Be My Hero (Forbidden Men #3)(71)

With my fingers curled into fists as I strode to the door, I half-hoped it wasn't Tris because I was scared of what I'd say, and I half-hoped it was her so I could say exactly what I wanted to. I'd been loath to put Fighter down these past few days, so he was slung over my shoulder as he napped.

I opened the door and jerked back in surprise when Reese grinned up at me. She held out her hand. "Cell phone please."

"Wha . . . ?" Confused, I wrinkled my brow and dug my phone out of my back pocket, without thought. "What're you doing here?" I was so dumbstruck, I handed the phone over, not even asking her what she planned to do with it.

"Pass-code," she ordered.

With a sigh, I took it from her and got her into the phone before handing it back.

"Thank you." Focusing her attention on the screen, she punched some numbers into the phonebook. "Here's my cell. Call me when you're done with her, and I'll come pick her up immediately. Oh, and please take care of my girl. She's not only my favorite cousin, she's my best friend, too."

I took the phone when she handed it back to me. Shaking my head and not catching on at all, I said, "Huh?"

That's when a panting Eva came up behind her, lugging Skylar in a huge-ass car seat with a diaper bag thrown over her shoulder.

Reese was instantly forgotten. I blinked repeatedly to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing. "Tink?"

She smiled, and my entire chest lit up with warmth.

"Mason said you needed a babysitter." She gave a breathless explanation. "So . . . here I am."

"You . . . ?" I shook my head in confusion, even though she'd just made it perfectly clear why she was here. "What?"

This couldn't happen, because if she stepped into my home, I'd never want to leave. Eva used the car seat as a cattle prod, plowing forward and forcing me to shift aside. Yep, I was going to have to call in and quit my job. Both jobs. I could become a professional couch potato and just drool every time she walked past. This was my new life goal.

"Okay, bye, E. Love ya." From behind me, someone in the hallway made kissy sounds. I have no idea who it was. No one else in my universe currently existed, except maybe Julian and Skylar.

But Eva leaned past me to smile at that other, annoying person, and blow her a kiss. "Love you, too. Thanks for the ride."

Her ride must've departed soon thereafter because Eva arched me an amused glance. "Are you going to shut the door?"

"Huh?"

"Go take a shower and get ready for work, Patrick." Her voice was dry, yet amused. "You don't want to be late."

"Work?" I echoed. I thought we'd already decided my new job was to ogle her.

Turning away, she set Skylar's carrier on the floor and slung this fancy looking purse thing with Skylar's name stitched across the side next to it. Then she went to unbuckle her baby. The entire time she was bent over, my gaze was fixated on her ass. And the only reason I could believe she'd been pregnant not quite a month ago was because I'd seen it with my own eyes.

Instead of taking her baby from the seat, she straightened and caught me staring. "Goodness gracious. You can check out my ass later. It's not going anywhere. Now scoot." She reached forward and began to ease Fighter out of my arms.

It was a testament of how crazy I was about her that I didn't snap her fingers off for trying to touch him. But after Saturday, I had some major attachment issues, yet another reason I couldn't go to work today. Leaving Julian just felt wrong. I really needed to sit there and hold him while I ogled the babysitter.

And then Tinker Bell made it even worse by immediately cooing as soon as she got him in her arms. "Oh my God. He's so cute. Look at those perfect cheekbones. He's going to be a model someday."

Julian stirred and opened his eyes. I tensed, ready to snag him back, because Eva was a stranger and would probably scare him. But he merely blinked at her a few times.

She grinned and kissed him on the nose. "Hey there, handsome. You're even more adorable when you open those big chocolate brown eyes. Yes, you are. My name is Eva. Some people call me E." She slid a grin my way. "Or Tinker Bell." Turning her attention back to my boy, she kept talking to him, explaining how he was going to hang out with her and Skylar today and they were going to have loads of fun.

I just kept staring. Tinker Bell was talking to him; Tristy would claim he couldn't respond, except that's exactly what he did. He responded by breaking out one his famous grins and making her melt.

"Aww." Glancing up at me, she said, "I think I just fell in love."

I was very nearly tempted to say, "So did I," but that was just stupid.

Wasn't it? Shit, having her here, watching my kid, was too dangerous for my peace of mind.

Eva sent me an odd frown as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. I shifted uncomfortably.

"What are you still doing, gawking at us?" she said. "Go! I'm on the clock and getting paid for this. You might want to do the same so you can afford me."

Finally, I grinned and shook my head. "I owe you . . . big time."

With a roll of her eyes, she waved me off. "I think you already paid me back the night you saved my daughter's life."

***



I had to work through my lunch break. It sucked ass.