“I’ll have to look into that, little girl.”

  “You do that, giant.”

  He bends to place her gently on her feet and stands back one step, letting me know silently that he’ll wait for me to walk her in.

  “Ready?” I ask her, still looking in his eyes.

  “Can my giant walk me up today, Auntie?” she asks, drawing my attention back just when the shock reaches his eyes.

  “Of course, sweet girl. If it’s okay with him, of course.”

  She leaps up in the air a little and claps her hand and reaches to my side, toward where he’s standing. I hear him clear his throat before his hand enters my line of sight, and I watch his big mitt envelop her small hand. She turns around once on their short walk and blows me a kiss, which I catch before blowing one back for her to catch. She turns around right at the edge of the opening gate, where all the moms stand and let their little ones run the rest of the way. There is never a break to their ranks, and no mom from that group ever goes farther—almost like some sort of forcefield keeps them from walking the rest of the way.

  This special treatment could be an issue when there’s no longer any need for him to stick close to Riley and me. Riley will still be just as attached when that overprotective bear inside him can be soothed. It would worry me had I not seen how much he cares for her with my own eyes. It meant a lot to me that he was honest and told me what he could, enough information to settle my nerves. The person he was investigating was in proximity to us. It’s only natural that it’s made his already protective nature more primal. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t like knowing he was close, and so was the safety that being near him gives me.

  He’s different than I expected. He might not be the type of man who would ever wear his heart on his sleeves, and honestly, sometimes I have no idea what he’s thinking, but he’s shown me in no time that I don’t need all that to know he would do anything to protect those he cares about.

  And there’s no doubt that he cares for Riley and me.

  I should be worried that when this threat he’s investigating is gone, we won’t share the same connection we do now. Or that it may not be what I think it is. The old me would have thought that, but now? I don’t know how to explain it other than a feeling I have about him. He’s been hurt, that’s clear as day, but one thing he’s never hidden from me behind that stoic mask he wears is his heart. It used to be that I could hardly see it shining. Whatever haunts him rides him so hard that it can’t shine past the darkness. In the past few weeks, though, I’ve seen it and basked in that glow’s glory. He might be rusty at this whole letting people in thing, but I have no doubt he’s been loved and has loved right back. When he lets me see that side of him, I always see the wonderment that takes over him. Almost like he can’t believe this is real, either.

  I shift to see past the hoard of moms, no doubt not watching their children now that Drew’s perfect self has walked into their sight. I have to get on my toes to get a clear view, and when I do, my heart melts at the two of them.

  He’s stopped just shy of the doorway and taken a knee directly in front of Riley. She’s got the biggest smile as they move their hands in the space between their bodies. Pinkies linking, fingers dancing a tango together in this new secret handshake they made up a few weeks back. I can’t hear them, but when their lips start moving, I know they’re saying the little chant that goes with it. Riley always goes off on her own solo during that part, giving some more hand slaps before ending with something about a UFO.

  When they drop their arms, she leaps toward him and hugs him. Once back on her feet, she turns, and I watch her look for me through the thirsty mom fan club. I get a little wave with one heck of a big smile before she runs through the door and into the school.

  I glance back toward him, having missed when he stood during my goodbye to Riley, just in time to see him part the thirsty moms like the Red Sea. He doesn’t break his stride. Whatever they see makes them scurry out of the way and create the path for him. His legs have him standing in front of me in no time, eyes never leaving mine the whole way.

  “I’m going to hurt you, and when I do, it’ll hurt her.”

  His eerie words hit me like a hammer. It takes a lot, but I don’t let him see the hurt they inflict. There’s a vow to his words that makes it seem like a premonition to come, not a worry due to something bothering him. Just as quickly as his words hit me, so does the resolve to make sure that never happens. I will not lose the magic this man has brought to my life.

  “Seems simple enough then, honey,” I whisper. “Don’t.”

