Mine to Hold (5 page)

“Yesterday at lunch. I split a sandwich with Seth.”

Everyone stared at her like she’d grown two heads. Suddenly, Kata rushed to pull out a chair from the table in the eat-in kitchen. Tyler shoved her into it. Alyssa pressed a water bottle into her hands, along with a hunk of cheese.

Del stopped arguing and ate it gratefully. If she was going to fight off Carlson, she’d need her strength.

“I don’t like bell peppers,” she told Luc. “I’m allergic to shellfish.”

“She also hates mustard and pickles,” Tyler added, staring straight at her. “Coffee with creamer only. Lightly toast everything. She has a real thing for strawberries.”

His knowledge of her was intimate, and his direct green gaze challenged her to remember exactly how well he knew her. It was just food, but somehow Delaney felt as if he’d opened her up again. She dropped her gaze to the slate tile beneath her feet, feeling her face heat up.

Suddenly, the chair to her left scraped against the flooring, and she looked up to find Jack plopping down beside her. “Go with Tyler. We’ll watch Seth. Between Deke, Luc, and I, he’ll be completely safe. We’ll also do whatever investigating we can from here to support you. Tara over there is a whiz of an analyst. Come back to your son in one piece.”

When Jack said it, the suggestion sounded reasonable . . . right up to the part where she had to leave her little boy with people she didn’t really know. They seemed nice enough—but
seemed
wasn’t good enough for her. Only Tyler had a really vested interest in Seth’s future and continued well-being.

Before she could answer, Luc set an omelet in front of her, filled with chunks of ham, spinach, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. He’d drizzled a light cheese sauce that smelled over-the-top heavenly. A piece of wheat bread, lightly toasted, and a handful of fresh strawberries sat to the side, along with a cup of creamed coffee. She now had a meal made by
the
Luc Traverson. Surreal . . .

Del inhaled deeply and almost fainted in bliss as she dug in. “Thank you so much.”

He looked at her with a kind smile that only made him more gorgeous. Alyssa was one lucky woman. “You’re welcome. It would have been better, but . . .” He turned to Tyler. “Go to the grocery store and stock up. You eat like a five-year-old.”

“Hey, I had fresh fruits and vegetables. Sorry I don’t keep foie gras and caviar for you, Your Highness.”

Okay, so no love lost there
. Yet . . . when Tyler needed help, Luc had come. They all had. Again, she was amazed by the incredible sense of family he had among all these people. Yes, they’d rushed over to gawk at her and Seth, but they’d stayed to help. God, she wished she had even half the support system he did, and she realized how much she’d closed herself off from everyone after Tyler had gone, after her divorce. Del shook her head as she moaned around another bite. She’d rectify these deficits in her life after this crap with Carlson was over.

Seth toddled over to her and plopped at her feet with one of his toys. Little Caleb followed, then Chloe wanted down to join in the fun. Del gnawed on her lower lip, then took her last bite of food. Seth missed his preschool, his friends. He was cranky without his routine, his naps, his fun time. Guilt pounded her. For the millionth time, she wished she could make all this go away for him. For them.

And none of these thoughts did her a damn bit of good.

After wiping her mouth with her napkin, she set it down. “I’m stuffed. Thank you, Mr. Traverson.”

“Luc,” he corrected. Then the chef looked at his wife. “Ready to head home?”

Alyssa nodded, and within moments, they were gone. Tara and Kata left directly behind them with a friendly wave and air kisses for Seth, followed by Deke and Kimber. Jack and Morgan loitered for a moment.

“Deke and I will be around later to discuss our plan of action. We’re going to help you. And you need to trust that Tyler is going to do everything to fix your problem. Listen to him; he knows what he’s doing.”

That sounded an awful lot like an order. Given his profession, it wasn’t a stretch to guess that he’d either been military or law enforcement in the past. But she didn’t work for him, and she wasn’t about to just fall in line with his plans. She had the solution worked out in her head—one that didn’t risk both of Seth’s parents and leave him with strangers.

“Thank you for your opinion, but this is my son and my life. I have to think about it.”

