Page 43 of Unveiled

Cerulean eyes bore into hers. “I remember everything about you, Adalyn.”

Heat licked over Adalyn’s flesh at his statement. The words were so simple, yet there was a wealth of information lying just beneath the surface. She barely repressed a shiver as his gaze skimmed over her like a lover’s caress. She couldn’t lie—she still remembered the feel of his hands on her body, the way he touched her, demanding and impatient and tender all at once.

She cleared her throat. “Shawn was—is—a lawyer. That’s how he and my mom met,” she clarified at Jaxon’s questioning glance. “He was one of the lawyers who presided over her divorce when she left husband number two.”

His brow scrunched. “How many times has she been married?”

“Three.”

He let out a little laugh rife with disbelief. “Jesus. She might want to make friends with the lawyer.”

“Husband number three was the lawyer,” Adalyn deadpanned.

A smile cracked Jaxon’s face and he shook his head. “Unreal. Anyway, go on.”

“Right.” Adalyn took a deep breath. “So, Shawn made a good living and he’d bought this huge house for us when we got engaged. I never lived there—he moved Jessica in after…” She waved a hand, not wanting to think about it. It’d been two years, but the hurt was still there, just beneath the surface.

“After I got home from Vegas, I started looking for a place to live. You remember my neighbor Wendy from yesterday.” Jaxon nodded. “Well, I met her at the salon about a year ago when her daughter got married. I was pregnant”—his eyes darkened a bit at the mention of her pregnancy—“and needed a place to live. She and her husband, George, own this duplex. She convinced me to come look at it, and I fell in love with it.”

As she spoke, Jaxon cracked open one of the takeout containers. “She said she’d rather rent it to me than anyone else. Besides, her daughter and son-in-law were moving to Oklahoma to follow his job.” Adalyn opened the cupboard behind her and passed him a plate. “She and George helped me out a lot, moving furniture and stuff.”

Jaxon piled food onto the plate, then passed it back to her with a nod, indicating she should eat it. Adalyn handed out another plate, then slid a fork over to him. “When Jaclyn came along, she kind of became a surrogate grandmother.”

He paused in the act of scooping rice out of a container and met her eyes. “I’m glad you had someone you could count on.”

His words hit Adalyn like a blow to the chest, and guilt immediately assailed her. “Jaxon, that’s not⁠—”

He held up one hand and gave a curt shake of his head. “It’s fine. And I mean that—I’m glad you have people here who care about you and Jaclyn.”

Adalyn nodded, then silently dug into the plate he’d thoughtfully prepared for her. Over the next hour, they made small talk, sharing laughs and swapping stories until Adalyn glanced at the clock on the far wall.

“Oh, wow. I didn’t realize how late it was.”

Jaxon pushed up from the couch. “Guess I should get going.”

The words sent a little pang of disappointment through Adalyn. She’d actually been enjoying herself for the first time in a long while, and she was kind of sad that it was over. They weren’t perfect, but they’d come to a kind of understanding at some point during the evening.

Scooping Jaclyn up, Adalyn propped her on her hip and followed him to the front door. “Will you be stopping by tomorrow?”

Adalyn prayed he wouldn’t hear the faint breathlessness of her voice, as if her reaction hinged completely on his response. He met her gaze and studied her for a long moment before giving a slight nod. “Same time okay?”

Adalyn swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. “Sounds good.”

Jaxon stood in the doorway, illuminated by the glow of streetlights behind him. He bent and pressed a kiss to Jaclyn’s downy head. “Good night, sweet girl.”

He lifted his gaze to Adalyn, those liquid blue eyes sending a spark of warmth through her. Silence, thick with anticipation, fell between them, and Adalyn’s heart raced. Was he going to kiss her, too? Finally he dipped his chin at her. “Night, Addy.”

Adalyn’s heart dropped to her toes, and she couldn’t squelch the disappointment that assailed her. He wasn’t going to kiss her after all.

Not bothering to correct him, Adalyn swallowed over the lump in her throat, her voice raspy. “Night.”

Closing the door, Adalyn fought against the tears burning the backs of her eyelids. It was irrational, but she couldn’t help it. Part of her wanted him to kiss her as he had years ago. She should be happy that he hadn’t. Jaxon had been true to his word, spending time with Jaclyn, trying to get to know her and be part of her life. Yet, after spending time with him tonight, it seemed as if time had slipped away. Adalyn felt… something between them. Did he not feel the same?

Of course he didn’t. Pushing down her insecurities, Adalyn shoved the thought away. She didn’t need any more complications in her life.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FOUR