First though, breakfast.
Since he’d made her such a nice dinner the previous evening, the least she could do was return the favor today. Kylie pushed to her feet and walked over to the fridge, pulling out all the makings for a lovely frittata—eggs, cheese, onions, tomatoes, fresh spinach and mushrooms—and set them on the counter before preheating the oven.
“Hope you’re hungry,” she said to Gage over her shoulder as she began mixing together the ingredients in a large bowl. “I make a mean breakfast.”
“I know.” He looked up at her while burping Maya. “And yes, I’m starving.”
“Good. This should be ready shortly.”
“Perfect, that will give me time to get the twins bathed and dressed for the day.”
It felt nice, homey even, with her cooking and him caring for the kids. She whisked together the frittata then poured it into a baking dish and put it in the oven before setting the timer. Gage was humming again, a tune she couldn’t quite name, as he got the twins ready down the hall. It only served to endear him to her more.
Which wasn’t good.
She pushed the lever down on the toaster with more force than was necessary, before setting the table for two. Then she cooked up some turkey bacon in the microwave and set that on a plate in the middle of the table. By the time Gage returned and put the twins in their playpen with their toys, she had the table heaped with food. Sure, it was a lot for two people, but hey.
“Breakfast is ready,” she called to him from across the room.
“Great.” Gage took the seat across from her at the table, his spot giving him a clear eye line on the babies in the playpen, in case anything went awry. He eyed the array of food and smiled. “This looks amazing.”
“Thanks.” She filled a plate for herself. “Most important meal of the day.”
“True.” He took a huge bite of frittata and moaned his appreciation. “So good.”
“Thanks.” Heat rose in her cheeks, both because of his compliment and also because that moan of his had immediately gotten her thinking about other times and situations when he might make similar sounds.
Naughty Kylie. So, so naughty.
She cleared her suddenly constricted throat and dug into her own food. After a few minutes of eating in silence, she said, “I thought I’d go hunting for a temporary apartment. Check my client list too and see if anyone in town needs a consultation. Since I’ll be here a while, I should get settled a bit.”
“What’s the hurry?” He blinked at her a couple of times, clearly confused, then frowned down at his plate. “I thought this arrangement was working out pretty well for now. And I thought maybe if you weren’t busy, you might like to come with me and twins to the nature preserve nearby. After what you went through yesterday, some peace and quiet might be good for you. And like I said, there’s no hurry to get out of here. With your credit cards and stuff up in the air, might be better to wait until that’s all settled anyway. Most leases require a credit check, even short-term ones.”
Damn. He was right and she hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“If you’re worried about being out in the open,” he said, apparently mistaking her lack of response for fear, “I’ve got your back. I might have left the SEALs, but the SEALs never leaves the man.”
Kylie grinned despite herself. “They should use that slogan on the recruitment posters.”
Gage chuckled. “Yeah. Right. Seriously, though. If you want to come with us today, I’d be happy for the help. No pressure though, or anything.” He looked away again, appearing a bit flustered. “Whatever you want to do.”
He devoured more food and she considered her options. Frankly, she was still tired from the day before. She’d slept restlessly, waking up every so often as images of the guy in the park had invaded her dreams. Her main concern with sleeping on Gage’s couch had been overstaying her welcome, but if he wasn’t in a hurry—and they both kept their hands and lips to themselves—a few more days shouldn’t hurt anything. Plus, a day outside in nature sounded beyond blissful. Her energies were all in a tangle from the mugging and the kiss. Fresh air and sunshine would do wonders for getting her straightened out again.
“Fine,” she said at last. “I’d love to go to the nature preserve with you.”
“Awesome.” He grinned at her from across the table, his smile radiant, and her breath caught despite her wishes. “After we finish eating and cleaning up, I’ll get the stroller packed and we can go.”
“Great.” She finished her food without really tasting it. As much as she was looking forward to spending the day outside with the twins, being close to Gage all day would definitely put her willpower to the test. He wasn’t even trying to flirt with her—at least she didn’t think he was—and already she was under his spell. If she wasn’t careful, she’d fall right over into lust with the guy and then it was only a few quick hops and they’d end up in the sack together. Kylie was all for fun little flings, but something about Gage warned her that a night with him wouldn’t be a one and done. He was the kind of guy that had forever written all over him and girls like her, ones who couldn’t give a man like him the children he so obviously wanted and deserved, couldn’t do long-term romance. She picked at what was left on her plate before standing and carrying her dishes over to the sink. “I got this stuff. Why don’t you focus on packing the stroller, so we can get out of here?”
“Cool.” He set his plates on the counter beside her, his arm brushing hers and sending fresh zings of awareness through her left side. “I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
“Me too,” she murmured, not looking at him. Wondering if she could still get out of it but knowing whether or not she went with them today it was already too late. Despite all her efforts, Gage had wormed his way beneath the barriers she’d built against him and now she wasn’t sure she’d ever get him out of her system—or if she even wanted to.
