Megan's mate

Lots of men kissed his mother. His granddad and Sloan and Holt and Trent and Max. But this was different. He knew that. After all, he wasn't a baby. He shot a look up, lowered his eyes again.

Are you going to be her boyfriend now?

Ah...

Nathaniel glanced at Megan, was met with a look that clearly stated that he was on his own.

That's close enough. Does that bother you?

Because his stomach was suddenly jittery, Kevin moved his thin shoulders again.

I

don't know.

If the boy wasn't going to look up, Nathaniel figured it was time to move down. He crouched, still holding the baby.

You can take plenty of time to think about it, and let me know. I'm not going anywhere.

Okay.

Kevin's eyes slid up toward his mother's, then back to Nathaniel's. He sidled closer and leaned toward Nathaniel's ear.

Does she like it?

Nathaniel clamped down on a chuckle and answered solemnity with solemnity.

Yeah, she does.

After a long breath, Kevin nodded.

Okay, I guess you can kiss her if you want.

I appreciate it.

He offered Kevin a hand, and the man-to-man shake had the boy's chest swelling like a balloon.

Thanks for taking me today.

Kevin took off the captain's hat.

And for letting me

wear this.

Nathaniel dropped the hat back on Kevin's head, pushed up the brim.

Keep it.

The boy's eyes went blank with shocked pleasure.

For real?

Yeah.

Wow. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Look, Mom, I can keep it. I'm going to show Aunt Coco.

He raced upstairs with a clatter of sneakers. When Nathaniel straightened again, Megan was eyeing him narrowly.

What did he ask you?

Man talk. Women don't understand these things.

Oh, really?

Before she could disabuse him of that notion, Nathaniel hooked his fingers in her waistband and jerked her forward.

I've got permission to do this now.

He kissed her thoroughly, while Delia did her best to snuggle between them.

Permission,

Megan said when she could breathe again.

From whom?

From your men.

He strolled casually into the parlor, laid Delia on her play rug, where she squealed happily at her favorite stuffed bear.

Except your father, but he's

not around.

My men? You mean Kevin and Sloan.

Realization dawned, and had her sinking onto the arm of a chair.

You spoke to Sloan about... this?

We were going to beat each other up about it, but it didn't come to that.

Very

much at home, Nathaniel walked to the side table and poured himself a short whiskey from a decanter.

We straightened it out.

You did. You and my brother. I suppose it didn't occur to either of you that I might have some say in the matter.

It didn't come up. He was feeling surly about the fact that you'd spent the night with me.

It's none of his business,

Megan said tightly.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It's water under the bridge now. Nothing to get riled about.

I'm not riled. I'm irritated that you took it upon yourself to explain our relationship to my family without discussing it with me.

And she was unnerved, more than a

little, by the worshipful look she'd seen in Kevin's eyes.

Women, Nathaniel thought, and tossed back his whiskey.

I was either going to

explain it to Sloan or take a fist in the face.

That's ridiculous.

You weren't there, sugar.

Exactly.

She tossed back her head.

I don't like to be discussed. I've had my fill of that over the years.

Very carefully, Nathaniel set his glass down.

Megan, if you're going to circle back around to Du-mont, you're just going to get me mad.

I'm not doing that. I'm simply stating a fact.

And I stated a fact of my own. I told your brother I was in love with you, and that settled it.

You should have...

She trailed off, gasped for air that had suddenly gone too thin.

You told Sloan you were in

love

with me?

That's right. Now you're going to say I should have told you first.

I... I don't know what I'm going to say.

But she was glad, very glad, that she was already sitting down.

The preferred response is 'I love you, too.'

He waited, ignored the slow stroke of

pain.

Can't get your tongue around that.

Nathaniel.

Be calm, she warned herself. Reasonable. Logical.

This is all moving

so fast. A few weeks ago, I didn't even know you. I never expected what's happened between us. And I'm still baffled by it. I have very strong, very real feelings for you, otherwise I couldn't have stayed with you that first night.

She was killing him, bloodlessly.

But?

Love isn't something I'll ever be frivolous about again. I don't want to hurt you, or be hurt, or risk a misstep that could hurt Kevin.

You really think time's the answer, don't you? That no matter what's going on inside you, if you just wait a reasonable period, study all the data, balance all the figures, the right answer comes up.

Her shoulders stiffened.

If you're saying do I need time, then yes, I do.

Fine, take your time, but add this into your equation.

In two strides he was in front

of her, dragging her up, crushing her mouth with his.

You feel just what I feel.

She did she was very much afraid she did.

That's not the answer.

It's the only answer.

His eyes burned into hers.