Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (new ebook reader .TXT) 📗

Amy shot him a triumphant grin then said, “Sweetheart, place that one right there and say, ‘checkmate’.”

“Checkmate,” Raelynn said then looked at her mother. “Did I win?”

“Yes, you did.” She pressed her forehead against Raelynn’s and laughed. Her daughter giggled. Eddie shook his head at their antics. “Now, get his king. He’s our prisoner.”

Eddie grabbed his king and lifted it above his head, keeping it out of Raelynn’s reach. “No one captures my king.”

“Hey, he’s our prisoner,” Amy said. “Get him.”

Raelynn launched herself across the coffee table at Eddie. He plucked her from mid-air, clasped her to his chest and gently rolled onto his back on the floor, his hand still raised. “You can’t have him. He’s mine.”

“No, he’s mine. I won.” Raelynn tried to crawl out of his grasp. She wiggled and kicked, then she started to giggle uncontrollably as Eddie tickled her. “Mommy, help me!”

“Oh, no, this is between you two.” It was the most beautiful sight Amy had ever seen and she savored it. She wasn’t sure which one surprised her more, her daughter or Eddie. The man could actually goof around.

She winced when Raelynn’s knees jabbed into his stomach. If he wasn’t careful, she was going to get him where it hurt the most.

“I give up,” he said. Raelynn’s tiny fingers pried his fingers open and grabbed the king. While he faked exhaustion, she rolled off him and jumped up and down, waving the king in victory.

 “I got him…I got him…,” she screamed and danced. “Can we do it again, Mr. Eddie? Can we? Can we, Mommy?”

“Tomorrow,” Amy said firmly.

“No-ooo,” her daughter wailed.

“It’s time for bed, sweetheart and see how exhausted poor Eddie is?” He still stayed on his back, but his T-shirt had ridden to show taut abs and a thin line of fine hair disappearing under his pants. A subtle movement behind his pants had her eyes flying to find his. He cocked his brow.

Her face warming, Amy looked at her daughter. “Come on. It’s time to get the teeth goonies.”

Raelynn sighed dramatically. “I already brushed my teeth and took a bubble bath.”

“Then it’s Read-a-kingdom time. The citizens await their princess. Go choose a book. Go…go…go…”

While her daughter ran out of the room, Amy sat back and smiled at Eddie. He was no longer lying down. Instead, he sat with his elbows on the coffee table and watched her with a speculative gleam in his gray eyes. This playful side of him had surprised her. Maybe she was judging him too harshly.

“Thanks for teaching her chess and making it fun.”

“Me? I just showed her the board and explained the pieces. Where did you learn to play like that?”

“From my father.” More happy memories flashed through her head, making her breath catch. She looked away from Eddie’s probing stare. “It’s, uh, it’s been a while since I played, so I’m a bit rusty.”

“You called that rusty?”

She grinned. “I could have your king in five moves.”

He cocked his brow. “Is that a challenge?”

“Call it whatever you want.”

“Bring it on.” He interlocked his fingers and stretched, popping his knuckles.

Amy shook her head and stood. “Chess is a game of strategy and tactics, not brawn, silly.”

He rolled his head left then right. “You worry about your strategy. I’ll worry about mine.”

“I’m going to tuck Raelynn in. Be back in a few.” But before she could leave, her daughter appeared with a picture of her father clutched in her hand. “Sweetie? What are you doing with that?”

“Tell me the story of my Daddy again, Mommy,” she said.

“Sweetheart—”

But Raelynn was already skipping to the couch, where she sat and stared at Amy with expectant blue eyes. Amy sighed and stole a glance at Eddie. This was not how she’d planned to tell him about some of her past.

“Are you sure you don’t want to hear the story in your room?”

“No. I want Eddie to hear about my Daddy. My real Daddy. Not the fake one.”

***

Real and fake daddy? More clues to Amy’s past? He wanted to hear this story, but from her expression, she didn’t want him around.

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” Eddie said. “Maybe some other time.”

Raelynn threw the picture on the couch and pouted. “Then I don’t want to hear it. I hate him.”

“Raelynn Kincaid, what’s gotten into you?” Amy hurried to her daughter’s side and cupped her face. “What’s wrong?”

Her eyes grew big and filled with tears.

“Baby, talk to Mommy,” Amy begged.

“I’m scared, Mommy,” Raelynn whispered.

“Oh, honey.” She gathered the child in her arms and pulled her onto her lap as she sat. “Why? What happened?”

“I saw him,” she whispered, but Eddie heard her.

“I know. At the store. He’ll never come here or hurt you.”

“He was here.”

Amy blinked then her head shot up and her eyes found his. Eddie was already out of his chair. He knelt beside Amy and her daughter. “Where?”

“Behind the house.” She pointed towards the west side of the house.

“Today when your Mommy and I were gone?” Eddie asked.

Raelynn nodded. “I was playing hide-n-seek with Aunt Lauren. I was ‘it’. I went outside to hide in the flower beds and saw him.”

“Did he hurt you?” Amy asked.

Raelynn shook her head.

“Did he say anything?” Eddie asked.

“He asked for Mommy. I told him you were gone. Then he said, “Come to Daddy, Rae.”  I ran to the house and hid in the closet just like you told me to, Mommy. Then Aunt Lauren found me.” Raelynn wiggled. “Mommy, you’re squashing me.”

Amy eased her grip and raised a trembling hand to her mouth. “I shouldn’t have left her. I should never have gone.”

Eddie gripped her arm. “Stop. Don’t think like that. It wasn’t your fault and she wasn’t alone. Obviously, she didn’t tell Lauren.”

Eddie got up and went to the computer. They’d left it running and hopefully, the cameras had captured the bastard. He clicked on the security camera icon, then focused on the one near the front entrance, which was the only door west of the house.

No recording.

Frowning, he checked each camera, rotated