* * *
A few hours later, Gage pulled into a spot near the scenic overlook he liked to visit and jammed the transmission of his SUV into park. Kylie had been awfully quiet in the passenger seat since they’d left his house. He’d tried to get her talking several times to no avail. He hoped maybe the nature would do the trick. Not that he planned on getting too deep into things with her, but not talking was awkward too. And damn if he still wasn’t curious about why she’d fled the night before.
“Here we are,” he said, with far more enthusiasm than required. “I’ll get the stuff unloaded from the back, if you want to get the twins out.”
“Sure,” she said, not looking at him as she exited the vehicle.
Yep. Something was up there. Even a guy who kept to himself like Gage could tell.
They’d stopped at a deli on the way up here and picked up a couple boxed lunches for them. He’d packed the twins diaper bag full of bottles of formula and supplies before he’d left the house. They were about two hours from home near Puerco Canyon and the ocean. There were several nature spots closer to his house, but Gage liked the views from here and the weather was perfect. Besides, none of them had anywhere specific to be, so why not enjoy the gorgeous day?
He walked over to a clearing with a view of the canyon below and the Pacific in the distance and spread out the plaid blanket he’d brought on the ground before setting the cooler atop it along with the diaper bag. Then he went back to the SUV to get the car seats out of the back and help with the twins. Once they were all settled on the blanket and the babies had been changed and fed, he and Kylie sat and ate their lunches while soaking in the peaceful vibes of the area.
“Hey, in case I said something to upset you last night when I mentioned wanting kids of my own someday, I’m sorry,” he said, around a bite of his Italian sub. “Not sure why it would bother you, but it’s none of my business.”
She shook her head, still staring out over the beautiful vista below. “No. It’s fine.”
A shadow of sadness passed over her face, so fast Gage might’ve missed
it if he hadn’t been watching her so closely. She nibbled on her veggie burger and sighed.
“You know, I always wanted a family of my own, but never imagined it would happen so suddenly with the twins arriving,” he said, not sure why he was continuing to spill his guts to her, other than it felt nice to have someone he could share things with again and because Kylie had a great smile and he wanted to see it again. “Honestly, a lot of the time I doubt I’ll make a good father. With what happened to my parents and all, I have no idea what I’m doing. Probably shouldn’t tell you that, considering the position we’re in with custody and all, but…”
“You’re a natural,” she said, glancing over at him finally. “You do great with the twins.”
“Thanks.” He finished his sub then took a swig from his water bottle. “You do really well with them too.”
Kylie gave a small shrug her expression bleak. “I always wanted kids of my own too.”
He almost said she’d make a great mother someday, but stopped himself, remembering what had happened the other night. She’d opened the door a crack and he wanted inside, so instead he tried a different tack. “They’re a huge responsibility though. Hard to raise a family when you’re also trying to build a career.”
“Yeah.” Kylie held his gaze a moment before returning her attention to the view. “It’s spectacular here.”
“Whenever I was missing my parents or had a fight with my uncle or was struggling in school, I’d hike up here and just sit for a few hours. Something about this place clears my mind and heals my heart.”
“I understand,” she said, the sadness lacing her tone had turned to reverence instead as she gazed out over the natural beauty surrounding them. The twins were sleeping behind them and a slight breeze blew, rustling the leaves in the trees and carrying the scent of pine and earth and the far-off fragrance of the sea. Back home, things might be chaotic and confusing, but here in their own private bubble all seemed right with the world. She took a deep breath then exhaled slow, her shoulders sagging slightly. “The reason I don’t have kids of my own is because I can’t have kids of my own.”
Gage blinked at her back for a few moments, taking that in. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” Kylie gave a sad little ironic snort. “I was diagnosed with endometriosis in college. The condition makes it difficult, if not impossible, to conceive. My boyfriend at the time acted like he was okay with it at first, but then he broke up with me because he wanted a family of his own. Since then, the few men I’ve told about my condition have hightailed it out of my life pretty quick.” She shook her head and smiled, a brittle affair. “I get it. I do. I’m broken. Defective. No guy wants to marry that.”
Moving slowly, Gage sat up, not wanting to startle her. He moved in beside her and just gazed out over the landscape, his arm brushing hers. “For the record, you’re not broken. Or defective. And there are plenty of other ways to have a family besides childbirth. Just look at me and the twins. Or me and my uncle. Sometimes the families you choose yourself are even better than the ones you’re born into. It’s the bonds that matter. The connections. Not the blood.”
For a while she didn’t respond, just stared out at the horizon, and Gage started to worry that he’d said the wrong thing again. Then she leaned in to kiss his cheek and smiled brighter than the sun in the sky and his whole universe tilted in the best way. “Thank you for that.”
“Any time,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. He realized that regardless of his preference for being alone, his life had changed the minute the twins had entered it. Now with Kylie there, everything was evolving again. It should have scared him, but the truth was that the future seemed a little less lonely and bleak because of it, even if his time with her was only temporary.
