“Hurry, Daddy.” Ivy rubbed her midsection with her left hand. “My tummy is hungry for Kringle.”
“I won’t be long.” Seth hesitated. He needed to get the horse out of the weather and grab the pastry, but he found himself strangely reluctant to leave Lauren.
“Don’t worry, Anderssen,” Adam shot him a wink. “I’ll take good care of both of them.”
Lauren took a sip of wine and shot a sideways glance at Seth. They’d returned from the Nordstrom ranch a little over an hour ago. While Seth put the horse and sleigh away, she’d gotten Ivy ready for bed.
It had been obvious Seth had been surprised—but pleased—when he’d come in and found his daughter already in her PJs with her eyelids drooping. By the time Seth tucked her in and opened a book to read to her, the little girl was already asleep.
Normally Lauren would be ready for bed, too, but the afternoon nap she’d taken earlier had stuck with her. The way she felt right now, she could stay up all night. Thanks to Seth it had been the best Christmas she could remember. She’d been ready to head upstairs when he’d suggested a glass of wine to cap off the evening.
While he was in the kitchen uncorking a new bottle, Lauren switched off the lamps and proceeded to light candles scattered throughout the room. The glow from the flames mingled with the light emanating from the dying embers in the hearth to give the area a warm, cozy feel.
Seth walked into the room with two glasses in hand just as Lauren lit the last candle. He glanced around. His lips quirked upward. “Did I forget to pay the electric bill?”
Lauren returned his smile and dropped back on the sofa, folding one leg beneath her. She held out a hand, feeling lighthearted and flirtatious. “Give me my glass of wine and shut up.”
He handed her the goblet and took a seat on the other end of the sofa. “Ivy isn’t allowed to say ‘shut up.’”
Lauren leaned back in the overstuffed sofa and shifted in her seat, gazing at Seth through lowered lashes. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not Ivy.”
“Oh, I’ve noticed.” Seth’s blue eyes glittered in the dim light.
Her heart pounded a provocative Latin beat against her ribs. Still, Lauren kept a tight hold on her rising excitement as she traced the rim of her glass with one finger. “You want to hear something funny?”
Seth smiled encouragingly.
The darkness surrounding them made it easy for her to speak freely. “When you were in the stable, Adam asked if we were dating.”
Lauren hadn’t been surprised by the question. Only that he hadn’t asked sooner. She’d sensed Adam’s interest from the moment he’d discovered she was related to his mentor.
“I wonder what gave him that impression?”
Lauren lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “When Ivy mentioned we’ll all be living under the same roof, I’m sure that made him curious about our relationship.”
Though that was the obvious answer, Lauren had a feeling Adam had picked up on the sexual tension between her and Seth. Every time Seth’s hand brushed her, every time he sent a smile her way, she’d turned into a blithering idiot. When he’d sat beside her on the sofa in the Nordstrom living room, she’d had difficulty concentrating on the conversation. They’d been thigh-to-thigh, arm-to-arm, and all she could think was how good it would feel if there were no clothes between them.
“I’m sure Adam understands that you’re simply Ivy’s nanny. Not my girlfriend or my—” his voice faltered, and he took a gulp of wine “—lover.”
“You’re right,” Lauren agreed. “Just because we’ll be living under the same roof doesn’t automatically make us lovers.”
Lauren rather liked the way the word rolled off her tongue. It conjured up visions of muscular arms holding her close, calloused cowboy hands caressing her bare skin and warm lips covering hers. The vivid image brought with it an ache of wanting.
From the way Seth’s eyes darkened, he appeared to be doing some visualizing—and aching—of his own.
The realization buoyed her flagging spirits. A couple times at the Nordstrom ranch, she’d gotten the feeling Seth was trying to foist her off on Adam. It was confusing considering the pull between them. Still the feeling persisted.
“I was surprised he had to ask.” Lauren forced a chuckle. “Considering your behavior.”
“What about my behavior?”
“You were like a yenta determined to make a match.”
Seth’s brows pulled together; his expression clearly puzzled. “Beg pardon?”
Lauren swirled the wine in her glass. “You played up the fact that Adam and I are both academicians. You told him I was a big-city girl at least three times.”
He grimaced. “Did I really?”
Lauren nodded.
“You’re right. He probably didn’t know what to think.” Seth’s gaze searched hers. “Did he ask you out?”
“Not yet.”
“Think he will?”
“Probably.” Actually, there was no doubt in her mind. The way he’d looked at her, coupled with his question about her relationship with Seth, told her the mathematician would be picking up the phone.
“Will you go?”
“I doubt it,” Lauren answered honestly. Though Adam seemed to be a nice-enough guy, he reminded her too much of her father. She didn’t tell Seth that part. “Between finishing up my dissertation, meeting with clients and taking care of Ivy, I won’t have much free time. I’d rather spend what time I do have with Anna or Stacie.”
“Do you ever feel the need for male-female interaction?” he asked.
Lauren straightened in her seat. Her heart, which had finally settled back into a nice easy rhythm, sped up. Was he asking the question on behalf of Adam? Or himself? Had he felt the pull between them but wasn’t going to act on it until he knew where she stood?
She had two options—play coy or be honest.
She’d never been good at playing games.
“I miss sex,” Lauren admitted, staring into the burgundy liquid. “While I may not have time to date, I could be persuaded to fit a
