And, oh, but he could kiss.
And he was certainly capable in a crisis. Four months ago, when they’d been spending the weekend at the beach and Mary had contracted a fever, she’d called him, asking if he could run to the store for Popsicles and another bottle of children’s Tylenol. He’d ended up staying until all three girls fell asleep.
They really should’ve known what was going to happen. One hug had morphed into one kiss—which had never been enough. Before her mind could put a stop to shenanigans, their clothes had been off and they’d been sprawled sideways on her king-size bed.
“Mommy?”
“Sorry. What, Kit?”
“Daddy’s coming closer!”
There was no reason for her heart to start pounding. No reason for her to care at all. Everything between them was over. O-v-e-r.
It was just such a shame that she couldn’t turn those feelings off.
Swallowing hard, she firmly told herself to move on. It was time. It really was. “Well, girls, let’s see what happens when he notices us. I bet he’s going to be real surprised.”
Mary beamed. “I’m gonna say ‘Boo’ and then he’s gonna jump up high and be surprised! That will be real fun to see.”
“Yes, it will,” Shawn agreed, brushing back a tender wisp of hair from her brow. “It’s going to be a sight to see, I just know it.”
“EDDIE, AREN’T THOSE your girls? I swear they look just like the girls in the pictures you showed me.”
Eddie turned away from admiring the way Jayne’s thick blond hair curled on her shoulder to glance in the direction she was staring. “Yep. And with them is my ex.”
“Shawn?”
“Uh-huh. That’s her.”
Crystal-blue eyes looked faintly accusing. “You didn’t tell me she was so pretty.”
“She’s okay.” Eddie knew he was lying. Shawn was downright beautiful, even after three kids. Long tan legs. Soft feminine arms and shoulders. Rounded hips. A waist that practically yelled for hands to encircle it.
Even after everything they’d gone through, he was still drawn to his ex. Some days he’d wondered if that tender feeling—that attraction—would ever go away.
Some days he wondered if he even wanted it to. From the moment he’d first talked to Shawn on the phone, she’d made him feel more alive. Those feelings had intensified during their courtship and marriage.
And then, of course, it had dissolved into only a shadow of its former self.
Jayne’s steps slowed. “So…those really are your kids?”
“Yes. All girls. I told you I had three.” For a moment the statement hit him hard. Once, they’d been going to have more.
“They’re so close in age.”
Pulling himself back to the present, Eddie nodded. “I know.” He and Shawn never had been good at spacing things—not schedules, not arguments, not babies. When Jayne still looked at them warily, he did the inevitable. “We can turn around if you want.”
“We can’t do that—what if they saw us?”
“They haven’t.” If they’d seen him, his girls would be on their feet, and Shawn…well, Shawn would be looking him and Jayne over without an ounce of shyness.
Jayne steeled her shoulders. “I’d like to meet them. Meet all of them.”
“All right, then. Come on, I’ll introduce you.” When Jayne stepped a little closer and possessively slipped her hand in his, he forced himself to relax. Jayne was great. Jayne was perfect for him. And though he hadn’t planned on introducing Shawn to her anytime soon, there was no time like the present. But he had a feeling this was going to get awkward.
“Daddy, you did see us!” all three of his daughters cried as they jumped to their feet.
He looked at his ex. “I did?”
“We’ve been watching you two,” Shawn explained. “The girls were wondering when you were going to notice them.”
“We surprised you, Daddy!” Mary squealed. “Though I was gonna get you good and say ‘Boo!’” She tickled his waist for emphasis.
Eddie pretended to jump in fright. Mary laughed. The joyful sound was so contagious, he couldn’t help but chuckle, too. “You got me good. I’m glad to see you.” By the time he hugged all three girls and kissed three foreheads, his tension was forgotten.
Until Shawn stepped forward and held out her hand to Jayne. “Hi. Shawn Wagner.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jayne said.
Eddie wasn’t sure if it was the voice of steel that Jayne suddenly adopted, the ironic smile Shawn was displaying or the curious looks of the girls—but he definitely did feel like he’d just jumped in the deep end and was treading water for dear life.
Especially when Jayne slipped her hand in his again.
After an interminable moment of silence, Shawn said, “So, are y’all out for a walk?”
“Yep.” He cleared his throat. “Girls, this is Jayne. Jayne, please meet Kit, Mary and Elsie.”
“I’m the oldest,” Kit proclaimed.
Jayne smiled broadly. “You sure are! I love your bikini! I’d love to get one just like it.”
Kit tilted her face up. “Really? My mommy says she doesn’t wear bikinis no more.”
When Jayne turned to Shawn, Shawn patted her stomach with a hint of a smile. “Three kids, you know.”
For a split second, he’d been tempted to correct her. To remind Shawn that she’d had four children. Four.
Amazing how much the word three still affected him. Would the pain of her miscarriage ever begin to fade?
After a moment’s silence Shawn rescued the conversation. “We’ve, uh, just found a crab in the sea. He’s pale orange.”
“And pretty! Want to see?” Mary asked.
“You bet I do.” Jayne followed the girls a few feet away, then crouched and nodded at the little crab while the girls started talking a mile a minute.
Momentarily alone, Eddie turned to Shawn again. “So, are you okay at my parents’ place? Do you need anything?”
“Nope. We’re good.”
“That’s…good. You look nice.” Shawn had on an oversize orange tank top and worn khaki shorts that looked soft against her skin. The vibrant, happy color made her tan seem even more golden.
She chuckled. “Do I? I never got around to putting on makeup today. And this tank top is so old, I bet you’ve seen it a hundred times.”
“I guess I have.” Once, he’d slipped it off over her head when the girls were napping. He swallowed quickly as his mouth went dry.
And standing there, with the surf echoing behind them and the tang of salt in the air, he still caught the familiar scent of his ex-wife. Nivea lotion and something fresh and clean.
He tried not to notice.
She raised an eyebrow. “So…were your ears burning?”
“Huh?”
“We were just talking about you. Kit wanted to know if you remembered that you’d promised to take them to the marina and the aquarium tomorrow.”
“I remembered. Of course I remembered.”
Brown