A quick shower and shave later, she pulled on a pair of soft cotton yoga pants and a stretchy baby tee. Padding out into the hall, she heard voices and peered over the banister that overlooked the entire great room and kitchen. Sebastian stood near the fireplace talking to Josh while three flush faced kids darted through the house. They laughed and squealed with delight, disappearing to the other side, and she turned to watch as they engaged in a friendly game of war.
The open floor plan provided fantastic views of most of the house and allowed for very few blind spots. For the first time, she wondered if that had been something Sebastian had chosen intentionally. Despite her rather intimate knowledge of his body, there was still a lot about both man and career that remained a mystery. The flight of a bright orange Nerf bullet interrupted her thoughts as it sailed overhead. Eyes wide, Taylor followed its arc and watched as it plummeted to land between the men. Sebastian’s brow furrowed as he glanced up, but spotting her, his face lit with a lazy smile. She blushed as Josh turned to see what had caught his attention.
“It’s alright, Taylor. Come down here and say hello. Just watch out for the screaming pack of heathens,” Sebastian said, giving her a wink.
Taylor hoped the back stairs would be safer than the ones that emptied off the foyer. Coming off the last step, she halted, almost tumbling onto her butt when she collided unexpectedly with a tall, striking blonde. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to utter an apology, but all she managed to do was gape. The woman was a knockout with huge green eyes and shiny honeyed locks that spilled over her shoulders in loose ringlets. Freckles smattered the tip of her pert nose and accented her pixie-like features. Staring, Taylor felt a knot of jealousy tighten her stomach. There was no way she could ever compete with someone as beautiful as that.
Slender hands steadied her and the woman flashed a blinding smile. “I’m so sorry! Sebby didn’t tell me he had company. Are you okay?”
Sebby? Taylor winced at the comfortable endearment. Tucking her wet hair behind her ear, she lowered her head and nodded, wishing she could just disappear. “I should have watched where I was going. It’s my fault.”
She stood rooted in place as the kids barreled through the hallway. A towheaded toddler was the last to make it through. She wobbled through the room and crashed into Sebastian’s legs. Her big blue eyes were nothing short of adoring as she wrapped her arms around him and flashed a dimpled smile.
“Up,” she demanded, flinging her hands into the air. She opened and closed them frantically. “Pick me up!”
Chuckling, he scooped the toddler into his arms and tossed her in the air, drawing delighted squeals from the little girl. The woman beside Taylor smiled and shook her head.
“You break it, you buy it, Sebastian,” she warned.
His eyes sparkled as he reclined the chubby cherub in his arms and tickled her. She squalled with laughter, wriggling in her attempts to get away, her tiny hands trying desperately to grab ahold of him. “Tell your mom she’s a spoil sport. You’d rather live with me anyway, wouldn’t you, Mia?”
He laughed as she shook her head no. “In that case, you get down,” he said, placing her back on her feet. “And you,” he said beckoning to Taylor with a crooked finger, “get over here where you belong.”
Her cheeks blazed as she crossed the room to join his side. Josh nodded, offering her a smile.
“You already know Josh, and that,” Sebastian said indicating to the breathtaking woman leaning against the kitchen island, “is my sister, Monique.”
“Sister?” Taylor’s hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to stifle her husky laugh. “Oh thank God!”
Sebastian lifted a brow as Josh roared with laughter. Monique’s airy giggle soon followed.
“Trust me; even if Sebastian wasn’t my brother, he isn’t my type. I can barely handle being related to him.” Monique laughed. Her smile faded at her brother’s questioning look. “I’m not saying he isn’t a wonderful man, because he is. At least most of the time…”
“Monique?” Sebastian said softly. “Stop talking while you’re still ahead.”
Nodding, she hung her head and blew out a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.” She shot Josh an incredulous look before returning her attention to her brother. “It’s not fair to pile all of the kids in on you like this. We can go Christmas shopping some other time.”
“It’s fine. Taylor and I will manage. Go do what you need to do.”
Josh glanced around. “When are you going to get a tree up, Baas? You know we all look forward to Christmas here and it’s looking a little barren.”
“They’re delivering it Tuesday. As long as there are no objections, I figured I would carry up the decorations today and have the kids help out.”
