Caitlyn’s throat tightened again, which was silly when she was only explaining her children’s quirks. But their father didn’t know any of these things—because he’d been lost and alone half a world away while she’d lived in his house, cared for his children and spent his money. She wanted to make that up to him as best she could.
“Come on, you big flirt.” Caitlyn hoisted Annabelle out of the crib and set her on the soft pink blanket already spread out on the nursery floor. “I realize pink is clichéd for a girl, but I thought Annabelle needed girlie things with two brothers.”
“You don’t have to justify your choices.” Antonio crouched down on the blanket and settled Leon next to his sister. “I’d be the last person to tell you you’re doing it wrong, and even if I have a conflicting opinion, I’d prefer to talk through it, not issue countercommands. You’ve done the best you can, and it couldn’t have been easy to do it alone.”
“It wasn’t.” One tear spilled over before she could catch it. “I worried every day that I wasn’t enough for them.”
Antonio glanced up from his perch on the fluffy pink blanket, which should have looked ridiculous but didn’t in the slightest. “You’ve been amazing. More than enough. Look at how perfect these babies are. Healthy, happy. What more could you have provided?”
“A father,” she whispered. And somehow the fates had granted that wish in the most unexpected, flawless way possible. “They deserve two parents.”
A shadow passed over his face. “And for now, that’s what they have.”
For now? Was that a cryptic comment about the future of her place in this family?
“No matter what happens, I will always be their mother,” she stated firmly, and if only her voice hadn’t cracked, it might have sounded as authoritative out loud as it had in her head.
They needed to talk about the future, but she was afraid to bring it up, afraid to overload him with one more thing he didn’t want to deal with, afraid he was only letting her stay because it was Christmas and she’d begged him not to kick her out.
But she had to get over it and go to the mat for her children. If anyone could understand the bone-deep need to fight for what you wanted, it would surely be Antonio.
“Yes,” he said quietly. “You are their mother.”
And that took the wind out of her sails so fast, she couldn’t breathe. “Okay, then.”
She’d have to bring up the future another time, after she’d recovered from all of this.
Six
Antonio’s headache persisted through dinner, but he couldn’t stomach the idea of taking the pills now that he actually had them. He’d lost so much of his past; losing his present to drowsiness held little appeal. Instead, he bided his time until Caitlyn and Brigitte put the babies to bed and then he cornered Caitlyn in the sunroom.
He hoped she wouldn’t mind the interruption. It was time to dig into what Caitlyn wanted from him in exchange for the role she’d played thus far in his life and the lives of his children. And did she see a continued role? If so, what role did she envision for herself?
The sun had set long ago and Caitlyn read by low lamplight. He started to say her name but the words dried up on his tongue. Something inside lurched sweetly, as confusing as it was intriguing. Silently, he watched her, loath to alert her to his presence until he was good and finished sating himself on her ethereal beauty.
But she glanced up almost instantly, as if she’d sensed him. He knew the feeling. There was an undeniable draw between them, and he’d bet every last dollar that she felt it, too. Maybe it was time to dig into that as well, and find out what role he wanted her to play.
“Have a glass with me?” He held up the uncorked bottle of wine he’d judiciously selected from his extensive wine cellar.
“Um, sure.” Her fair skin bloomed with that blush he liked far more than he should. But what had brought it out? He had a perverse need to find out.
Which seemed to be the theme of this nighttime rendezvous. He’d barely scratched the surface of what made Caitlyn Hopewell tick, and exposing her layers appealed to him immensely.
Antonio poured two glasses of the deep red cabernet and handed one to Caitlyn, then settled into the other chair, separated from hers by a small wooden end table. For a moment, he watched the moonlight dance on the silvery surf so beautifully framed by the wall of glass opposite the chairs.