She stared at me for a long moment with suspicion in her eyes. I’d been on the end of her tirades about Bran having her followed, so I had no doubt she was wondering how we’d ended up neighbors.
I waited for her to ask if I was sent here by Bran. Of course, that wouldn’t make any sense because I was here first.
At the same time, I wasn't a big believer in coincidence. It was weird that she was now my neighbor.
"I didn't realize you were married,” she said.
I shook my head vehemently. "I'm not married. In fact, I'm not even in a relationship. Mo's mother and I had a brief affair. I didn't even know he existed until she brought him here and left him with me. She's in a dangerous industry and wanted to make sure he'd be safe."
Why was I telling her all this? She didn’t need to know my story. Maybe I wanted to put her at ease that I wasn’t around to keep an eye on her. Not that it would be a hardship. Everytime I saw Harper, I was bowled over by her beauty. Even now, with her hair in a messy ponytail and wearing old jeans and a college t-shirt, she was gorgeous.
She smirked. "Well, we know you've got that safety thing down pat."
"That’s true. I just don't have the skill to settle him down like you do." I stared in amazement as Mo continued to sleep in her arms. "I can't believe it. Between me and four nannies, we’ve never been able to get him to fall asleep like that. What's your secret?"
She gave a small shrug. "I don't know."
"Listen, would you mind taking him inside and putting him in his crib for me? I feel certain the minute I take him, he'll start crying again. You have a knack with him. Do you mind?"
"Sure."
I led her through the gate and up to the house.
"This is a lot of house for just you and a baby," she said as we entered the large foyer.
"It was the best place available at the time that allowed me to be out of the way, but also within fairly close distance to the office." I led her into the house and up the stairs to Mo's bedroom.
I studied her as she laid Mo in his crib and covered him with a blanket. There was no doubt that Harper Erickson was probably the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, but she'd always struck me as being vapid and self-centered.
But seeing her cradle and rock Mo, singing to him, and then gently laying him in his bed, I felt like I was seeing another side of her.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out checking the caller ID. Lupe.
I looked over at Harper. "I'm sorry. I need to take this. Just give me a minute."
It was rude to leave her like that, but because I couldn't get in touch with Lupe, it was important that I talked to her whenever she made contact.
I poked the answer button. "Lupe." I trotted down the stairs as I headed to my office so I could have privacy on the call.
I didn’t want Harper overhearing my situation with Lupe and her cartel family. She might get the wrong idea about the kind of work I was doing. It was important to me that Saint Security be perceived as an organization that was always on the right side of the law.
"How is Guillermo?" she asked. I listened to her voice carefully trying to detect fear or stress. I didn’t hear either.
"He's fine. But he misses you. He’s unhappy more often than not. Let me send a team down to get you out of there so you can come be with him."
"You can't do that, Noel."
"He needs his mother. If it's dangerous for him, then it must be dangerous for you too. You know that I can extract you and keep you safe. I've got plenty of room here."
She scoffed. "And will we live like one happy family?"
I shuddered at the thought. I didn't mind being Mo's father, but I didn't see us being a family with Lupe. "My house is plenty big enough for you to live here and raise Mo. I can keep you safe."
"So not as your family. More like a client."
I couldn't decipher from her tone if she was disappointed. But she couldn't be. She agreed with me that what we had some laughs and great sex. We’d had a no-strings attached affair. No one's heart was broken when I returned home.
"It's gotta be better than living in fear. He needs you, Lupe." Hell, I needed her to come to help him. How single parents did this, I didn’t know.