  “Unbelievable” by Why Don’t We

  “You know, I find it incredibly unfair that, since you and Drew started this weird thing, he still hardly talks to me. It’s been almost three months, Liv. What do you guys do on the nights you stay at his place? Do you guys just sit around and look at each other when you’re together? Or does Riley just run the show? Because, girlfriend, what is with that silence?”

  I roll my eyes at Ella and smile at Grace across my kitchen table.

  The girls came over to have our once-a-month gab session, which really means we sit around and chat about everything and nothing. It’s one of my favorite days of the month. And they’re even better now that I have Drew in my life.

  He came to get Riley about an hour ago, taking her on a lunch date while the girls and I have some kid-free chatter time. As much as I love the ability to talk to my girls without worrying about her little ears hearing things she shouldn’t, that’s not my favorite part. The relationship that he’s forming with Riley has brought so much joy to our lives. While he and I have been growing closer, so have they and it fills me with happiness.

  Riley, as I expected, didn’t even flinch when Drew and I started showing the change in our relationship. We started slow, hands being held as we walked together to and from school and work. The biggest change was when he started sticking around almost every night for her bedtime.

  “He isn’t silent with us,” I answer Ella, loving the expression of doubt and shock on her face. “In fact, he’s become a bit of a chatter bug.”

  “You’re pulling my leg,” she accuses, eyes narrowing as she squints her disbelief my way. “Do you believe this chick?” she adds toward Grace.

  “I heard him the other day,” Grace chimes in. “He actually was quite chatty with the two of them.”

  Ella, having been looking at me incredulously, slowly turns her head in Grace’s direction, jaw dropping along the way, and glares at her.

  “You lie!” she gasps.

  “Nope. I tell no lies.”

  I laugh at my friends, lean back in my chair and sip my drink.

  “He stood right outside of Mug and talked to me before they left, too.” Grace continues to tease.

  Ella’s head turns back toward me and she narrows her eyes. “Where was I?”

  I shrugged. “Probably inside. He was in there before we left talking to Mr. W. How did you miss that?”

  “What day?” she barks, looking between us wildly.

  “I don’t know, I think it was late last week some time.”

  She blushes, and I know exactly why she missed it. I just wasn’t going to call her on it. What she does on her break is her business. It’s not what she does that’s causing the blush. It’s who she’s been spending the time with.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Grace jests with a laugh. “You can’t get mad the guy doesn’t talk to you when you’re too busy sneaking off with one of his dudes and missing all the fun. You want to hear him get chatty you have to stop getting chatty with Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome.”

  Ella’s face gets even redder.

  “It really isn’t that big of a deal, El.”

  “Not that big of a deal,” she says. “I’m your best friend, and he doesn’t speak to me.”

  “Do you speak to him?” I ask, knowing the answer.

  “Well …”

  “So you are upset that he doesn’t talk to you, but you don’t talk to him either. You can’t have a tizzy over missing out. Maybe he thinks you don’t like him.”

  “I never thought about it that way,” she mulls.

  Leave it to Grace to lay it out there for Ella with not a whole lot of room for her to argue more. Naturally, she finds a way. Silly girl.

  “He’s kind of scary, don’t you think? I mean, if it wasn’t for the fact that my best friend is enjoying the giant, silent man I would think he was pretty much incapable of opening up to anyone. It’s been years that he and his friends have come in and he just now starts getting chatty? I don’t get it. So yeah … he’s kind of scary.”

  Ella’s proclamations give me pause. Not for the first time I wonder what changed to make him open up to us. I like to think it was the connection I feel between us. A lot because of Riley, too. Maybe it’s just how protective he is that made it grow. I’m not stupid. There’s also that “something” that he’s asked me to leave alone until he can tell me. I don’t push, but the more time we spend together, I know I have to get to the bottom of this before it eats my overthinking heart alive. I’ve seen his shadows though and I don’t want to hurt him by pushing him to open up. He’s given me no reason not to trust him so I won’t be starting today.

