The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [268]
“Okay. I love you, Mommy.”
Tears blurred her eyes for a moment. She was just so tired. And she had so very much to be thankful for. “Oh baby, I love you, too.” She scooped her daughter up for a giant bear hug. “So, so much.”
“Will you tell Jordan g’night for me?”
“Of course I—”
“I’m right here.” Jordan stepped out of the shadows and sat on the edge of Lisa’s bed, practically forcing Georgia to scamper out of his way. He was an enormously large man and took up entirely too much space. “Thanks for helping me out so much today, Lisa. I appreciate it.”
Her teeth flashed in a quick smile. “It was fun. Except for grandma gettin’ sick.”
Jordan stroked her hair. “You were asleep, but your mother assures me that your grandma will be fine. The doctors are going to take very good care of her, and before long, she’ll be back home.”
Lisa nodded, then looked back at her mother. “Who’s going to baby-sit us when you go to work?”
Georgia had been standing there in something of a stupor, amazed and a little appalled at how at ease Jordan seemed to be with her daughter, and how at ease her daughter was with him. There hadn’t been many men in their lives, certainly not one who would smooth a blanket and stroke back a wayward curl.
Her father had never been close to her, much less his grandchildren. He’d died without ever knowing how truly wonderful Lisa and Adam were. Her ex-husband had walked away from them without a backward glance. But Jordan Sommerville had not only cared for them, he’d done so willingly, and even claimed to have enjoyed himself.
Seeing him now, she could believe him.
The lump in her throat nearly strangled her. She did not want to like him, not at all. But it was getting harder to stick to that resolve.
Forestalling her daughter from saying too much, Georgia said, “It’s all taken care of, sweetie. I’ll tell you about it in the morning. But for now, you need to get to sleep. The sun will be up before you know it.”
Just like that, Lisa rolled to her side, snuggled her head into her pillow, and faded back to sleep.
Jordan smiled as he stood. In a low whisper that made every nerve in her body stand on end, he said, “Children are the most amazing creatures. Awake one minute, zonked out the next.”
Georgia turned off the bedside lamp, throwing the room into concealing darkness. Only the dim light from the hallway intruded. She headed for the door. “My children are very sound sleepers. Once they’re out, not much can wake them.”
She turned to pull the door shut and found herself not two inches from Jordan. He looked down at her, his gaze lazy and relaxed. Her heartbeat jumped into double-time. She stared at his mouth—and he moved out of her way.
Georgia decided not to look at him again, but it turned out not to be a worry. He didn’t follow her to Adam’s room. Instead he headed back downstairs.
She found Adam still in his jeans and T-shirt, but his shoes had been pulled off and the blankets pulled over him. Her heart swelled at the sight of his teddy bear clutched in his arms. How had Jordan known to give it to him? It was a certainty her son hadn’t awakened enough to ask for it. But he might have missed it in the middle of night.
She sighed, kissed him gently—which prompted a snuffled snore—and smiled. She left his room with her thoughts in a jumble, pausing in the hallway for a good three minutes while she tried to figure out how to get rid of Jordan, how to remove him without looking totally ungrateful for all he’d done.
Honesty, she decided, might be her best course. She’d simply tell him outright that she neither wanted nor needed his help—not anymore. She’d thank him for all he’d done that day, regardless of the fact that part of the trouble had been his doing.
Then she’d tell him good-night, and that would be that.
She headed into the kitchen, her back stiff with resolve, and found him making coffee. Before she could speak he turned to her and his expression was so intense, so…sensual, she caught her breath.
“We