Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 312(@200wpm)___ 250(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
As she walked with her daughter, she allowed herself to relax a little, grateful for some breathing room away from all that was Nick.
* * *
Aurora had introduced Nick to her family before taking off to greet the girls who were arriving with their parents. Even though Nick had joked about her brothers giving him shit, he knew what to expect, and was prepared. After all, if some guy had knocked up Jade and showed up six years later—even if he hadn’t known of the baby’s existence—Nick would be pissed.
He spent the day being grilled by sibling after sibling; Xander, the former Marine and current bestselling author and screenwriter, Chloe, the other sister in the Kingston family, and most politely, by Melly Kingston, Aurora’s surrogate mother. Chloe and her husband, Beck, had a two-year-old daughter, Whitney, who clung to her father’s legs, while Jordan and Linc’s son, Jasper, who was almost six, had joined the kids. Leah seemed to look up to her cousin and followed him around, causing Nick to grin.
Meanwhile, he patiently answered their questions, all of them leading up to what his intentions were when it came to both Leah and Aurora. He’d told them his relationship with Aurora was between them, but as for Leah? Well, he planned to be in his daughter’s life. They all seemed satisfied with his answers but he knew they were watching him. He could feel their gazes on the back of his neck.
As he met Aurora’s family, Nick kept an eye on his daughter, watching her run around with her friends and enjoy the playhouse he’d had built. The structure took up a massive amount of space and something about making his mark on the place Aurora and his daughter lived pleased him.
Though Nick wanted to catch Aurora and talk, she was busy making the rounds between the parents she obviously knew, checking on the kids, and making sure there was enough food and drink. That didn’t stop Mark from sniffing after her all day, though, pissing Nick off and keeping him on edge.
Especially since he had the distinct feeling Aurora was avoiding him. He had no doubt their short time together before Leah walked into the kitchen had thrown her. Hell, he’d known they still had chemistry, but even he’d been shocked at the way he felt when he was with her. The sensation was unlike anything he’d ever felt before, with any of the other women in his life. And after the emotional reveal of her past, he couldn’t blame her if she was shoring up her defenses.
He’d let her try. But he intended, slowly but surely, to break down each one.
Leah, wearing a purple and teal princess dress, ran towards him and before she could rush by, Nick snagged her under her arms and swung her up so she sat in his arms. “Having fun, princess?”
She smiled wide. “Today is the best! I love my house.”
“I’m glad. What did you eat for lunch?” he asked.
“Pizza!”
“Did you save room for cake?”
She nodded. “Hi, Uncle Linc!” Leah cried out, waving excitedly.
“Hey, pretty girl.” Aurora’s brother reached out and tugged on her long curls.
Linc was the only one who hadn’t yet confronted Nick, and he knew the oldest brother would be the most difficult. After all, he’d been the one to find his sister in the first place. It would make sense that he would be the most protective of them all.
“Leah, do you want to go back to your friends so Uncle Linc and I can talk?” Nick asked.
Linc raised an eyebrow. Obviously, he hadn’t expected Nick to man up and deal with him directly.
“Okay, but will you be here when Ariel comes?” she asked.
Nick laughed. Little did Leah know that Nick had planned for Ariel to have a ‘plus one’. “I wouldn’t miss it.” He set her down on her feet, and she raced off again.
Nick turned to Linc. “Let’s have it,” he said, ready for this final inquisition to be over with.
“She’s a great kid,” Linc said, arms folded across his chest.
Nick nodded. “I agree. I can’t wait to get to know her better.”
Linc, obviously the master of long silences, studied him. “My sister’s done a great job raising her alone,” he said at last.
His wife, Jordan, a pretty woman with long, dark hair walked over in time to hear his comment. “Really, Linc?” She grabbed his arm and snuggled into his side. “You’re going to try and intimidate the man who couldn’t possibly have known about Leah?”
Nick grinned. He liked Jordan already.
“Not the point,” Linc said through gritted teeth. “He’s got a reputation, just like his brothers. And from what I’ve heard Harrison say, this one’s motto is three dates and he’s out.”
Fucking swell. Harrison couldn’t have realized joking about Nick’s dating history would come back to haunt Nick one day.