“We understand.” Morgan patted Tyler’s arm. “You’ve got a tough cookie there. Good luck.”

With that, the couple departed, leaving her alone with Tyler, who sent her an unfathomable stare. His cop stare. God, she hated it when she couldn’t read him.

Seth’s childish noises faded to the background. The air turned thick. Crap, why was her heart beating faster?

Tyler leaned over her, bracing his hands on the back of her chair and crowding his way into her personal space. His ridged abdomen, apparent through his tight T-shirt, was right in her line of vision. She didn’t dare drop her gaze lower to see if she had any effect on him. She wanted to . . . Instead, she tipped her head back to glare up at him.

“So, angel . . . let’s talk about how this is going to go.”

Chapter Three

D
EL
swallowed at Tyler’s nearness. God, for years she’d basically crawled on his lap and never thought of him as more than a pal. One night had completely rewired her body and left her painfully attuned to him. Shoving the thought aside, she planted her palms against the corrugated expanse of his stomach and pushed him away.

“No, here’s how it’s going to go, Tyler. Seth and I are going to take a shower. Then you can read to him, if you like. After that, he and I are going to sleep. If you don’t have a spare bed, I’ll go find a motel and see you tomorrow, but—”

“I have a spare bed. You’re not going anywhere.”

Because it suited Del’s plans, she didn’t argue. “Fine. Thank you. As long as you understand . . . you keep your distance, and I’ll keep mine.”

Tyler clenched his jaw. “Damn it, Del. I didn’t hurt you the night that we . . . made love.”

Physically, no. It would almost be easier if he had. Instead, he’d given her one amazing climax after another, tripping her over the edge of pleasure in ways she’d never even conceived of. Certainly in ways that Eric had never managed.

But she wanted to throw his words back in his face and point out that he had other ways to hurt people besides physically. The seeming ease with which he’d left her without a backward glance had been damn painful, especially after she’d realized how badly she needed Tyler. It hurt more now to realize that, since they’d parted, he’d been getting busy with his usual bevy of strippers and easy lays. Not that she was surprised, but . . . had he thought about her at all?

She shoved the question aside. It wasn’t his fault that she cared about him more, that not having even a small part of his heart crushed her. In truth, when Tyler had left, he’d only done what she’d asked.

“I won’t hurt you now,” he added into the silence.

Because I won’t let you
. “I’ll come find you when Seth is ready for his story.”

Tyler hesitated, his green eyes probing. For what? A chink in her armor? Any hint that she wanted him? A sign that she hated him? Maybe she was reading too much into it. At the end of the day, she’d been another piece of ass to him—one careless enough to get pregnant. He was more concerned about Seth, as he should be. She needed to forget whatever emotions might have been between them and move on.

Finally, he nodded. “Towels are under the bathroom sink. Shampoo and soap are in the shower. Take your time.”

With that, he was gone, grabbing for the phone at his belt before he’d even left the room. Probably going to confer with Jack or Deke again.

Del sighed. It didn’t matter if he was mad. Seth mattered. No guilt, move on. She’d functioned like that since her divorce—or tried. It was a good motto now, too.

She picked Seth up. He fussed at being separated from his toys, so she also selected a little plastic football he could play with in the shower, which calmed him down.

Minutes later, she stood under the hot spray, letting Seth play at her feet while she washed herself and her hair. She’d even found a fresh razor in the top drawer and availed herself of it. After a final rinse, she almost felt human. Then she quickly scrubbed Seth, working around his little football until he was clean.

As soon as she pulled back the shower curtain and emerged, she noticed that her duffel was missing. The last of her toiletries and clothing. Tyler, that rat, had sneaked in here while she’d bathed and taken her stuff?

Wrapping a towel around herself and setting Seth on another, she stormed out the door. “Tyler, goddamn it!”

Moments later, she heard the hum of the washing machine, saw him prowling through the bag and setting aside a diaper and pajamas for Seth.

He spun and eyed her with a stare that heated so quickly, she clutched the towel even tighter to her chest and took a step back.

Why the hell was he looking at
her
like that?

