A Husband's Regret (The Unwanted Series)(32)

"Tickley." She formed the word clearly as she rubbed her cheek squeamishly.

"Go and wake Mummy up, sweetheart; Daddy's trying to sleep. I'll give you some sweeties if you go to your mummy!" He cajoled.

"See fishies." He frowned at that bit of information, wondering what the  hell he was missing in translation. He often had trouble with voiced  and unvoiced consonants, but he doubted very much that she meant  "vishies," so the word had to be "fishies," which confused the hell out  of him.

"What?"

"Fishies, Daddy, see fishies!" She made a squirmy, fishlike movement  with one of her plump hands. Okay, so he definitely hadn't misread the  "fishies."

"Where's your mummy?" He kept her still when it became obvious that she wanted to bounce again.

"There," she pointed to his bedroom door, the dimple she'd inherited  from him deepening as her smile widened. He looked up to find Bronwyn  standing in the open doorway. Well that certainly explained how Kayla  had gotten into his room; she wasn't tall enough to open doors yet.  Bronwyn was leaning against the doorjamb with her arms folded over her  chest and her eyebrows raised.

"Don't think I missed that blatant bit of bribery just now," she said, and he groaned.





  

"C'mon, Bron, you know the weekends are your domain. I didn't want to  rob you of any time with our precious little angel. It wouldn't be fair  to you," he quickly smooth-talked, but she wasn't having any of it and  he could practically hear her hah! Their high-strung "angel" of a  daughter had escaped his grip and was jumping on the bouncy mattress  again, her curls flying as she chanted, "Fishies, fishies" with every  bounce. Bryce grimaced as he read her lips.

"What's all this about ‘fishies'?" he asked, feeling ridiculous as he  said the word. He glanced up and caught Bronwyn staring at his naked  chest. She blushed when he caught her staring and took a few seconds to  gather her thoughts before responding.

"Uh . . . I'm taking her to the aquarium today and was wondering if  you'd like to join us." He blinked up at her, wondering if he had read  that right.

"What?"

She repeated the question, using her eloquent hands this time, and he  blinked again, more than a little shocked by the unexpected invitation.  Her blush deepened and she started to say that he didn't have to if he  didn't want to, but he quickly brushed that aside before she changed her  mind completely.

"Sure! I've never been! That would be great! Kayla will love it!" He  knew he was speaking in exclamations but he didn't want any  misunderstanding. "Give me ten minutes and we can head off." He jumped  out of bed, forgetting that he was wearing nothing but skin and quickly  grabbed a sheet to preserve modesty when he felt a breeze on areas best  kept covered in the presence of his little girl and his estranged wife.  Tucking the sheet in at his waist, he grabbed Kayla while she was in  midjump and hugged her to his chest, twirling her around for a couple of  seconds. "We're going to see the fishies, baby!" He dropped a kiss on  the toddler's cheek before setting her down, where she tottered dizzily  before plonking down onto her butt. She laughed happily after the  dizziness passed and held up her arms to him for another round.

"Not now, sweetie. I have to shower and then we're going to see all the pretty fishies."

"Nebo?" she asked worriedly, and he grinned at the thought of the Disney  movie that she insisted on watching at least five times a week, with  her daddy of course! Bryce was thankful for the subtitle option on DVDs  and never thought he'd be the type to recite the dialogue of a cartoon  movie word for word in his lifetime.

"Yes, Nemo too," he promised. "I'll be quick," he told Bron on his way out.

"No rush." She smiled. "I still have to get Kayla ready. We can leave in about half an hour."

Bronwyn watched him leave, his broad tanned back rippling with muscles,  the sheet molding his tight behind much too lovingly. Her mouth went dry  as she recalled that flash of nudity; he was so gorgeous that it was a  real shame to cover it up. She grinned as she recalled his near  schoolboy giddiness at her impulsive invitation. She hadn't seen him  that lighthearted and ecstatic in, well, ever really. Even before her  pregnancy when they had been happy together, there had always been this  reserve in him, a darkness that he had tried to keep hidden from her.  She had always believed that it would only be a matter of time before he  confided in her but then she had gotten pregnant and they had run out  of time. She sighed at the dark turn of her thoughts; it was too bright  and beautiful an autumn day to dwell on the past.