  “He’s a good man, El. We all have a past and he’s gone through something that made him close up and get silent. In time, I’m sure I’ll know all there is to know about how Andrew Shaw became to be the man he is, but right now I know I trust him and that’s all I need. He doesn’t have to give me his life story all at once. We’re enjoying getting to know each other slowly.”

  I know Andrew isn’t his real name, however, I also know I can’t share the name he’s given me to use. I still don’t know why he hasn’t given me the reason behind the name change, but I trust him and I have to trust that one day he’ll feel like he can tell me.

  She ponders over my words, looking me in the eyes the whole time she does. I love her to pieces, even when she tends to question everything more than she will just go with the flow. She’s protective of me and Riley, so I know she means well.

  “He fulfills something inside me,” I continue. “Like there was a big piece missing for a lot of years and the pieces around it started to get weaker until they started to crumble away. He doesn’t just fill up the space those pieces left behind. He makes the rest of the parts around the broken ones even stronger. It hasn’t been that long and he opens up with me little by little. You don’t need to understand it to just be supportive.”

  Before she can speak, I hear footsteps and the giggles of Riley. All three of us looking toward the doorway of the kitchen as Drew walks in with Riley on his shoulders. His eyes had already been scanning the room and come to rest, holding my gaze. Riley pats his head and I watch as he silently lifts his hands to hold hers as he lifts, does his infamous flip and spin to a laughing Riley as she comes down from her perch.

  “Auntie, I fly!”

  Looking away from him, I smile down at Riley right as she is placed on her feet. She takes off as she runs toward where I’m sitting. She grabs my face between her little hands and beams up at me.

  “Guess what,” she breathes.

  “What’s that, little one?”

  “My giant has a surprise for us. He told me I had to wait for you before he could tell me all his secrets though. Then he taught me how to fly!”

  “How to fly, huh?”

  She giggles and turns, dropping the hold she had on my face. “Show her!” she demands, looking at Drew the whole time with her hands on her hips.

  He doesn’t pause, doesn’t question, and instantly drops down to a hunch. A small smile playing at his full lips. He picks her up effortlessly and tosses her up. Thankfully, because of the vault in the ceiling, she is launched with no fear of the ceiling. Her giggles raining down on us and throughout the room, little bells of euphoria. Her brown curls swirling around her face in cute little waves. His hands hook under her arms and he swings her around and back on his shoulders. Then he reaches up and waits until her tiny little hands are in his. With a wink to me that has Ella clearing her throat. Then he has Riley moving again, this time swinging her over and giving her a toss-up. Her arms wide and her smile blinding, she looks up at the ceiling as she “flies” with the biggest smile on her face. He catches her with ease and places her firmly back on the ground.

  “Your turn,” she squeals at me.

  “Oh no, honey. That’s okay.” I laugh awkwardly.

  When I look from Riley and over toward Drew, I know I won’t get out of it. He looks downright devilish. Swoon worthy, but devilish nonetheless. God, I love when he lets me see this playful side of him. I know the two at the table with me aren’t unaffected, either. Both make little breathy “oh’s” every so often.

  He closes the distance, places his big hands on the armrest of my chair and leans down—nose to nose—and holds my gaze. His eyes light up. I’m so not getting out of this. He must have found what he was looking for because one corner of his beautiful lips tip up and his eyes start to crinkle at the edges.

  I don’t even have time to process how my butt left the chair before his hands are under my arms, pulling up at the hold on my pits and I’m in the air. He doesn’t put me on his shoulders like he did Riley, no … he lets go and lets me fly before he catches me with a breathy grunt when my arms land around his shoulders and my legs start to wrap around his waist.

  Front to front, I’m wrapped around him.

  I hold on happily.

  Especially when I feel his hardness brush against where my crotch is now nestled against his. I hold his gaze and when I feel him flex his hard length between that connection, my hands squeeze his shoulders.

  His grin grows.

  “Hey,” I breathe, my mouth so close to his it wouldn’t take but an inch to close the distance.