Water dripped from the ends of her hair, over her shoulders, down her arms. The air-conditioning kicked on. Her nipples beaded under the thin towel. And those green eyes of his zeroed in, staring unabashedly.

Delaney sucked in a breath. A quick glance down proved his erection packed the front of his jeans. She remembered every inch of the reason he’d stretched her almost painfully when he’d entered her and left her deliciously sore the next day.

“No. Do
not
go there.”

“Where?” He tried to look innocent.

Tyler innocent? She stifled a snort. When he’d been four. Maybe.

“Stop with the . . . sexy glances. Why did you take my bag?”

Tyler suppressed a smile and held out Seth’s things. “Just trying to help. I took the clothes in the baggie that I presumed were dirty and started washing them. You don’t have a gun in your luggage.”

“I wanted to get Seth out of the way before I brought out the firepower.”

“What if you were followed? What if someone had attacked you?”

She’d thought of it, but still didn’t feel as proficient with a pistol as she’d like, certainly not good enough to carry it around and make it actually threatening. “I rarely got out of the rental car, but I was afraid if I had a gun ‘handy,’ that it would be too easy for someone to turn it against me. You know that’s what happens statistically.”

Tyler ambled closer and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I’m going to adjust your comfort level with firearms first chance we get, angel. You don’t get to say no.”

For a moment, Del wanted to balk. She didn’t like guns. In that moment, she didn’t like Tyler, either. But he was right. It was for her own good—and Seth’s. She nodded.

“Good.” He lifted some of the damp ends of her hair between his fingers and rubbed, his gaze delving deep into her.

For a second, Del couldn’t breathe, and she fell back in time, Memorial Day weekend two years ago. The hint of summer, the smell of beer, the laughter . . . then the feel of Tyler’s hands peeling off her clothing, his cock burying deep inside her as Eric’s eyes darkened with arousal.

“Angel,” Tyler murmured, his thumb brushing softly across her cheek. “I’m glad you came to me. I wish you’d come sooner.”

Her belly knotted, and her breathing turned shallow. Unless she wanted to fall into his arms and repeat her mistake all over again, she needed to pull away.

She stepped back, forcing nonchalance. “We’ve both moved on.”

Anger tightened Tyler’s face. “I’m not letting Seth out of my life again.”

Her first instinct was to argue. Where the hell had he been for the last two years? But that was unfair; she’d sent him away. And she had to put Seth first. “He’d benefit from a father figure. We can work together on visitation. I don’t need child support.”

Tyler grabbed her arm and dragged her closer. “Stubborn woman. Don’t doubt that we’re going to work this out. Every last detail.”

He meant that, and his adamancy surprised her. “Never took you for the fatherly type.”

“One look at his face changed everything for me, Del.”

She couldn’t argue that. The entire stretch of her pregnancy, she’d felt disassociated from the fact that a child was growing inside her and focused on how this would further affect her job, her body, her life. The moment she set eyes on Seth’s face, he’d become the most important priority, hands down. As far as she’d been concerned, everything else would work itself out.

“Fair enough.”

“When the timing is better, I want to hear about every moment I missed.”

A part of her tried to hate him for wanting to be so involved, as if he’d implied that she wasn’t a good enough parent all by herself. Another part of her was so damn touched that he cared about their child. She swallowed back tears. It had been a long time since she hadn’t felt alone. Allowing herself to feel at all close to Tyler was dangerous for her on so many levels . . . She stepped back.

“Of course.”

Suddenly, Seth, wailing his displeasure, toddled around the corner, dragging his bath towel. Del ran for him, trying to juggle her own towel and get a free hand to pick up her son. Tyler beat her to it, scooping him up against his broad chest and dusting a kiss on his ruddy cheek.

“Let’s get dressed for bed, Spidey.”

Seth patted Tyler’s face and smiled.

Del couldn’t help it; her heart melted. They looked so very much alike. Seeing the affection beginning to bring them together choked her up. She turned away.

“We got this,” Tyler insisted. “Go get yourself ready for bed. And take this with you.”

