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“Us?”
“My assistant, Sadie Matthews, is assisting me with Emma, as well.”
“I see.” Nodding to herself, she stood up, held out her hand and waited for him to shake it. “Well then, from what I can see, you have this situation well in hand. I’ll make my report to my superiors and recommend the guardianship become permanent. If you care to eventually legally adopt Emma, I’d be happy to help you in any way I can.”
Surprised, but pleased, Ethan stood up and nodded. “I appreciate that.”
Once the woman was gone, Sadie slipped into the room and closed the door, leaning back against it. “Well? What did she say? Do? Think?”
He laughed a little. Sadie’s enthusiasm was contagious.
“Emma stays with me,” he said.
“Really?” Sadie smiled at him and approval shone in her eyes. Strange how good it felt to know she was proud of him and what he’d done.
“I’m glad, Ethan.”
“Why?” he asked, his gaze sliding over every square inch of her.
“Because I think Emma’s good for you.”
One eyebrow arched. “More direct honesty?”
Sadie shrugged. “A little late to change that now. Besides, would you prefer lies?”
“No,” he said, his gaze locked on her. She was wearing what he’d always thought of as her “work uniform.” Black slacks, dress shirt and short black jacket. And she looked sexier than any other woman would have in diaphanous lace or a skimpy bikini. Just looking at Sadie hit him on so many levels he couldn’t have counted them all.
He wanted her.
As he did every moment of every damn day.
It didn’t matter if she was laughing with him or her eyes were snapping with fury. Sadie Matthews was the one thing in Ethan’s world he couldn’t predict. Couldn’t control. And he enjoyed knowing that more than he would have thought possible.
“It’s not as scary as you thought, is it?”
Could she read his mind now?
“What’s that?”
“Love.”
The way she said that word sent a chill along his spine. He stiffened and his voice went deep and gruff as he demanded, “Who said anything about love?”
Her head tipped to one side, delighting him, even as her expression screamed disappointment. “I did. But you should. Ethan, you love that baby.”
“I care for her, sure,” he hedged. He wasn’t going to use the L word because it didn’t matter. He’d made Emma a part of his world, his life. He would take care of her, make sure she was happy. Wasn’t that enough, for God’s sake?
“Is it really beyond you to admit you know how to love?”
“It’s not that I don’t know how,” he said tightly. “It’s that I choose not to.”
“And that’s immeasurably sad.”
He ground out, “Thanks so much.”
“Ethan...” She took a step toward him and stopped. “I’ll only be here a couple more weeks. When I leave, what then?”
A couple more weeks. Well hell, he didn’t want to think about that. Time was moving too quickly. It wasn’t only Emma who had invaded his life, it was Sadie, as well, and knowing she would be gone soon was like a thorn constantly jabbing at him. Ethan wanted to find a way to keep her with him; he just hadn’t come up with anything yet. But damned if he’d lose Sadie now.
Marriage was, of course, out of the question. He’d already failed spectacularly at that institution and he had no interest in repeating the mistake.
“You don’t have to leave.”
“We’ve been over this, Ethan.”
“I don’t want you to leave,” he said abruptly.
“What?” She stared at him, shocked. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying we’re good together, Sadie.” He came forward, took both her hands in his and held on tightly, stroking his thumbs across her knuckles. “We’re a hell of a team. Why should we end it?”
“Ethan...” Her eyes shone and she licked her lips as if they’d gone suddenly dry.
“Things have changed between us, Sadie. You know it as well as I do. We have more together now.” The thought of losing it was unacceptable. “You don’t have to go, Sadie.”
