The Long Way Home (Corps Security #6)(31)

“He’s a good man, El. We all have a past and he’s gone through something that made him close up and get silent. In time, I’m sure I’ll know all there is to know about how Andrew Shaw became to be the man he is, but right now I know I trust him and that’s all I need. He doesn’t have to give me his life story all at once. We’re enjoying getting to know each other slowly.”

I know Andrew isn’t his real name, however, I also know I can’t share the name he’s given me to use. I still don’t know why he hasn’t given me the reason behind the name change, but I trust him and I have to trust that one day he’ll feel like he can tell me.

She ponders over my words, looking me in the eyes the whole time she does. I love her to pieces, even when she tends to question everything more than she will just go with the flow. She’s protective of me and Riley, so I know she means well.

“He fulfills something inside me,” I continue. “Like there was a big piece missing for a lot of years and the pieces around it started to get weaker until they started to crumble away. He doesn’t just fill up the space those pieces left behind. He makes the rest of the parts around the broken ones even stronger. It hasn’t been that long and he opens up with me little by little. You don’t need to understand it to just be supportive.”

Before she can speak, I hear footsteps and the giggles of Riley. All three of us looking toward the doorway of the kitchen as Drew walks in with Riley on his shoulders. His eyes had already been scanning the room and come to rest, holding my gaze. Riley pats his head and I watch as he silently lifts his hands to hold hers as he lifts, does his infamous flip and spin to a laughing Riley as she comes down from her perch.

“Auntie, I fly!”

Looking away from him, I smile down at Riley right as she is placed on her feet. She takes off as she runs toward where I’m sitting. She grabs my face between her little hands and beams up at me.

“Guess what,” she breathes.

“What’s that, little one?”

“My giant has a surprise for us. He told me I had to wait for you before he could tell me all his secrets though. Then he taught me how to fly!”

“How to fly, huh?”

She giggles and turns, dropping the hold she had on my face. “Show her!” she demands, looking at Drew the whole time with her hands on her hips.

He doesn’t pause, doesn’t question, and instantly drops down to a hunch. A small smile playing at his full lips. He picks her up effortlessly and tosses her up. Thankfully, because of the vault in the ceiling, she is launched with no fear of the ceiling. Her giggles raining down on us and throughout the room, little bells of euphoria. Her brown curls swirling around her face in cute little waves. His hands hook under her arms and he swings her around and back on his shoulders. Then he reaches up and waits until her tiny little hands are in his. With a wink to me that has Ella clearing her throat. Then he has Riley moving again, this time swinging her over and giving her a toss-up. Her arms wide and her smile blinding, she looks up at the ceiling as she “flies” with the biggest smile on her face. He catches her with ease and places her firmly back on the ground.

“Your turn,” she squeals at me.

“Oh no, honey. That’s okay.” I laugh awkwardly.

When I look from Riley and over toward Drew, I know I won’t get out of it. He looks downright devilish. Swoon worthy, but devilish nonetheless. God, I love when he lets me see this playful side of him. I know the two at the table with me aren’t unaffected, either. Both make little breathy “oh’s” every so often.

He closes the distance, places his big hands on the armrest of my chair and leans down—nose to nose—and holds my gaze. His eyes light up. I’m so not getting out of this. He must have found what he was looking for because one corner of his beautiful lips tip up and his eyes start to crinkle at the edges.

I don’t even have time to process how my butt left the chair before his hands are under my arms, pulling up at the hold on my pits and I’m in the air. He doesn’t put me on his shoulders like he did Riley, no … he lets go and lets me fly before he catches me with a breathy grunt when my arms land around his shoulders and my legs start to wrap around his waist.

Front to front, I’m wrapped around him.

I hold on happily.

Especially when I feel his hardness brush against where my crotch is now nestled against his. I hold his gaze and when I feel him flex his hard length between that connection, my hands squeeze his shoulders.

His grin grows.

“Hey,” I breathe, my mouth so close to his it wouldn’t take but an inch to close the distance.

I watch him closely and just a moment later I get my reward. I feel his blindingly handsome smile hit me and my whole body gets warm. I know he’s forgotten we aren’t alone, too. I can count on my hand how many times he’s given this side of himself to anyone other than Riley and me. It’s never happened until right now. I soak it up. Just like the other times I alone have seen it, I map each line that forms when he lets himself free. This man used to laugh and he used to laugh a lot. I love every second of these moments, watching the hardness and time wash away from his face. In place you see a youthfulness that, despite his age, takes over. He looks like a completely different man. At least ten years younger. No shadows, just happiness. No hiding himself. My heart picks up speed and I know he feels it through our connection. His eyes close and he takes a breath. He nods as if he understands what I was thinking.