the driver, Mom,” Sofia called to her mother in the kitchen, her stomach doing a little flutter. She gathered the black pashmina wrap Clarice had insisted pulled the whole look together and her purse. That, at least, was still hers. She couldn’t bring herself to let the accessorizing go so far as to include handbags. She knew exactly how expensive those things could be.
It was ridiculous that he was coming for her. He could’ve saved himself a lot of time if they’d met at the office.
But no. And he didn’t even send a separate car. Instead, his driver was picking her up, even though it was way out of the way to drive from the Gold Coast where Eric lived down to the Pilsen neighborhood where she lived with her parents.
The Nortons lived close to the Chicago Executive Airport, where Eric kept his plane—which was on the far northern side of the city. So they’d meet them there. Which meant it would just be Eric and Sofia in the car. In the back seat. Hidden from the rest of the world.
Not that it mattered, because it didn’t. This was a work-related trip. The brand-new clothes she was wearing were work clothes—although Sofia had not yet figured out in what alternative universe a silk georgette blouse and cropped white trousers constituted a “traveling outfit.” In her world, white pants were a disaster waiting to happen. But she was wearing them anyway. The same went for the cocktail dresses. The outfits had nothing to do with the way Eric had held her hand in the store or told her to let him take care of her. Not a damned thing.
She might engage in some gentle flirting because that seemed unavoidable. But Eric flirted with everyone, so that was fine. Safe, even. As long as they kept it at flirting. No undressing, no lingerie.
The doorbell rang again. Sofia took hold of Addy as Mom hurried out of the kitchen to scoop up Eddy.
Sofia opened the door, saying, “My bag is—”
The man standing in the doorway was not the driver. Eric Jenner himself stood there, looking sinfully handsome in a brightly colored button-up shirt with a linen blazer over it. Her mouth fell open and all she could do was stare at him. His hair had more of a wave than normal and he looked so damn good she could feel her resolve crumbling like a cookie in a toddler’s hands—and they hadn’t even made it to the car yet.
She was going away with him for the weekend. And he wanted to take care of her.
Oh, God.
“Sofia,” Eric began, but then his gaze was drawn to Addy, who’d curled against Sofia’s shoulder. “Good heavens,” he went on, sounding almost severe about it. “These children are even cuter in person than they are in pictures. I didn’t think that was physically possible.”
“Mr. Eric!” Mom said, struggling to hold on to Eddy. “Oh—we weren’t expecting you! Oh!” she said again, her hand flying to her chest as she looked him over. “My, you’ve grown up so much!”
Eric took that as an invitation. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Then, before Sofia’s eyes, he bowed. Bowed! “Mrs. Cortés, you haven’t changed a bit. You are as lovely as I remember.”
Mom blushed—which only made Sofia stare even more. When was the last time her mother had blushed? “Mr. Eric, we can’t thank you enough for everything—”
Eric waved her off. “Sofia’s doing a great job, just like I knew she would.” Then he leaned forward and said, “May I?” Without waiting for an answer, he plucked Eddy from her mother’s arms. “You must be Eduardo. I can tell—you’re a very serious young man.” As he said it, he tickled Eddy’s tummy.
Eddy squealed with delight and kept right on squealing as Eric lifted the boy over his head a few times, saying, “Oh, yes—very serious indeed.”
That got Addy’s attention. Although she didn’t fling herself at Eric, she sat up. She didn’t have to wait long. Eric tucked Eddy into the crook of one arm and reached out for Addy. “Hello, Miss Adelina. Aren’t you a good girl?”
“It’s all right,” Sofia reassured her and then Addy was lifted from her arms and cradled against Eric’s chest.
“There we are,” Eric said reassuringly, bouncing both children a little bit. Eddy seemed thrilled beyond words, but Addy was holding herself a little apart from him, still unsure about this strange man who’d just walked into their lives.
Next to her, Mom sighed—a noise that was part happiness, part relief and part…longing, maybe? Sofia could sympathize. The sight of her children in Eric’s arms—if possible, this was even less fair than him tenderly telling her that he wanted her to feel as beautiful as she was.
Because he was holding her children, making silly sounds and getting Addy to smile while Eddy tried to copy his sounds, with varying degrees of success.
Eric was perfect.
“Oh, Mr. Eric—I have something for you,” Mom said, hurrying off to the kitchen.
And leaving them alone. “Hi,” he said over the heads of the twins. His eyes warmed as he looked her over. “It’s good to see you.”
Oh, Lord—the only thing worse than flirting right now was sincere compliments because there was no defense against sincerity. “Hi,” she said back.
What was she supposed to say here? Because it simply wasn’t fair how perfect he was. The least the universe could do would be to make him not like children. If he showed indifference or even open dislike of the twins, it would be so much easier to keep her attraction to him under control.
But no. He had to be perfect in every way. He was going to make her fall in love with him and it was going to break her heart.
“Hey, can you take a picture? I’ll send it to my mom,” he said. “Can we smile, kiddos?”
By the time she got the camera app open, they were all laughing. No, this wasn’t fair at all. “Babies!” she said enthusiastically, which got both twins to focus on her. Eric looked up and grinned and she snapped several shots.
Then Eddy squirmed out of his arms and Sofia had to hide her smile at Eric trying to juggle the twins. But he didn’t drop either toddler, so that counted for something. “What is it, big guy?”
Chattering excitedly, Eddy made his way over to the coloring table. “He wants to show you his drawings. Which means that, in about ten seconds, Addy will want to show you her drawings, too.”
“A little friendly sibling rivalry?”
“You have no idea.”
“Sofia?” Mom poked her head out of the kitchen. “Can you give me a hand before you leave?”
Sofia frowned at her mother. Normally the woman refused any and all offers of help. But Mom gave her the look and Sofia had no choice but to say to Eric, “Will you be all right for a minute?”
“Go on,” he said, shooting her a grin that made her cheeks heat.
Mom had a small pile of food assembled on the counter. “Mom, what are you doing?”
“Mr. Eric—he always loved Jarritos. I think I have another bottle of the fresa somewhere…” she said to herself,
