“It’s time to take a nap, little lady,” she says as Emma loops her arms around her mother’s neck.
They pull away a moment later, Emma’s little hands waving at us.
I sink back into my chair.
“Afraid of kids?” Jaden asks, a faint smile on his lips.
I run a towel over my legs, brushing off the wet sand.
“No,” I say softly. “It’s just that I’m not used to them. But I like her. She’s a cool kid.”
“Yes, she is,” he says, flicking his gaze to the ocean.
We spend a few moments in silence, both looking at the ocean.
The water is calm and clear, cooler this time of year.
“You’re an unusual man,” I murmur, voicing a random thought.
“Why would you say that?”
He brings his gaze to me, a questioning look on his face.
I shrug.
“You’re so... I don’t know...” I say, briefly lowering my eyes.
My lips curl into a smile as I register his scrutinizing gaze.
“Dirty?” I say jokingly.
He laughs quietly.
“Hmm. Dirty you say...”
“Yes, in a good way.”
“Good to know,” he says, clasping his hands behind his neck.
A grin tugs at his lips.
“And what else?” he asks, shooting me a side-eyed glance.
My smile begins to fade.
“And different than other men.”
My voice draws his gaze to me again.
“You’re thoughtful and kind,” I say in a mellow voice. “At least to them, you are.”
He doesn’t comment this time.
“Two people live inside you,” I murmur.
“I could say the same thing about you.”
I shake my head in disagreement.