Dani’s eyes widened. “Oh, you’re right. Does he think he’s Evan? Is that why he left Regan a teddy bear with a note that it was from Daddy? That’s just creepy.”
And fucking alarming. If they were dealing with a man not in his right mind, then there was no predicting what he would do next. Was Eli acting on his own, or was the cult involved somehow? Getting the answer was a priority.
“Anything else?” Logan asked.
“That’s all I have for now, boss, but Evan and his father moved to Austin after the supposed tragedy, so I’m figuring you want me to head there next.”
“What time’s your flight?” Logan said.
Turner chuckled. “That’s what I thought. Later, Dani. Nice hearing your voice.”
“Yours, too, Jamie. Like I said, it’s been too long.”
“Wait,” Logan said before Turner could hang up. “What did Evan’s father do for a living?”
“He was an evangelist,” Turner said.
“He was an insurance salesman,” Dani said.
Dani eyed the bikini she’d bought a year before and never worn. Logan was waiting for her, and it was the only bathing suit she’d brought. She seriously considered putting on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, but then she’d be a coward. Sighing, she stripped and put it on, and then went into the bathroom and studied the stretch marks on her stomach. Well, that’s what happened when one had a baby. If they turned Logan off, then he was an ass.
She grabbed the matching cover-up off the bed, slipped it on, and skipped down the stairs. What she had learned earlier that day about Evan’s family disturbed her. There was some bad business going on, so bad she didn’t want to deal with it until she could think about it without feeling sick.
If Logan had allowed it, she would’ve holed up in her room and worked herself into a depression. “This afternoon is for us,” he’d told her when they left K2 and then added, “All this shit, we’ll think about tomorrow.”
That worked for her.
Logan stood at the bottom of the stairs wearing board shorts and nothing else, Regan cradled in his arm. Her heartbeat sputtered. Good God, he was too damn sexy. A smoking-hot man holding a baby? Who knew that would start a fire in her belly that spread to areas no man had touched since Evan?
His gaze slid over her, from her face and then slowly down to her breasts, which peaked under the hot look in his eyes. From there, his eyes lowered to take in her belly, then to her upper thigh area, where he paused. The bathing suit cover-up was a see-through, and oh boy, was he ever looking.
She felt herself dampen under his stare and marveled that he could do that to her with only a look. Her legs were next to come under his scrutiny, and unable to help herself, she let out a long sigh. The man was making love to her without touching her body. If he could do that, how fantastic was it going to feel when they actually touched?
She put her foot on the next step, narrowing the distance between them. “Hello,” she said, hearing the breathiness in her voice.
“Hello to you.” His soft voice was like an intimate caress over her skin. He held out his hand. “Come with me. Today is for fun and games, but first I have to tell you something. I look at you and think I’ve died and gone to heaven. God help you if you smell like apple pie.”
“Then God help me,” she answered, and put her hand in his. “In case you didn’t realize, I ache for you.” His pupils dilated and his nostrils flared. Oh yeah, God help her. Her legs gave out, and she sank down onto a stair.
Brown eyes deepened to a dark chocolate as he sat next to her, her daughter still cradled in his arm. He leaned toward her and inhaled. “Did you do that on purpose because you want to be licked? From head to toe?”
Well, yes. “Maybe.” His hot breath against her ear sent heat as searing as molten lava to the area between her legs. She squeezed them together in a futile attempt to squash the ache. It had been so long since she’d been with a man, and now that she wanted to, she wanted it now. Immediately.
“I’m going to kiss you.”
“I’m going to let you,” she said.
He chuckled and lowered his lips to hers. It started as a soft kiss as he explored the corners of her mouth, and then he sucked on her bottom lip. His kiss grew demanding, his tongue seeking hers. Was she the one moaning, or him? Both, she decided. His mouth was hot and minty tasting, and oh God, she loved kissing him.
He stilled, and they looked at each other just before they both burst out laughing. There were three of them kissing. Dani tapped Regan’s nose. “Were you feeling left out? Do you want a kiss, too? Can you say ‘kiss’?”