A child yelled over the balcony and he glanced up, his gaze clashing with hers, and she got a jolt straight to the heart. Jeez. Even from a distance, he did something to her. Made her skin buzz with just a look. He mouthed Okay? and she nodded then quickly focused on the other end of the yard.
At least twenty kids, boys and girls, ranging from ten to toddler ran around a swing set draped with pink and purple streamers. She’d been sure a party with Stephen was a bad idea, she’d barely fit in at the restaurant, but then he’d mentioned it was a kid’s party and…kids she could do.
“Last batch coming off now,” Matt called from below.
Lizzy stepped beside her at the railing. “Prepare for chaos.” Her words were almost drowned out by happy screams and pounding feet coming up the stairs. In seconds, the deck swarmed with little people and the air filled with shouts of I’m hungry, when can we eat, and a chorus of Mom!, to which every woman answered, What?
Except her.
Before she had time to dwell on it, she felt a small tapping on her leg. A little girl peered up at her, summer-blue eyes pooling with tears. “I dwopped my weenie.”
“Well, let’s get you another one.” Hannah took the tiny angel by the hand and walked her to the table.
After that small crisis, she busied herself poking straws in juice boxes, saving toppling plates, and wiping ketchup faces, all while snagging bites of her own hot dog. Condiments were spread, drinks poured. It was a sea of people, big mingling with little, some on hips, others bouncing on their own feet as they aimed food at their mouths. Amusement park loud and disaster zone messy. And she loved it.
“Hey.”
The sudden sound of Stephen’s low voice behind her made her heart stutter. His male scent wrapped around her. She’d been good with his family, his mom asking for her help, his dad, Anthony Senior, teasing her. But with one word from the man she’d come to see, her heart raced.
“Sorry for deserting you.”
She turned to face him, her entire body going hot and flushed and he wasn’t even touching her. “You didn’t. I like your family, all the kids. They’re great.”
“Yeah.” He looked around the deck like he was seeing them for the first time and she thought she caught a bit of longing in his face, then it was gone.
“I’m ready for cake!” Gracie yelled, and the rest of the kids backed her up, dumping their dinner in favor of dessert.
Stephen smiled. “A McKinney tradition. Cake above protein.”
Matt lifted Gracie to stand in a chair and the family circled around her. With soft brown curls and deep dimples, her brown eyes literally twinkling, Gracie was possibly the cutest thing Hannah had ever seen. Abby and Matt stood on either side and kissed her cheeks as others snapped photos. A picture-perfect moment. One to store in a child’s memory and keep forever.
Though she had few pictures, she did have fond memories of her own birthdays. Celebrated in various restaurants, always just her and her brothers, but they’d never once forgotten.
As the family sang, Stephen stepped next to her, close enough that she got that tingly-on-the-verge-of-chills feeling. He shifted and his upper arm brushed against the top of her shoulder. The warmth inside her spread, awakening possibilities she’d never considered. That she would ever meet a man. That he would ever be interested in her. And more, that she would want him to be.
Chapter 6
After cake, the entire party moved down to the yard. Stephen stood with his brothers and watched the madness that was a child’s birthday party.
“So, where’d you find her?” Tony gestured toward Hannah where she knelt a few yards away, tying his nephew’s shoe.
He’d hung back, let her do the girl thing, let her keep the spotlight away from him as he’d wanted. But she’d never been out of his sight. “Grocery store.”
“Really?” Andrew grinned. “Didn’t know you shopped. Being sexiest, most eligible man, and all.”
His brothers laughed, added more colorful comments. Shit. “I’m never going to get past that one, am I?”
“Never,” Tony said. “Maybe we should rough you up a bit.”
“You can try.” He smiled at the familiar sibling harassment, how some things never changed.
Though he’d been hugged by his mother at least eight times, received multiple pats on the back by his father, tonight hadn’t been as uncomfortable as he’d feared. Because of Hannah. His family’s curious spotlight shined on her, as he’d known it would.
God, she was sweet. The way her hair sparkled in the last ribbons of sunlight poking through the pines. The way she blushed every time their eyes met. But the delicate fabric blowing against her chest, outlining perfect breasts he dreamed of cupping in his hands…that didn’t bring to mind the word sweet. Unless he was thinking about them in his mouth.