Still, despite the ease of my workday, by the time I drove up to Thane and Regan’s at six thirty, I was exhausted from last night’s lack of sleep. Just as Regan had promised, Arran’s vehicle wasn’t there. He was mysteriously busy. And that was why I’d offered to watch Eilidh and Lewis on a Friday night while Thane and Regan attended parents’ evening, followed by a late dinner. I knew the kids would have already eaten, so I could only hope there were leftovers since I’d come straight from work and was starving. I’d changed into loose sweatpants and a T-shirt after showering at my studio, but I hadn’t had time to grab dinner.
Hurrying up the front steps, I let myself in because Regan had admonished me too many times for knocking. She said I was family, and their home was my home.
It was sweet, but I still felt strange just walking in. “Hey, it’s me!” I called as I stepped inside.
“In here!” Regan called back.
I followed her voice into the main kitchen/dining/living space and found her standing at the counter while Thane stood at her back, clasping a necklace around his fiancée’s throat.
“Ery!” Eilidh yelled, and I turned just in time for her to dive at me. She was getting too tall to haul into my arms now, so I cuddled her as she wrapped her small arms tightly around my waist.
“Hey, cutie pie.”
She grinned up at me. “Mum and Dad are going to talk to my teacher about how awesome I am.”
Her parents chuckled, as did I. “I’m sure they are.” I looked to where Lewis sat on the couch watching TV and waved. “Hey, buddy. You doing okay?”
“We had pizza,” he informed me. “We left you some.”
“Thanks. I’m starving.”
“We’re watching a film about a giant snowman. I can’t pronounce the title, which is stupid because it’s a kids’ film and we should be able to pronounce it,” Eilidh said with a curl to her upper lip.
I struggled not to laugh again. “That’s very true.”
“Thank you again for doing this. We’d have asked Lachlan and Robyn, but they’ve gone to Glasgow for the weekend, and Arran is busy at the Gloaming.” Regan wore an apologetic look.
“It’s fine. You know I love watching the kids.”
“I know, but …” Regan shared a glance with Thane. “We feel like we’re leaning on you too much.”
“Don’t be silly. If I didn’t want to do it, I wouldn’t,” I promised. I owed them this.
Thane gave me a gruff nod. “Thank you, Eredine. We really do appreciate it.”
“Of course.” I was uncomfortable with their thanks, considering I’d allowed the kids to be traumatized when Regan’s stalker knocked me unconscious. It had taken a lot to get me to look after them again, but once I did, determination replaced my fear. I’d never let that happen to them now. If I was the one babysitting, then I had some control over the situation.
I could protect them next time.
Not that I wanted there to be a next time.
“Shouldn’t you get going?”
Regan and Thane left a few minutes later. I grabbed a couple slices of cold pizza and a bottle of water and returned to join the kids on the massive sectional. I sat next to Eilidh, who snuggled into my side. “What are we watching?”
“The snowman thing.”
I’d just finished my last slice and was actually enjoying the beautiful animation set in China when I was startled by the sound of the exterior laundry door opening.
“It’s me!” Arran called.
Suddenly, the pizza felt like a lump in my gut. My stare was trained on the doorway into the laundry room, and I swear the breath stuck in my throat as Arran stepped through it.
He’d taken off his boots and jacket and strode in wearing jeans and a long-sleeved Henley that did wonderful things for his arms.
Images of last night flashed across my mind, and my cheeks burned.
“Uncle Arran, we’re watching a movie,” Eilidh announced from her place by my side.
“I can see that.” He smiled indulgently at her as he moved toward us, and then his gaze met mine.
Knowing sparked between us, and I honestly didn’t think I could speak.
“Ery.” He nodded.
Forcing out a hey, I turned back to the screen since it was apparently impossible to talk to him if I was looking at him. “I thought you were working.”
“I got home earlier than expected. Anything to eat?”
Regan and Thane had ordered more food than any one family needed. “There’s cold pizza on the counter.” I still didn’t look at him, my eyes glued to the TV screen.
“That’ll do.”
A few minutes later, Arran joined us on the sectional.
On my other side.
So close, his arm brushed mine every time he lifted a slice to his mouth. The scent of his cologne was a trigger, and I felt that low, deep, swooping want.