After that small crisis, she busied herself poking straws in juice boxes, saving toppling plates, and wiping ketchup faces, all while snagging bites of her own hot dog. Condiments were spread, drinks poured. It was a sea of people, big mingling with little, some on hips, others bouncing on their own feet as they aimed food at their mouths. Amusement park loud and disaster zone messy. And she loved it.
“Hey.”
The sudden sound of Stephen’s low voice behind her made her heart stutter. His male scent wrapped around her. She’d been good with his family, his mom asking for her help, his dad, Anthony Senior, teasing her. But with one word from the man she’d come to see, her heart raced.
“Sorry for deserting you.”
She turned to face him, her entire body going hot and flushed and he wasn’t even touching her. “You didn’t. I like your family, all the kids. They’re great.”
“Yeah.” He looked around the deck like he was seeing them for the first time and she thought she caught a bit of longing in his face, then it was gone.
“I’m ready for cake!” Gracie yelled, and the rest of the kids backed her up, dumping their dinner in favor of dessert.
Stephen smiled. “A McKinney tradition. Cake above protein.”
Matt lifted Gracie to stand in a chair and the family circled around her. With soft brown curls and deep dimples, her brown eyes literally twinkling, Gracie was possibly the cutest thing Hannah had ever seen. Abby and Matt stood on either side and kissed her cheeks as others snapped photos. A picture-perfect moment. One to store in a child’s memory and keep forever.
Though she had few pictures, she did have fond memories of her own birthdays. Celebrated in various restaurants, always just her and her brothers, but they’d never once forgotten.
As the family sang, Stephen stepped next to her, close enough that she got that tingly-on-the-verge-of-chills feeling. He shifted and his upper arm brushed against the top of her shoulder. The warmth inside her spread, awakening possibilities she’d never considered. That she would ever meet a man. That he would ever be interested in her. And more, that she would want him to be.
Chapter 6
After cake, the entire party moved down to the yard. Stephen stood with his brothers and watched the madness that was a child’s birthday party.
“So, where’d you find her?” Tony gestured toward Hannah where she knelt a few yards away, tying his nephew’s shoe.
He’d hung back, let her do the girl thing, let her keep the spotlight away from him as he’d wanted. But she’d never been out of his sight. “Grocery store.”
“Really?” Andrew grinned. “Didn’t know you shopped. Being sexiest, most eligible man, and all.”
His brothers laughed, added more colorful comments. Shit. “I’m never going to get past that one, am I?”
“Never,” Tony said. “Maybe we should rough you up a bit.”
“You can try.” He smiled at the familiar sibling harassment, how some things never changed.
Though he’d been hugged by his mother at least eight times, received multiple pats on the back by his father, tonight hadn’t been as uncomfortable as he’d feared. Because of Hannah. His family’s curious spotlight shined on her, as he’d known it would.
God, she was sweet. The way her hair sparkled in the last ribbons of sunlight poking through the pines. The way she blushed every time their eyes met. But the delicate fabric blowing against her chest, outlining perfect breasts he dreamed of cupping in his hands…that didn’t bring to mind the word sweet. Unless he was thinking about them in his mouth.
Shit. He tipped his bottle and took a long drink. How could someone with such a hot, luscious body look so damn innocent? Definitely a puzzle.
His nieces and nephews were certainly drawn to her, as she now had a line of untied shoes. Luke stood across the yard, nodding at something Matt said, and their eyes met. It was a game they’d played all evening. Each letting the other know he was watching. And knowing that, he took three purposeful strides to stand beside Hannah.
She glanced up and smiled, quick and nervous. He held out his hand and felt the slight tremble when her fingers touched his. He pulled her to her feet.
“Cute,” she said, almost wistfully as she watched the last kid run away.
“Yeah.” But his eyes were on Hannah. The evening breeze lifted a few satiny strands and brushed them over his arm. Barely a touch, but the heat that rushed through his body burned hot and strong.
He forced his attention to a group of kids, running, puffing, and diving, in a desperate game to keep feathers off the ground without using their hands.
“Would this have been one of those times you and your brothers did something crazy?”
“Probably. You need a drink?”
He’d barely gotten the words out when he felt a thump on the arm followed by a cold splash and Hannah’s gasp. Water balloon. He took in her stunned expression, her wet shirt now practically transparent on one side.
He looked around for the source and saw his nephew Jack a few feet away, obviously the guilty party with his hand still hanging in the air. Matt stepped close and laid a protective hand on Jack’s shoulder. All adult chatter ceased and he felt their eyes fall on him like accusing fingers. Are they that afraid I’m going to lose it?
Shame washed over him, knowing why they would. He’d blown up on Christmas Eve three years ago. Broken a bottle against his mother’s hearth, screamed and cursed in front of his brothers’ kids. Made his sister’s baby cry. So consumed by anger, guilt, and grief.