Fall Into Temptation (Blue Moon Book #2)(81)

Beckett pulled them both apart by the backs of their shirts. “If you break anything in here I’ll do worse than kick you out,” he said mildly.

Carter straightened his shirt and grinned. “We figured we’d give her some time to cool off, swing by and make fun of you, and maybe hit up Shorty’s for a round and some wings.”

“And if we bring Summer cheese sticks, she’ll forget she was pissed,” Jax added.

“Good call,” Beckett nodded. “I’m in. Let me get my wallet.”

“Just so you two know, this doesn’t count as a bachelor party,” Carter warned.



Beckett rapped on Gianna’s front door, a greasy paper bag wafting the aroma of deep fried onions into the night air. A low key evening with his brothers and getting to drive Jax’s souped up Chevy Nova back from the bar had put him in an even better mood.

Imagining Gianna’s thank you for the snack could potentially make the grin on his face permanent.

Expecting to see her beautiful face or one of the kids grinning up at him, he was surprised when a thin man wearing boot cut jeans and a tight, black button down answered the door.

“Can I help you?”

“Gianna here?” Beckett asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Sure,” he leaned back. “G, babe. Someone here to see you.”

Gianna, her cheeks flushed hurried down the stairs. “Beckett.”

She stopped just inside the door. “Beckett this is Paul, the kids’ dad. Paul this is Beckett, my …”

“Landlord,” Beckett finished for her. He took the hand that Paul offered.

“Cool,” Paul said.

Beckett’s eyes tracked to the bags and suitcases just inside the door and felt the blood in his veins go icy.

“You just get into town?” he asked.

Paul nodded. “Yeah, I was missing the fam,” he said, and tossed an arm around Gianna’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. “This is a great place you got here, I hope you don’t mind one more in it.”

Gianna’s wide eyes never left his face.

“Daddy!” Aurora’s little voice piped up from the stairs. “Come color with me!” She spotted Beckett and hurled herself down the stairs and jumped into Beckett’s arms. “Bucket! Wanna color with me and Daddy?”

Beckett held on a minute longer than necessary before setting the little girl back on her feet. “Sorry, shortcake. I’ve got to go do big people stuff.”

Aurora threw her arms around his legs. “Okay. We’ll play later. C’mon, Daddy!”

Paul left them in the doorway and chased Aurora up the stairs with the five-year-old shrieking the whole way.

“Beckett,” Gia began.

“I need to go.” Blindly he stepped off her porch and started toward his house.

“Beckett!” Gia dashed after him, pulling on a sweatshirt. “Wait!” She caught up to him and grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”

“I’m going home.” He yanked his arm out of her grip and kept moving.

He was waylaid again when she jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Gianna!” He grabbed her by the wrists and slung her off of his back. He was so angry he was shaking. “Is this why you couldn’t come over to dinner? Because your husband is back?

“Beckett, please talk to me,” she begged. “ There’s nothing to be upset about. Tell me why you’re so angry.”

“Why am I so angry?” He turned on her. “Your husband just answered the door. Your husband who misses his family.”

“My ex-husband,” she corrected. “And of course he misses his family. Who wouldn’t miss those kids?”

“Then why are you trying to take them away from him?”

The words pushed her back a step. “What are you talking about?”

“You heard me. You broke up your own family. Paul doesn’t look like he’s done being a father. It’s obvious he still cares for you.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Of course Paul isn’t done being a dad and of course he still cares for me. I still care for him. But what does that have to do with you?”

“You’ve got me filling shoes that aren’t even empty,” he snapped.

“Excuse me?” Gianna’s tone was ice cold. She wrapped her arms around herself.

“There’s a man in there who doesn’t look disconnected and disinterested to me. And you’ve already got me lined up, falling for you, falling for your kids. Well, I’ve got news for you. I’m not poaching someone else’s family.”

“You need to stop now before you say something that can’t be taken back.” Gia was getting fiery. Matching anger with anger.

There was no stopping the tirade now. The words tumbled out of his mouth.

“Maybe it’s a family trait. You and your father just shuffling people in and out of relationships, rearranging families.”

“Beckett, I’m going to give you a chance to calm down and then you’re going to give me a chance to explain why Paul is here.” Her jaw was clenched.

“No.” The word cracked across the backyard with the force of a whip. “I don’t need you to explain to me what he’s doing here. He came to ask for a second chance and you’re not going to use me as an excuse not to give him one. I’m not stepping in to play daddy when he’s here, ready and willing.”