Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
“And you!” He turned to face Fallon. “Can I ask what you’re doing playing on the phone?” He gestured toward her hands that held her cell. “You have two little girls who don’t belong here and need your help and you’re doing, what? Checking out social media?”
All her warm, fuzzy feelings for the worried man disappeared. Treating him to her fakest smile, she said, “I suggest you check your phone before jumping to conclusions.”
He pulled his cell from his pocket and a red flush highlighted his nicely carved cheekbones as he obviously saw a missed call. “I apologize,” he muttered. “I didn’t hear it ring and since they don’t have phones, I didn’t think to check.”
“Apology accepted. I’m sure you were scared out of your mind.” She extended her hand. “I’m Fallon Sterling,” she said, deciding names were in order. “I work here. And this is my friend Brooke,” she said.
Brooke merely waved. She’d been quiet, watching this entire exchange with interest. No doubt they’d be talking about the sexy man later.
He slid his hand against hers and an electrical kick sizzled up her arm, the jolt of awareness taking her off guard. Good lord, it had been years since she’d experienced anything like that feeling. True, she’d appreciated other men’s good looks on sight but this one, with his buttoned shirt rolled up at the sleeves, exuded power, and Fallon was drawn to guys who were sure of themselves. Too bad that kind of man had caused her greatest humiliation and heartbreak. Besides, she thought, he had a wife, even if she was in Egypt.
“Noah Powers,” he said, his voice huskier than before. As if he were equally attracted to her.
Something she had to be imagining. Lord knew she’d done it before and learned the hard way she wasn’t good at reading people’s true intentions.
“I’m a partner at a law office up the street,” he said. “As for the girls, their nanny brought them to the park to hang out before she dropped them off with me for dinner and they pulled a disappearing act.”
“Because we don’t like her!”
“Dakota!” he snapped.
“Daddy, don’t be mad,” the twin she now figured out was Dylan, said. “We saw the lady from behind and she looked like Mommy.” She pointed to Fallon.
Once again, Fallon ran her hand over her hair.
“The girls mentioned your wife is in Egypt,” Fallon murmured.
“We’re not married but yes, their mother is there on an archaeological dig,” he said.
She refused to question why that admission made her so happy.
“Daddy, doesn’t she remind you of Mom?” one of the twins asked.
“Goddammit,” he muttered, rubbing his chest, and she wondered if he was having a bad case of ingestion thanks to his precocious children. “You two are going to give me a heart attack!”
“Daddy!” Dakota said in a chiding tone. “Please calm down. Stress can affect the body’s cardiovascular system and raise your blood pressure and that can cause a stroke.”
A strangled sound of held-back laughter caught Fallon’s attention. She didn’t look at Brooke because then she’d be laughing out loud and the girls didn’t need any sign of encouragement.
Noah pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Then please try to behave. And never run away again. I love you both too much to lose you.” The bite in his tone eased with his admission.
And Fallon’s heart melted, watching his expression soften as he looked at his girls.
“Dad, check out this painting!” Dylan said loudly, pointing to Fallon’s artwork. “I love it! Look at all the colors!”
“I love it too!” Dakota added.
Brooke chuckled. “That’s a Fallon Sterling original,” her friend said.
“You painted this?” Dylan asked.
Fallon nodded. “Modern pop art,” she said, aware of the enthusiasm she always exuded when she discussed her craft. “It’s always called to me in the works of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Roy Lichtenstein. Art is my passion and I could get lost for hours painting or viewing other creators’ works.”
“Can we buy it? I bet it’d look so cool in our room,” Dakota exclaimed.
He shook the head she was sure was about to explode from their precociousness. “Do you two think I’m going to reward you for this stunt?”
Dakota dipped her head. “Sorry, Daddy.”
“Sorry, Daddy,” Dylan echoed.
They both appeared contrite, but something told Fallon these two would be plotting again at their first opportunity.
“Now apologize to Fallon,” Noah said in a stern voice.
Two sets of identical faces glanced at her. “We’re sorry, Fallon.”
“That’s okay,” she said, smiling at them.
He nodded, his gaze softening now that the girls had done as he’d asked. “Thanks for looking out for them. They won’t bother you again.”
She bit her cheek before she could say they weren’t a bother. He didn’t need her encouraging them to come back, though she definitely enjoyed their humor and different but extroverted personalities.
He extended his arm and she placed her palm in his large hand. Their shake was brief this time but his grip was strong and capable, and she had a sudden vision of those hands running over the most sensitive parts of her body. She trembled at the thought and stepped back, taking him in before he disappeared forever.