Her Twin Surprise (Forsaken Sons Book 2) by Elizabeth Lennox (web ebook reader txt) 📗

moved to the door, his nose literally pressed against the doorframe.

“What’s he doing?” Janus asked.

“He knows that I’m going to throw a ball for him.  If I don’t wear him out, then he has too much energy during meal times.  And he gets…” she looked down at Herbie, rubbing his ears, “mischievous.”

Janus had no idea what that meant, but he watched as Stevie followed the dog out into the backyard.  There didn’t seem to be an obvious basket of toys, but Stevie reached into the grass that was definitely too high, and came up with a ball that she tossed…two feet away.

He remembered the other night when he’d watched Halley and Harrison throw the ball for the dog.  With a shake of his head, Janus acknowledged that his four year old children could throw the ball further than Stevie could.  She tried, he’d give her that much.  But somehow, the ball only went about two or three feet no matter how hard she tried to throw it.  To his credit, Herbie seemed thrilled with Stevie’s efforts, literally pouncing on the ball before trotting proudly back to her with the ball in his mouth.  But if she were really trying to wear the dog out, her efforts were laughable.

Stepping outside into the rare, Seattle sunshine, he paused for a moment to admire Stevie.  It occurred to him that, even after five years, he was still intensely attracted to her.  He’d noticed that the other day, his body reacting immediately when he’d caught her on the stairs.  At the time, he’d dismissed it.  He’d been too angry about her keeping their children a secret.

But now, seeing her toss the ball…well, trying to toss the ball, her efforts really were pathetic…he had to admit that Stevie’s body was amazingly lush.  He wanted her.  Part of his attraction might be the fact that she was the mother of his children.  But the motherly type hadn’t ever caught his attention before.  There was just something about Stevie.  Her hair was a mess, literally just piled on top of her head, and her jeans were loose.  Her sweater had definitely seen better days.

Was she hurting for money?  He made a mental note to put some money into her bank account.  As far as he was concerned, Janus owed Stevie five years of child support.  Hell, he owed her a whole lot more than just child support.

Moving behind her, he touched her waist with one hand and reached for the ball with the other.  “Perhaps I can help,” he offered, his voice huskier than he’d anticipated.  Damn, her skin was incredibly soft!

She looked at him over her shoulder and he felt her surprise.  For a long moment, she stood there, frozen in place and his hand slid around her waist more snugly, pulling her closer.  It was another surprise when she allowed him to pull her back, so she leaned against his chest.  Taking the ball, he paused, looking down at her.  That’s when he felt it.  Not really a sound or a movement, just the sensation that she was as intensely aware of him as he was of her.

A wet, slopping tongue slid up his hand, startling him.  Looking down, he realized that Herbie was waiting, salivating, for the ball.  Those dark, adoring eyes gazed up at Janus, then at the ball.

Janus threw the ball all the way to the back fence.

Herbie watched the ball fly for a long moment.  It wasn’t until the ball bounced that he jerked into action, springing forward to chase the ball, delirious with excitement.

While Herbie galloped off, Stevie peeked up at Janus.  He felt her shiver and his arm tightened around her waist.

“It’s still there, isn’t it?”

His words broke the spell and she jerked away.  “I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, tugging her sweater down.

Herbie pranced back, nudging Janus’ hand.  Janus took the slimy tennis ball and threw it again.  As Herbie went off to save the world from the vicious tennis ball, Janus turned back to Stevie.  “The attraction.  It was there five years ago.  It’s still there, isn’t it?”

Stevie shook her head.  “No.  It’s gone.  We’re five years older and I’m a mother now.  I don’t…I don’t do things like that anymore.”

Leaving the lie hanging in the air, Stevie turned on her heel and went inside, carefully closing the door.

“You two okay?” Stevie called out.  She found the twins sitting in the middle of the living room, piling big, cardboard “bricks” on top of one another.  They’d already taken all of the pillows off of the couch to make their fort and were now reinforcing it with the “bricks”.

“We’re fine,” Halley answered for both of them.  She didn’t bother to look up.

“We’re hungry,” Harrison announced.  Apparently, he didn’t need to even ask Halley.  He just knew.  As soon as the doctor had announced that Stevie was going to have twins, she’d done her research.  This silent, almost telecommunication with each other was common among twins.  They’d shared the womb.  It was almost as if they now shared emotions.  It was creepy at times.  But also endearing.

“I’m about to make lunch.  Did you both wash your hands?”

Stevie saw the look pass between them.  “Yeah!” Halley lied.

“Let me check,” she called out, getting the cheddar out of the fridge.

“We’re fine!” Harrison claimed.

Stevie laughed.  “I know that you’re fine. I just want to know if you’re clean.”

Halley’s shoulders drooped, but she stood up and shuffled into the bathroom. “Come on,” she grumbled.

Stevie sliced the cheese, laughing to herself as she heard Halley grumble about how “Mom always makes us wash our hands!”

The door to the kitchen opened up and an exhausted Herbie walked inside.  He obviously wasn’t used to that kind of exercise because he barely made it to the middle of the kitchen floor before he kerplunked down, giving