Reaching into his back pocket, he withdrew a big gray T-shirt that said
LOUISIANA CAJUN COUNTRY
, with a cartoon of a bearded man riding an alligator next to a tiny rowboat, holding a shotgun.

It was one of the ugliest things she’d ever seen. “To sleep in?

“Sure.” He slanted her a considering glance. “Unless you still sleep naked.”

“My sleeping attire is irrelevant. Thank you.” She plucked the shirt from his grasp, then turned away without another word.

Back in the bathroom, she shut and locked the door, blinking furiously and trying to bring her breathing back under control. But Tyler’s scent, all woodsy and male with something so vital, lingered on the shirt. He was like smelling pure testosterone. And she had no choice but to wear the damn thing. With her bag elsewhere, it was this or the towel.

With a dusting of hand lotion and finger combing her hair, she whipped the shirt over her head—and went weak-kneed. God, his smell enveloped her, was all over her—right under her nose, against her breasts, skimming down her abdomen to her thighs, brushing her pussy as she straightened and opened the bathroom door again. With every step, she felt that shirt against her skin, like he surrounded her.

No way could she sleep in this without going insane. Tyler had been potent the night he’d gotten deep inside her, and she’d reveled in his heady, masculine scent.

It was twenty times worse now because she knew exactly what she was missing.

Shoving the thought aside, she pushed out of the bathroom, made her way to the kitchen—and stopped short.

Tyler sat on a barstool with a beer in one hand, the other wrapped around Seth, now dressed in a fresh diaper and clean pajamas. He’d perched his son on his lap and was reading one of Seth’s favorites books about animals at a barnyard dance. Her baby boy was all smiles and turned to look up at Tyler with wonder, as if he recognized someone important and special.

Tears hit her eyes like a pickax. Damn, what was wrong with her tonight? She’d known that coming here and facing her past would be emotional. She’d had no idea what sort of reaction to expect from Tyler—but this was almost as sweet as her wildest dreams. On top of all the danger, adrenaline, and sleeplessness, Del felt her emotions crashing off a cliff.

Without missing a beat, Tyler finished the book and closed it, then handed Seth to her and hopped off the barstool.

“Give Mommy a hug,” he told the boy.

Seth threw his chubby little arms tightly around her neck and squeezed. Del came apart, clutching her little boy tightly against her as she tried to hold the sobs in.

Her little boy pressed a sloppy little kiss near her mouth before Tyler gently pulled Seth away and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her tight against his chest. He felt so solid and alive. His heart beat loud and strong under her ear. More of his forestlike scent surrounded her, and Del realized this was the first time she hadn’t been terrified since . . . that night.

“Let it out, angel. I’m here.”

She sobbed against him once, twice. God, how easy would it be to lean on him. And how unfair.

Stepping back with a shake of her head, she swiped away the scalding tears. “No. My problems. My cross to bear. I’d just be grateful if you’d take care of Seth for me. I’d die if anything happened to him.”

“He’s going to be fine. So are you. Deep breath.”

She drew in a shuddering breath, then let it out, already feeling better. But she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss Tyler’s warm embrace.

“Okay, it’s all ready,” a booming voice called from the archway behind her.

Del gasped and spun around, pulling her T-shirt down. She was acutely aware of the fact that, since Tyler had swiped her bag, she’d had no panties and wasn’t wearing any now. The shirt covered her ass and then some, but . . .

Deke strolled in, looking like he was suppressing a grin. “Did I interrupt something?”

“Don’t sound so hopeful, pervert.” Tyler crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator and threw Deke a beer. “Any trouble?”

“Nope. Slick as butter.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem.”

What the hell were they talking about?

“Can you give us a second?” Tyler asked his buddy.

“Sure.” Deke twisted the top off his beer with a beefy fist, then tossed the cap in the garbage. “I’ll plop in front of the TV. There’s a basketball game with my name on it.”

“Thanks.”

With that, Deke whipped past them and into the family room. Tyler held Seth in the cradle of one arm, biceps bulging. Del tried not to notice as she swept past him and grabbed her duffel bag off the counter with one hand, holding her T-shirt down with the other.