Page 46 of Unveiled

Adalyn released her grip on Jaxon’s hand. He turned to her, his expression a mixture of awe and amusement. “I can’t believe that worked.”

Adalyn lifted one shoulder. “She’s a baby. She’s still learning the rules—and trying to figure out how to break them.”

He shook his head, a genuine smile on his face. “Ornery little thing.”

A laugh bubbled up in Adalyn’s throat. “You’re telling me.” She lifted a brow and threw him a teasing glance. “Wonder where she gets that.”

Quick as lightning, his hand whipped out and playfully smacked her bottom. She sucked in a breath—not because it hurt, but because something occurred to her in that moment. They were flirting. She felt heat creep up her cheeks as Jaxon studied her, waiting for her reaction. She could do one of two things right now: she could retreat as she usually did and close herself off, or she could do what she really wanted—give in to the way he made her feel, open herself up to his attention.

His muscles tensed as she pulled a spatula from the drawer in front of her and brandished it in his direction. “Don’t make me use this.”

The tension drained from his body, the serious frown on his face replaced by a wicked smile. The tips of his fingers glided over her hip as he stepped behind her under the pretense of moving toward the living room.

She shivered as warm breath hit her ear. “Be careful what you wish for, darlin’. I just might take you up on that.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-SIX

Jaxon scooped the baby from her high chair, and she immediately grabbed at him, planting her cheesy sauce-covered fingers on his cheeks. He clenched his eyes closed and grabbed a tiny hand to keep her fingers from getting too close to his eyes. Her chubby hands felt so tiny, so fragile in his, and he kissed her fingers before shifting Jaclyn in his arms and following Adalyn upstairs.

Water was already filling the bottom of the tub, and Adalyn looked up with a grin as they entered the small room. He passed the baby to her and watched as she stripped Jaclyn’s tiny clothes off her body and deposited her into the tub.

After he’d cleaned his face, he ventured closer, all the while studying Jaclyn. “Is she safe in there?”

Adalyn tossed a smile his way. “Of course.”

Admittedly, he didn’t know much about kids, but she looked so little sitting in the big tub all by herself. “What if she slips?”

“We’re both right here. Nothing’s going to happen to her.”

He knelt beside her and leaned his elbows on the edge of the tub, watching as his girls splashed in the water, batting a yellow rubber duck back and forth. The baby could obviously sit up by herself. But he’d heard some crazy stories. “What if⁠—?”

A soft hand landed on his forearm. “She’s fine, Jax. Don’t worry.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the woman kneeling beside him, her attention back on their daughter. “You’ve never called me that before.”

Her brows dipped together. “What?”

“You called me Jax.”

Her cheeks pinkened, and she diverted her focus back to Jaclyn. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.”

He shifted, sliding into a sitting position and resting his back against the wall so he could examine her better. “I like it.”

She shot him a shy smile, then continued to rub soapy bubbles all over Jaclyn’s little body. “Can you get a towel, please?”

Adalyn rinsed the baby, then lifted her out into his waiting arms. He wrapped the fluffy towel around the baby, and a corner drooped over her face. He lifted it away. “Boo!”

The baby screamed delightedly, and he exchanged a grin with Adalyn. Dropping the towel back into place, he repeated the process several more times.

Much too soon, Adalyn’s voice intruded on their game. “All right, little lady. Time for bed.”

His gaze found Jaclyn’s, and he smiled conspiratorially. “Mommy’s a buzzkill.”

“Hey!” Adalyn gently backhanded his bicep, and he let out a laugh. Jaclyn took a cue from them both and laughed, too, the childish peals making his heart swell. God, this felt so good. Being there, doing this together. His girls. He’d missed so much with them. Anger threatened to surge again, but he pushed the useless emotion down. Done was done. From now on, they were all in this together.

He passed Jaclyn to Adalyn and followed her to the bedroom at the end of the hall. The calming smell of lavender mixed with baby powder enveloped him as he stepped inside. Taking a seat in the rocking chair in the corner, he watched as Adalyn suited the baby up for bed. She slid the diaper into place, then wrangled each of the baby’s unruly arms and legs into the one-piece pajamas. All the while, Jaclyn babbled incoherently, pointing at the pictures hanging on the wall.