  I watch him closely and just a moment later I get my reward. I feel his blindingly handsome smile hit me and my whole body gets warm. I know he’s forgotten we aren’t alone, too. I can count on my hand how many times he’s given this side of himself to anyone other than Riley and me. It’s never happened until right now. I soak it up. Just like the other times I alone have seen it, I map each line that forms when he lets himself free. This man used to laugh and he used to laugh a lot. I love every second of these moments, watching the hardness and time wash away from his face. In place you see a youthfulness that, despite his age, takes over. He looks like a completely different man. At least ten years younger. No shadows, just happiness. No hiding himself. My heart picks up speed and I know he feels it through our connection. His eyes close and he takes a breath. He nods as if he understands what I was thinking.

  “Missed you,” he says after a brief silence.

  We don’t break our gaze while those two words hit me and I soak up the importance of them. He hasn’t been shy in letting me know he has deep feelings for me, but until now he’s never said anything remotely close to that.

  “I …” I clear my throat, the emotion just a little too thick. “I missed you, too,” I continue on a whisper, uncurling my fingers from his shoulders to wrap them behind his neck to frame his face with my palms. I give him a shy smile before I lean forward and place a small kiss to his lips.

  “Well, that’s new,” I hear Ella chime into the silence.

  He lifts his lips away from mine and with a small squeeze to my butt, he helps me drop down to my feet.

  I lean my body into his side and wrap my arm around his center without realizing I had done it. That is, until his arms snake around to shift me. My back to his front, arms around my body engulfing me in his scent and he pulls me a little harder against him. His very hard front pushing into me, making me shift as need takes over. I know they can’t tell what’s happening between us, but I’m practically coming undone just from feeling his hard cock against my back.

  “That’s definitely new,” Ella continues, eyes as wide as her smile.

  “No, it isn’t,” Riley sings, running over to Ella and giving her a hug before giving Grace the same treatment.

  “What do you mean, little bouncy bean?” Ella asks, her eyes not leaving mine and Drew’s direction.

  “Auntie and my giant are special friends. You know, like the bestest of friends that hold hands and mouth kiss each other.”

  Grace has the decency to cover her laugh, but my best friend absolutely does not. She tosses her head back and laughs loud and long. Riley joins in, little giggles that tell me she has no idea what she’s laughing at, she’s just laughing because that’s what kind of little angel she is. Loving life, that girl.

  “Mouth kiss, huh?” Ella gasps when she finally stops laughing, reaching up to clutch her chest in mock shock. Playing this up for all it’s worth, apparently.

  “Yup. Those.” Riley places her hand over her mouth and laughs a little harder. Her body moving with each one that escapes her adorableness.

  “Wow, Riles … that is quite the news. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this sooner. You holding out on me, girlfriend!”

  She smirks and I should have braced while I could. I should have known she would manipulate Riley into more confessions.

  “Auntie even got a spanking the other day. She wasn’t giving him his …” she looks over at us and oddly nods after a second. Just like Drew does when he’s studying us for something only known to him. “Sweetness.”

  “Oh my gosh,” I gasp.

  Grace stops covering up her laughter up at this moment and joins Ella when she lets out even more loud giggles of her own.

  “I don’t think you should keep your sweetness from him, Auntie.” Riley continues, to my horror. “Why would you not want to be sweet to my giant?” She glances back to Ella. “So you see, that’s why she needed a spanking.”

  I open my mouth to shut this down at the same time that my back starts vibrating and the man pressed tight against it bellows out a deep, rich and smooth as honey laugh that is so spectacular to experience the whole room goes silent … well, minus Riley, who is laughing with him and looking at him as if he was holding the moon out toward her in his arms. I wish I could see his face. When he laughs like that the man deep inside him that is rarely shown bursts forward. I close my eyes and picture how breathtakingly handsome he looks in these moments. Soaking in his velvety laughter, no longer as rusty as it was when we first started this thing between us. That youthfulness he rarely shows enveloping the room around us. I feel so much lighthearted excitement from just hearing his laugh, I have no doubt would be knocked flat on my tail if he wasn’t holding me.