A chorus of cheers erupted from the other side of the room. Taylor studied the three little ones with a smile. It was obvious the adorable blonde was Monique’s and the niece Sebastian had referenced to before. Both boys were gorgeous with straight dark hair and big blue eyes.
Taylor smothered a giggle as they both approached Josh and peered up at him with matching grins. “Are they yours?”
“No, just Aiden,” he said, nudging the stouter of the two. “Mo brought their nephew along so Sebastian could see him and so his brother could have a break. The guy is going through a bit of a rough spot at home. His wife is expecting and apparently she’s become a raging barracuda.”
She laughed while Mia seized hold of Sebastian’s pant leg and gave it a few rigorous tugs. Her heart melted as he scooped the toddler up and prodded her tummy until she giggled and squirmed. It was a side of him she loved watching. Nothing was sexier than a man who was good with children, and if his bright smile was any indication, Sebastian truly enjoyed lavishing the little ones with his attention.
“Be good, baby girl,” Monique said, stepping over to smooth the toddler’s sweaty curls. She planted a tender kiss on the child’s forehead. “You listen to Uncle Sebby and don’t give him a hard time.”
“Otay.”
The striking blonde pulled Taylor in for a quick hug. “It was very mice meeting you. I hope the kids don’t run you out the door.”
Sebastian chuckled. “She’s not going anywhere. We’ll be fine, Monique. Go.”
Everyone exchanged a quick flurry of goodbyes, and Taylor hung back as he escorted the adults outside. A few minutes later, Sebastian returned and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. Twisting off the top, he took a long drink before setting it on the counter with a sigh.
“I got them all settled down in the front room with a movie. I’m sorry. I completely forgot I told Monique to bring the kids by.”
“It’s fine. They’re your family, and they seem to make you happy.”
Sebastian nodded and rounded the counter. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tugged her close. She colored, biting back a soft moan as his hips rubbed against hers suggestively and his eyes took on a mischievous gleam.
“You make me happy,” he murmured, bending to kiss the side of her neck. “The kids are just an added bonus to my day.”
“And they are in the next room,” she chided, trying to tug free. He held her close, his green eyes starting to shimmer with an unspoken challenge. “So Monique and Josh,” she said, trying to change the subject. “Are they an item?”
Sebastian released her with a chuckle. “It’s hard to say with those two. They are definitely close. Josh has been her rock in many ways since Monique’s husband died a year and a half ago. Mia was just eight months old when Dane passed, and my sister had a rough time copin
g with things. We tried to help her pick up the pieces as best we could, but it’s hard when you lose someone you love so unexpectedly. They still had their whole lives ahead of them.”
Taylor chewed her lip and nodded. Loss was something she knew all too well. It didn’t discriminate. It didn’t care what types of families or friendships it broke up, and all too often, it snuck up without warning. Still, she found it hard to believe Josh was capable of demonstrating that kind of compassion and empathy, and harder still to process that someone as beautiful and vivacious as Monique could actually enjoy his company, let alone seek it out. Maybe that was what her mother had meant when she said life was full of mysteries. The thought made her giggle, and she glanced up to find Sebastian studying her with a quizzical expression.
“I’m sorry. I’m just having a hard time believing anyone could want to spend their free time with Josh.”
Sebastian took her hand and frowned. “The only encounters you’ve had with him were when he was on the job. Don’t be too critical of that person, Taylor. He’s not that man.”
“What about you? Who are you when you’re working, Sebastian?”
His eyes locked with hers for a long moment before he lowered his head with a sorrowful shake. “Someone you wouldn’t like.” Looking back up, he cupped her face. “I keep my professional life and my personal life separate for a reason. There are lines, boundaries, that don’t need crossed. Stop digging for details. I don’t open up to you about these things because I don’t want you to see that side of me. It’s not who I am. It’s what I have to do to survive and get the job done. At the end of the day, I can leave that person at the door. That’s what matters.”
Her dark brow knitted with confusion. “But it’s still a part of you,” she whispered, “and it affects us.”
“No, Taylor,” he said sternly. “It’s not and it doesn’t.” Letting her go, he took a step back and squeezed the bridge of his nose for a long moment before giving a slow shake of his head and blowing out a forceful exhale. His shoulders lifted with a heavy sigh, and he forced his gaze to hers. “Let’s just go drag the Christmas boxes out of storage and give these kids something to do before we have a mutiny on our hands.”