Page 52 of Her Tempting Protector

“What secret do you want to know?”

“Carys, if I knew, it wouldn’t be a secret.” His blue eyes captured hers in the moonlight that shone through the windows.

“I wasn’t happy in my marriage.”

He snorted. “Uhm, you got divorced. That’s kind of easy to figure out.”

“I mean really unhappy. I knew it was a mistake when I walked down the aisle unhappy. I did it because I could finally do something to please my parents. Derek wanted me to be the pretty little hostess like my mom, so I was an epic failure all around.”

“How old were you?”

“Old enough to know better.”

“How old,” he insisted.

“Twenty-one.”

“Let me guess, a sheltered baby. I bet you went to an all-girls’ school for high school.”

Her head shot up. “How’d you know that?”

“And what university were you going to? If it was to please Mommy and Daddy, was it Smith or Wellesley?”

“Far too political for my parents’ tastes. Nope, Bryn Mawr all the way. What took you down the path of all-girl universities? Your sisters?”

“We’ll save my secrets for another night. This is you, Dr. Adams. So, tell me how you rebelled.”

They were interrupted by, not a burp, but a belch.

“That’s my boy. High five.” Carys watched as Cullen pulled Adam’s hand out of the swaddling and touched his huge palm against Adam’s tiny palm. “I think he’s ready for bed again. You gave him a pretty sweet set-up.” Cullen chuckled. “He’s toast.”

“Ya think? I don’t know how to break it to you, but he’s brand new. A three-day-old baby isn’t up for high fives,” Carys smirked.

“He’s a baby genius. Oh, shit, I forgot to take off my shirt.” He looked seriously upset.

“I think you’re fine. He just needed to be fed. The way he’s swaddled also soothes him and helps him to sleep. We’re good.”

She saw Cullen relax. “Okay, Little Man, let’s put your hand back in here, and get you settled for the night.”

“Better check his diaper.”

“Already did. He’s clean and dry. However, after all that formula I see a diaper change in my future.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“You’re going to be sleeping, Missy.”

“No, you are. I’ve been counting, you’re on two-and-a-half days without sleep. That’s ridiculous.” Carys started to extricate herself from under Shada. She used the sheet to wipe the woman’s brow. “You’re doing good,” she whispered in her ear in Arabic. “Your children need you. Get better.”

She stretched as she got out of the car and quietly shut the backseat door. Somehow the stealth ninja warrior was beside her. “How do you do that?”

“What?” he asked with a satisfied smile.

“You know what. You sneak around like a thief in the night.”

“I’m quieter than a thief. They train us. Anyway, you were louder than Adam at full roar. It was easy to sneak up on you. Do you need a trip over to the trees before we bed down for the night? I now am the proud owner of half a roll of toilet paper.”

She knew that her eyes had to be glowing along with the saliva that was probably dripping out of her mouth. She was down to the last four tissues from the three packets of Kleenex she’d brought.