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“A laugh snuck up on you?” replied Chad who just joined them.
Leila made room for him next to Jessica. “Yes. It was because of the fear on Kristen’s face. She looked like she had just seen a ghost coming after her with a sword, ready to do her in or something.”
Don laughed. “Kristen, your look was priceless. It’s only a baby.”
“Yeah. Just a baby. I’ve told Jacob he can hang out with Grant anytime he wants to, and y'all can have him babysit as well. I’m so not ready for that. We just got married.”
“Yeah, but you can’t hold Jacob back for too long. Y’all aren’t getting any younger,” replied Don.
Jacob lifted Kristen onto his lap. “Hey, it’s all right, babe. No babies. Not yet anyway.” He kissed her, and she seemed to relax.
Those two were sweet, and newly married. Only about a month. Leila hadn’t gone to their wedding. They were married at a justice of the peace, then celebrated with a party in Stacey’s backyard. She had just had Skylar and was up to her neck breast feeding and dealing with dirty diapers. No time for fun.
“Do you need another drink?”
Leila didn’t notice that someone had sat down next to her. She jerked her head toward the new, yet familiar, voice. Adler. She looked around and noticed Desiree next to Charity still, with a seat next to her. Why didn’t he go over there instead of sitting by her? She studied Desiree. She didn’t look at all concerned that he wasn’t sitting with her. I guess when you look that good you aren’t concerned with needing to be jealous.Must be nice.
She was saved the need to answer him when Tristan called them all from the pool. Time to eat. She quickly exited, glad to put some space between herself and Adler.
Leila filled a plate and sat with Jessica and Chad. They were sitting at a stone picnic table overlooking the pasture, and Grant was trying his best to climb over the fence that separated them from the horse pasture.
“Hey, you, don’t climb through that fence,” Jacob said to Grant. “Horses have been known to eat little boys.”
Jessica’s and Leila’s mouths dropped as Jacob joined them at the table.
“That’s awful,” Leila said.
“Yeah, you’re gonna scare him,” Jessica agreed. “Grant, don’t listen to Jacob. Horses don’t eat people.”
Grant spun around toward the group, scrunched his face tight, placed his finger in front of his face, and pointed it at Jacob, making everyone laugh. He really was a cute little boy.
“Maybe one day your mom and dad can bring you here and I’ll give you a riding lesson on a pony,” Adler said to Grant.
Leila watched the fake mean expression on Grant’s face melt away and turn to surprise while, at the same time, her stomach curdled, and Adler took the only empty seat. Next to her.
Jacob chuckled. “That’s something I’m sure Brady will jump at. His wife bringing their two-year-old here to get riding lessons from the guy who hit on Elizabeth.”
Leila had talked with Elizabeth about what had happened between her and Adler, which wasn’t anything. She was someone else who hadn’t given in to the Adler charm. She joined in the laughter and turned toward Adler to make a smart comment but stopped herself.
Adler was looking away from the group, and she could see the muscle in his jaw clench. Their ragging was irritating him. She quirked a brow. She hadn’t taken him for the sensitive type.
“Nah, Brady’s good,” said Chad. “Though I think it’ll take him a bit more time to leave Adler alone with Elizabeth. Heck, from what I hear about you, we all need to be watching our women around you.” Chad put his arm around Jessica’s shoulder and held up her hand. “Engagement ring. She’s mine. Hands off.”
Adler shot eye daggers at Chad, and the muscle in his jaw pulsed.
“Problem, Casanova?” Leila asked as she bumped her shoulder into him. “Is the fact that someone didn’t fall for your charms hurting your ego?”
He looked at her, and his gaze held hers. He had large, deep dark brown—almost black—eyes. Right now, they were smoldering, and her stomach lurched. He reached over and moved a piece of hair from her face. Her heart did a weird flip when his finger touched her skin. What was that about?
“She wasn’t the only one able to resist the Adler charm, but luckily I seem to be getting used to it.” His eyes never left hers.
She squinted. What was his deal? He moved his hand, and she looked away. Suddenly her throat was dry, and she took a quick drink of water to quench her thirst and to try and calm her churning stomach.
Chad broke into the conversation and stood up from the table. “Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think we need to be going. Grant needs a bath and needs to get to bed.”
Thank God. Leila stood quickly. She needed to get some space between herself and Adler.
Jacob joined Chad. “I’ll get him ready for you. Grant, come here, bud.”
