little crush on me, but thinking back on it now, it wasn’t me she became animated around.”
“Grandfather.”
“Yeah. She must have developed a crush on him. I always wondered, especially with his hatred of Belinda, but it makes sense now it wasn’t so much her, but the fact that she was a constant reminder of Elizabeth’s unwanted attention.”
“Do you think he had anything to do with her death?” Dane asked.
“I think if Elizabeth threatened him . . . yeah, I think he’s capable of anything.”
Trace returned home from class to find his wife entertaining two men. Brandon and Seth were settled on the sofa on either side of Ember as they played Wii. She looked up at him just as he leaned over and pressed a kiss on her lips. His eyes found Brandon who looked envious and he winked before he went to the bedroom to change.
He asked, “Are you hungry?”
Before Ember could answer, Brandon and Seth both said, “Starving.”
Chelsea came out of her room holding a book and when she saw Trace, she smiled. “Hi, Trace. Seth was just going to read to me.”
Trace had sat Seth down after his talk with Charles and told him everything. He took the news really well, but Charles was no more a father to Seth than Douglas had been to Trace, so he couldn’t really blame him for his lack of enthusiasm. Seth did seem somewhat excited about coming to live with them, and Chelsea was thrilled to have a cousin. She and Seth had hit it off instantly.
“Let me get changed and I’ll whip something up.” Trace started from the room and Ember followed after him, closing the door behind her. He turned to her right before he pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the bed. He saw when her eyes moved to her name on his chest. He loved that she looked, every time. Her eyes turned to his and he could see that she saw far more than she let on. She asked, “Something is on your mind. What’s going on?”
“Just some scheduling conflicts at the school.”
“That’s not what’s putting that look in your eyes.”
He moved to her and wrapped her in her arms before he touched his lips to hers. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.” She tilted her head and studied him as understanding dawned. “You’re worried, still?”
“Let’s just say I’ll be happy when there’s a little Ember in that crib and you are warm and naked next to me in our bed.”
She reached for his face. “This is our first child. It’s all scary, but everything will be fine. You have to have faith.”
“I’d rather have you instead.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. When I’m ninety, I’ll be asking you where I left my teeth.”
He said nothing in reply, but he knew his face was saying plenty. He watched her face as she realized where his thoughts had gone with her last statement and he grinned in response.
“Oh my God, at ninety? Are you serious?” she said.
“No teeth and that mouth . . .” He glanced down before looking back up at her. “Fuck yeah.”
His finger played with her pebbled nipple through her shirt, his grin turning into a naughty smile. “You’re saying one thing, sweetheart, but your body’s saying something else.”
“There are children in the other room.”
“Yes, and that’s the only reason why you’re not flat on your back already.”
“Poetry, you speak in sheer poetry.”
“I’ll give you poetry.” He reached between her legs, but she stepped back from him and shook her head.
“If you start, I won’t be able to stop.”
His eyes burned like fire in response. “I’ll call them a cab.”
“I promised them food, but after, I’m all yours.”
He grabbed her and kissed her hard on the mouth. “Remember that,” he said before he strolled off to their closet. “Did Brandon agree to the blood test?”
“Yes. That’s why he’s here. I think he’s feeling conflicted. Excited that he may have found his family, and terrified at the same time. I think he’s worried that Lucien and Darcy will be disappointed.”
Trace didn’t hide his incredulity. “That’s impossible.”
“Yes, but he’s a young kid facing a major life change.”
“True, so it’s a good thing that he has you in his life to tell him otherwise.”
“Isn’t it weird how I even know him? I become friends with a boy who turns out to be Lucien’s son. It’s almost like someone orchestrated it.”
Trace walked to her and drew her close. “I wouldn’t be surprised