He still wasn’t sure about all her energy and vibes nonsense, but there was definitely something to be said for their sizzling connection right now. Maybe they couldn’t share a future, but they could enjoy the time they had together today.
8
The longer the afternoon went on, the more comfortable and relaxed Gage felt. Once they’d finished lunch and taken a short walk with the twins, he and Kylie were settled once more on the blanket on the overlook, just enjoying the scenery and the company. If he were honest with himself, he hadn’t had such an enjoyable day in a long time. Having her open up about her condition seemed to have dissolved the barriers between them and made him feel closer to her somehow.
Instead of being alarmed by that, as he usually was whenever true intimacy was involved, it just felt… well… right. Not that he planned to do anything more than talk with her today. But if, maybe something between them developed later, Gage wouldn’t entirely object either.
After all, they were both consenting adults. They both had pasts and painful things they were dealing with. They both obviously needed someone to talk to and had found a kind and considerate ear in each other, at least for the time being. Everything could change tomorrow, of course. Gage knew that all too well, but for now things between him and Kylie were good.
Maya did an Army crawl across the blanket over to where Brennan was slobbering all over a set of plastic keys and attempted to grab them away from him. Brennan fussed and shook his little arms angrily. Gage couldn’t help but laugh. “I never had siblings, but I assume that’s normal. One always trying to take something from the other?”
Kylie smiled at the babies and shook her head. “Not always. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Me and my sister had our share of fights growing up, but most of the time we stood up for each other.” Her gaze narrowed and her sunny grin dissolved into grief. “God, I miss her so much. Stupid, right? She’s not even been gone a month, and it’s not like we saw each other or even talked every day. But just knowing she was there made me feel safer, somehow. Does that make sense?”
“It does.” Gage reached over to pick up the set of keys Brennan had dropped and hand them back to the little boy. “I felt the same about the team mates I lost during a SEAL mission.”
She sighed and reached over to smooth Maya’s windblown, downy hair back into place. “That must be so hard. Going to work every day, knowing you might die or lose someone close to you.”
This time, it was Gage’s turn to shrug. “Surprisingly, even though the threat is always there, you don’t think about it much. At least I didn’t. Not until it happened. Then it was all I could think about.”
“Is that why you left?” Kylie picked Maya up and held her over her shoulder.
“Yeah. I mean, after the investigation cleared me, I could return to active duty but I chose to transfer to a desk job. My heart wasn’t in fieldwork anymore. A desk job wasn’t the right fit either, though, so I resigned my commission and transitioned to security work. Then the accident happened, and all my priorities changed.”
“Hmm.” She rocked slowly, cradling the baby’s head on her shoulder, and Gage didn’t think he’d ever seen Kylie look more peaceful or beautiful. And that was saying something because the woman was smoking hot. She was meant to be a mother, whether she was able to have children biologically or not, that much was certain. “The more I think about what happened at the park, the angrier I get at myself for taking off after that guy the way I did. If anything had happened to the twins, I would never have forgiven myself. With Christine gone, I’d do anything in the world to protect them.”
“Same here.” He hiked his chin toward where Brennan had dozed off on the blanket with a plastic key dangling from his mouth. “Looks like its naptime again.”
“Agreed,” she whispered, carefully moving over to secure a snoozing Maya back into her carrier seat. Gage did the same with Brennan then moved back to his spot on the blanket beside Kylie.
He rested his arms atop his knees and staring out at the ocean in the distance. “When I come here and it’s so quiet and peaceful, it makes me realize that slowing down isn’t such a bad thing after all. Taking time to enjoy what I’ve got here in front of me.”
“True.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, her arm brushing against his with the movement. “For years now, I’ve been traveling from one place to the next, working hard to make everyone else’s life more harmonious, but I never stopped to think about my own space. What I really wanted.”
He glanced sideways at her. “You think you could be happy settling down?”
“Maybe.” Kylie looked back at the twins, then at him, her pretty blue gaze flickering down to his lips before returning to his eyes again and making him remember their kiss from the other night. “I think I might be willing to try.”
Time seemed to slow as she leaned slightly toward him and he did the same. Familiar caution had him holding back before his lips met hers. “Are you sure about this? Last time you said kissing me was a mistake.”
One side of her full pink lips quirked up into a crooked grin. “I’m not sure about anything these days, but I will say that being with you might be my favorite mistake.”
* * *
Corny, girl. So, so corny.
Still, the line must’ve worked because next thing Kylie knew, she was in Gage’s arms and he was kissing her like there was no tomorrow. There was nowhere else on earth she wanted to be.
Everything seemed to fade away as he pulled her tighter to him and his tongue swept between her lips to tangle with hers. He tasted of spices and basil and garlic from lunch and she couldn’t seem to get enough of him. She twined her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life.
Guarding His Unexpected Twins: SEAL Endgame Book Three Page 6