"Come on, Kayla, time to get dressed." She held out her hand to the  toddler who happily made her way over, still chattering excitedly about  "Nebo" and "fishies."



The Two Oceans Aquarium was based at the V&A Waterfront in Cape  Town. It was teeming not only with marine life but with children, teens,  students, and noisy families. Bryce and Bronwyn, as a young couple with  an energetic toddler, blended in completely. For once the ubiquitous  Cal and his team had been told to remain very much in the background.  Bryce had commanded them to remain outside, despite Cal's obvious  uneasiness with the high security risk such a busy place posed. Bryce  had even chosen to drive them himself-a rarity these days-while the  security team had remained a discreet distance behind them.

Now Bronwyn was achingly aware of how much like a normal family they  must look amidst the tide of humanity. Kayla was up on Bryce's  shoulders, and her little feet frantically paddled against his chest  every time she wanted him to stop and let her down so that she could  investigate something closer. She had loved the touch pool, where she  got to stroke and touch all manner of tide-pool life: fish, starfish,  and even a small octopus. She had squealed with every new sensation  under her fingertips. Their little girl was nothing if not adventurous,  and unlike a lot of the other children her age who backed off squealing  and crying, she kept coming forward to touch something new. Of course,  the highlight for her was the display of clownfish. The beautiful  exhibit had actually been named "Nemos." Bryce had guided her into the  little bubble beneath the display, which had afforded her a 360-degree  view of the tank. She had squealed and clapped in delight when she found  herself surrounded by so many "Nemos." It had been very difficult  getting her back out to give other children a chance but she hadn't had  time to sulk with so much to see and do.





  

Bronwyn sensed that, despite his laughter, something was not quite right  with Bryce. He seemed jumpy and sweat beaded his upper lip. She often  caught him looking around frantically when she was farther away from him  and then almost noticeably sagging in relief when he caught sight of  her. At first she was confused by his uncharacteristic lack of  composure, but then she caught the way he shrank away anytime someone  brushed by him or got too close. With startling clarity, she recognized  that her husband, who had once seemed so strong and infallible, feared  the milling crowd of people around them. She even suspected that he was  mildly agoraphobic. It explained why he had confined himself to the  house these past couple of years, why he rarely ventured out, and why he  preferred having Pierre or Rick come by to see him at home. This once  social creature had been cut off from the world in more ways than she  had known. It said a lot for how much her invitation must have meant to  him, if he was willing to brave this for a day out with her and Kayla.

She made her way to his side and firmly slid her hand into his. His  startled gaze met hers, and when he saw the understanding glimmering  there, his eyes shone with gratitude.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked, and he hesitated before shaking his head.

"I'm okay . . . now." He lifted their clasped hands gratefully.

Neither openly acknowledged the situation again, but she rarely left his  side after that and he seemed less tense. He appeared to be genuinely  enjoying himself by the time they reached the underwater tunnel that led  them through a multitude of manta rays, barracudas, tuna, and  ragged-toothed sharks. The display was so awesome that even Kayla went  quiet as she took in the strange, beautiful blue world that surrounded  her. Her little hands were clasped together under her father's jaw and  Bronwyn watched as she started to droop more and more until her head was  resting on top of Bryce's and she was fast asleep.

"Hold still," she urged, digging out the digital camera and taking yet  another picture of father and daughter. He grinned before taking the  camera from her and stopping a passing tourist, asking the man to take  their picture. He shifted Kayla so that she was cradled in his right  arm, her head resting on the curve of his shoulder and her arm draped  around his neck, and he hauled Bronwyn against his left side, wrapping  his arm around her waist and holding her close.