“Is that what you think?” Tyler approached, eyes narrowing. He ripped off the cap, then his T-shirt. He flung it to the floor.
Del swallowed hard. Dear God, she’d forgotten how overpoweringly masculine Tyler was. But now that he was half naked, that fact was front and center, evident in every bulge of his shoulders, every ripple of his abs, the veins running down his arms. Hard pectorals. Lean waist. Jeans hanging low on his lean hips . . .
He snapped, and she raised her stare back to his face, but Del was equally dazzled there, especially by the heat in his eyes. “Let’s get one thing straight: You could never be a substitute for Alyssa. It was the other way around.”
Chapter Seven
WHAT the hell was he thinking? Open mouth, insert ass. He’d blurted something so . . . true. Fuck. He’d been burying everything he felt for Del for two years. In an instant, she’d swept into his house and made him realize how damn much he cared about her. Still wanted her.
But Tyler sensed that, after everything that had passed between them—and whatever damage Eric’s abandonment had caused—men, and him especially, weren’t high on Del’s to-do list.
But he wasn’t letting her go easily or without a fight.
“Look, let’s just . . .” Del sputtered, then looked away. “I’d like to call about Seth. I won’t be able to sleep until I hear he’s okay.”
Everything inside Tyler wanted to argue. Or better yet, get her supine, get on top of her, and prove his point. But she was exhausted and scared. Now wasn’t the best time.
“We can do that.” He reached for his phone.
“Who has him tonight?”
Tyler tried not to wince. “Alyssa.”
Before Del could comment, he punched the speed dial and jammed the phone to his ear. Alyssa answered right away.
“Your son is as mischievous as you are.”
He couldn’t help but smile as he turned the phone on speaker so Del could hear. “Yeah, well . . .”
“He’s a bundle of energy and climbs everything. I’m not used to that with Chloe.” Alyssa sounded somewhere between amused and exasperated. “But he’s so sweet. He must get that from Del.”
Del looked choked up, and Tyler wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered, “See, he’s fine.”
She nodded and leaned into the phone. “Hi, Alyssa. Thank you for taking care of Seth.”
“The kids are having fun. Chloe has loved having a playmate, even if she’s not sure what to do with plush trucks and toy airplanes.” She laughed, the sound light and elegant.
“Seth is a climber, and if you have anything chocolate, he’ll find it.”
“Good to know. Luc keeps so many things in the kitchen. He’s bound to have good chocolate here. I’ll hide it. Can he have a little tomorrow?”
“If he eats his vegetables and tries a bite of everything on his plate.”
After the women talked about Seth’s naps and bedtime, Del pulled away from him. “Thanks again for everything.”
Tyler watched with a frown as she disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door. He heard it lock, then the shower turned on. He sat on the edge of the thin mattress and shook his head.
“You still there?” Alyssa asked.
Turning the phone off speaker mode, he tucked it back against his ear. “Yeah.”
“You okay?”
Del wanted nothing to do with him, and it hurt like f**k. “Sure.”
Alyssa snorted. “Liar. What about Delaney?”
“She’s in the shower.”