She was fascinating to him.

Jana’s smile was like a cloudless nighttime sky. He could look at it a million times, feeling so humble and blessed with each glance, yet see something different every time. A universe of breathtaking proportions and glimpse it felt like staring at heaven above.

“And now I sound like some lovesick idiot…” he muttered nervously, realizing it was almost noon.

When he got his phone late yesterday, he’d texted her his information, the address where he was staying, and his email… all in an effort to be able to keep whatever this was, silently, between them alone.

Now, he was wondering if he should have let it fade away, slipping through his fingers.

Hearing a knock at the front door, Matthew hesitated, having just disappeared upstairs to change the baby’s diaper.

Glory had firmly thrust ‘helping out and earning your keep’right into his lap on arrival. Truthfully, helping with the two children wasn’t that bad. It just felt so foreign to him, because he’d grown up an only child. Slipping the infant’s knit pajama bottom back onto Michael’s little excited legs, the boy looked up at him, smiling happily.

Yes, there was something awfully sweet and innocent about the two twins that made it hard to resist helping the tired couple out with their little ones. They may have fallen into a routine with their family, but it didn’t mean that they weren’t human and didn’t need a helping hand… besides, Matthew was flying back out tomorrow afternoon.

So, any help would be long gone before they could ever get used to it.

Walking downstairs slowly, carrying the baby, Matthew felt the infant drooling on his shoulder and couldn’t help the smile that touched his soul.

So innocent, so sweet, and soooo incredibly messy,he mused.

As he entered the living room, he saw the two swings set up in the living room near the couch where Glory was sitting. Madison was already in one swing, and the other was waiting for Michael, whom he held in his arms.

“Here we go,” Matthew crooned softly, putting the baby in the swing, before clicking the knob that would cause it to rock back and forth automatically for twenty minutes.

Turning, he met Jana’s gaze across the room.

Glory might have been sitting on the couch casually, but Hunter had let in their guest and was talking with her quietly in the living room. Jana’s eyes watched him with an intensity that was staggering… and Matthew knew there was no way he could have cancelled.

Not when just looking at her made him feel alive like this.

“Hey…” he said quietly, in the stillness that was suddenly encompassing.

“Hey there,” Jana replied in almost the same voice.

“Hey there, hi there, ho there…” Alpo barked, snapping his fingers between them. “Hello? Not sure how long y’all are going to be out, but have fun, and don’t do anything wewoulddo as often as possible, right, Glory?”

“Ooooh, do elaborate on that last statement, my beloved alpha dog,” Glory practically purred, causing Matthew to look at the woman with shock as she stared openly at Alpo – who gave her the same heated look.

“Time to go!” Matthew balked, immediately walking towards Jana, grasping her hand and tugging her forward towards the door to leave. He’d been in town two-and-a-half days and had seen or heard enough to know that the lovebirds were about to need some alone time… and soon.

He tugged Jana to the front porch, shutting the door behind him, just in time to hear someone’s breathy groan – someone he didn’t want to identify!

Jana’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at him.

“Before you say it, yes… whatever you are thinking. Yes – all of it – exactly what you are thinking right now. It’s been like that between them since I got here. They say one suggestive thing to the other and then bam… fireworks,” he smirked, looking at her and rubbing the back of his neck, completely chagrinned. “I’ve babysat a lot in the last few days – and I amnotthe greatest babysitter.”

They both stood there a moment, both anxious and a little nervous.

“Shall we go?” Matthew began nervously, because he sure didn’t want to stand on the porch while stuff was going on inside – nor did he want to think about it. “Where did you have in mind for lunch?”

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