“If it’s any consolation, he didn’t talk about you, either.” She took the other woman’s hand and shook it. Silke’s grip was firm, but warm, much like her welcoming smile.
“Oh!” She covered her mouth with her hands as she dropped her gaze to Evan. “And you must be Evan! Oh, oh! You’re a cutie patootie!” Bending down, she tickled Evan’s cheeks. The baby laughed and slammed his little fists down on the table. “Hello, Evan, I’m your Aunty Silke. Hi there. Aren’t you a cute boy?” Evan giggled as she made kissy faces at him. “He’s so precious.” Raising an auburn brow, she smiled wryly at Ransom. “Why, he looks exactly like you. Are you even sure she’s the mom?”
Ransom scowled, but from the way he puffed out his chest, it was obvious he was proud that his sister saw the resemblance.
Sabrina cleared her throat. “Silke, I was wondering if I could talk to you about a couple of things.”
“What? Oh. Right.” She stole a glance at Ransom. “Sure. But, Ransom,” she began. “I just wanted to let you know Joanie left a message.”
Joanie? A hot twinge plucked in her chest, similar to last night at Muccino’s when Jocelyn was flirting with him.
Ransom tensed. “Yeah?”
“She left for Mercer City yesterday. Won’t be back for another day or so.”
Isabelle wished she could look at him to judge his reaction, but Evan noisily let his hunger and displeasure known by banging his fists on the table. “Sorry, baby,” she said as she fed him a spoonful of banana.
“Bring them to the lodge for lunch,” Silke instructed. “No, don’t give me that look, Ransom. She should meet everyone, and I can only guess what ‘food’ you have in here.”
“Cross can get you anything you need,” Sabrina said as she and Silke headed for the door. “Just let me know, and he’ll get it for you. He’ll be staying here in our cabin when he’s not working.”
“Thanks.” When the two women left, she focused her attention on Evan and feeding him his breakfast until it was all done. She tried to ignore Ransom’s presence, but it was hard as his stare was practically boring a hole into her back.
“All done?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Putting the dish down on the table, she turned to face him and crossed her arms over her chest. “Ransom, last night—”
“Only proved we should be together,” he finished. “You know it. Our wolves know it. We’re supposed to be together.”
Her wolf yipped happily. And she could see it, all of them together. Just like now. But this was all wrong. “No, Ransom—”
“Please.” He cupped her jaw. “Give me a chance. I’ll do anything. Let me prove to you this is how it’s meant to be.”
“I don’t know.”
“But you’re not saying no,” he said hopefully. “You don’t have to say yes right away.”
“I—” He was asking for a chance. And while she didn’t want to give it to him, she didn’t exactly have much of a choice now. Besides, maybe Lucas was right to have her stay here. Evan would be safe, and after what happened last night, that’s the only thing she wanted. She and Ransom would have to find some kind of compromise. All she had to do was hold out and show him they were better apart. “I need something from you.”
“Anything.”
“I’ll stay, but I’m moving into the room where Evan’s staying. There’s a twin bed in there and—”
“No,” he growled.
“No?” Was he crazy? “What do you mean, no?”
“I have your things in my room,” he said. “And beside, we’ve already—”
“Don’t even think about it.” But from the look on his face, he was thinking about it, and damn it, now she was too. “I need my own space. And Evan doesn’t do well in new surroundings. He gets fussy and won’t sleep whenever we stay somewhere new.”
“Then he can stay with us.”
“Absolutely not.” This was one thing she wasn’t going to compromise on. “You said you’d do anything. Besides I’m not … I’m not sleeping with you anymore. I don’t want to,” she added for impact.
A dark look crossed his face, and he took a step forward. “Really, now?” The air around them turned thick with tension as he crowded her. “You don’t want me?”
“I …” She swallowed as his seductive scent tickled her nose. He was so close she could feel the intoxicating warmth of his body. When his hand came up to brush against her collarbone, she nearly melted.
Bending his head down, he nuzzled at her cheek. “So, I guess this isn’t working at all?”
“N-n-no,” she stammered, even as her nipples hardened to stiff points, and heat flooded her core. “Not at all.” Her inner wolf, however, laughed at her. That bitch.
Abruptly, he pulled away. “All right then.” He walked back toward the living room, but before he went out the door, he turned back to her. “I’ll try harder next time.” With a grin and a wink, he left.
“Whew.” She wiped her brow with the back of her hand and leaned back on the kitchen table. That was too close.
Evan gurgled and waved his hands out to her, signaling he wanted out. “Just a second, baby, give Mama a minute.”
Just resist him, until this is all over, she reminded herself. Protect her heart, and protect Evan. Those were the only things she had to focus on now. Should be easy-peasy.
Chapter Fourteen
Ransom left his house with a little spring in his step. Proving Isabelle wanted him had been a good mood booster, and so was spending time with his son. His son. The words were alien to him, yet it felt right. Everything about this morning felt right—from the moment he woke up with Isabelle in his bed to helping take care of Evan. What did stick in his craw was the
