“Our mother didn’t have those scruples. I paid her many times to keep away from Miles and out of our lives. I’d do it again.” Hated tears fell and she brushed her hands over her face.

Most men would have changed the subject or made quick assurances to a woman as she sort of fell apart. Instead, he did exactly what she needed. He listened to her, his gaze on her steady and filled with more emotion than she could process just then.

He let her get herself together and then continued to listen as she spoke again.

“So, I choose to believe that my sister did not use Miles because she loved him and it was what she could give him. And for that, I’ll love her until the day I die.”

Adrian got her then. Understood the steadfast determination of hers to be independent and make her own way. Each word had come from her because she’d chosen to share herself with him. And what she’d revealed only dragged him under deeper.

Gillian Forrester was the perfect woman. So much control and discipline. She’d risen above a shitty childhood and built something not only for herself but their son too.

She understood family in the same way he did. When she said family was important, it was through the way she mothered, the way she’d stayed close with her grandmother, even the way she’d described her sister.

He’d liked a lot of women. Maybe even could have loved a few. And none of them had been what this one was.

He leaned closer, brushing his lips over hers with aching tenderness. The soft sigh she gave him in response undid him to his foundations.

“You’re a mum, all right. Thank you for loving our son so much.”

“Stop it now!” Flustered but affectionate, she glared his way. “As for loving him, well, of course. How could you do anything but?”

Easy, he leaned in and kissed each corner of her mouth before sitting back. “Yes. And thank you for that too.”

“What about your parents?”

He drew in a deep breath, as if measuring his words. “It wasn’t anything like your situation. They just weren’t around much. My mother loved my father powerfully. So much that she sort of forgot anyone else existed. He liked that. Being the center of her world.

“We weren’t abused or anything. It was just that they had not much left for us. He was busy. On the road a lot for his job. I’ve told you how much more Brody was a father to me than the one I had. I worry that I’ll be a shitty father. I travel a lot too. Less now than I did even a year ago. But I don’t want to be an absentee dad any more than I was already.”

“Oh no.” She shook her head. “Don’t. Please. You’re brilliant with Miles. You listen to him. You care about him. You want to ensure his well-being. You see him as much as you can. The best thing is that he knows it. Brody was your example and he’s an amazing father. As for your travel, Miles is getting older; perhaps you can take him with you when you go from time to time. He’d love that.”

“I want to take you both. I want to show you the world. I want to give it to you because I can and because you deserve it. Don’t you see? It means something that you’re here for Adrian. The guy who is trying to be a good dad. The guy who is head-over-heels gone for you. I can be that guy with so few people.”

She exhaled and he caught the battle on her features. He knew most likely torn between knowing he was telling the truth and feeling like she was using him.

He laughed. “Oh, English, remind me to play cards with you some day. Strip poker would be quite fun.”

“Am I that obvious?”

He took her hand, the one she’d squeezed his with, entangling his fingers with hers and kissing it. “You wear everything you feel on your face. That wasn’t always true, so I feel as if we’re moving forward.”

14

Adrian sailed past his lunkhead of a brother and toward the end zone. He still had to avoid Todd, who lurked just ahead, wearing a smirk.

Ben then approached from Todd’s left and tackled him.

Rennie cheered him on from the sidelines, Erin calling out jeers for Ben and laughing at Todd.

Gillian and Miles were there too. That part was the best of all.

Gillian had shown up on his doorstep with Miles, as she’d promised, just a few hours before. Had given up her Thanksgiving plans with her friends to be with him and his family, and to give that to Miles too.

And in doing so, she’d only made him want her more.

She sat at a nearby table looking feminine and beautiful in a knit cap and gloves, her coat buttoned up smartly.

Elise sat on one side and Ella to the other. Both women—well, hell, all of them—had gone out of their way to befriend Gillian. Erin was relentless anyway; Gillian couldn’t resist any more than the rest of them could.

Miles had declined to take part in the game. Adrian had tried to convince him how much fun it would be and his son had raised one brow, indicated the size of the men playing, and had reiterated his no-thank-you.

Given that the game had broken out into two outrageously vicious fouls between Adrian and Brody once and Ben and Cope another time along with the tackle that had Todd limping, Miles did appear to have a point.

Though Adrian had noticed the more-than-friendly lingering pat on the ass Ben had given Todd when he helped him up.

’Course, he noticed this from the end zone. Ha!

“Are they like this every year?” Gillian asked, sipping some hot apple cider. This game of theirs was something Adrian had described as a fun thing he and his friends did every year. Fun. Hm. “Adrian assured Miles that it was just about pulling the flag things off the belt. This looks a lot more like full contact to me.”