Matched For Love(30)

But Annie had walked through the front door of his three-million-dollar home, dropped her dusty duffel bag on the marble-floored entry, and declared it to be excessive and stupid to buy a house so fancy. She was happier living in a tent. And what had changed about him that he’d do that? They’d been happy in their crappy little apartment before he’d developed the game, hadn’t they?

Her words had sliced through his heart so deep, he’d sworn it’d be the last time he’d ever surprise anyone ever again.

Calmer now, he leaned forward and called up the video conferencing software on his desktop computer. He’d ask Annie to please consider coming home for Asher’s birthday. And if she said no, maybe he’d tell her if she came back, then he’d consider giving her the funding she needed to complete her dig.

It was just damn money, after all. Asher’s feelings mattered so much more than cash. And he had plenty. But she’d have to agree to come home more than once every two years if he agreed to the funding.

He waited for the connection, but after ten rings, he gave up. It was two hours ahead of where she was in Peru. They’d have to talk about it later.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Being around Lori’s incredible family had made him and Asher both realize what they were missing in their lives. So he’d send Annie an e-mail. Hopefully, she’d see it in the morning and call them after school tomorrow for a change.

As hard as he tried to be both parents, it was clear that Lori was doing a better job of that than he was.

He pulled up his e-mail and started typing. He laid out some terms for the million dollars she needed, suggested the number of visits home each year, and even threw marriage in as a line item once again. It’d give her something to throw out and feel like he was compromising because she always said no to that. Then he hit Send, shut everything down, and headed for bed.

As he slid under the covers, he smiled at the trick Lori’s twin had pulled on him earlier. Their conversation still made him want to hide under a rock, but Rachel had been a good sport about it all.

Lori’s sister was just as beautiful as Lori, but it was interesting that she didn’t seem quite as attractive to him. That made no sense; they were identical twins. Yes, Rachel had the same smile, but something in Lori’s eyes, the way they lit up when she smiled at him, made his chest feel tight.

Especially the way she’d looked at him during the games earlier. He and Lori had taken the kids on their team for charades and had still kicked everyone’s butts. They barely had to gesture before the other guessed the clues right. As if they were of the same mind.

They’d made a good team. He’d never forget how it felt when they’d won and Lori had slid her arms around his neck and snuggled her magnificent, curvy body against his to give him an excited hug. He’d wanted to kiss her so badly at that moment.

He was having a hard time forgetting their last kiss. And fantasizing about what it’d be like to make love to her.

But he didn’t want to use her or lead her on. He’d never be able to give her what she wanted, a whole family again, because he had to do his duty. Be a good father to Asher and win Annie back.

For Asher, anyway. He had to come first.

Yeah, giving Annie the money for the dig would probably fix everything. It’d allow her to hire a few more people so she could come home more often, and then they could finally be a family.

Well, after she finished her dig in a year or two.





8

SOMETIMES THE COVER OF A BOOK IS BETTER THAN WHAT’S INSIDE.

Lori dug through Rachel’s suitcases, using them as a shopping mall, while helping her sister unpack and settle into the guest room. “Hey, Rachel? This dress might work for me tonight. What do you think?”

Her sister had just returned from another trip from the bathroom to deal with her morning sickness and was lying on the bed with her eyes screwed shut. “I think I’ll puke again if I open my eyes to look. But I don’t get why you’re picking out dresses for Jason instead of acting on your feelings for Deek.”

Lori laid the lovely red dress down and sat beside her sister. “Because Deek wants Asher’s mother. Not me. We’re just friends.”

Rachel slowly opened just one eye. “The way he looks at you says he wants you. Naked. Even Dad noticed last night. He said you both look smitten.”

“Smitten?” Lori shook her head as she stood to continue unpacking. She was more than smitten, but she’d keep that to herself. “He’s off limits. End of discussion. Maybe a red dress sends the wrong message? I’ll be meeting Jason’s parents tonight.”

Rachel sighed. “You don’t fool me for a second, but fine. I get it. You don’t want to talk about it. So let’s talk about Jason instead. Maybe he can help you end your celibate streak tonight. Two years is a long time to live in the sexless abbey.”