Blake turned on his heel. “This is Lilo. Lilo, this is my colleague Zane and his wife Portia.” He pointed to the living room. “And their sons, Nicholas and Adam.”
Zane nodded and grunted a quick hello, while Portia smiled and said, “Nice to meet you, Lilo.”
Zane turned to Blake. “If you don’t have time to look after the boys, we’ll take them to New Orleans with us.”
“I said I’d take care of them. So I will.”
“Just saying,” Zane added, looking as if assessing her. Then he pulled up one side of his mouth into an almost-smile. “Though anybody would be a better influence on the boys than you.”
Portia shook her head and put her hand on her husband’s arm. “Don’t listen to him, Blake. He’s just pissed that Nicholas and Adam don’t want to come with us. He hates being separated from them.”
Zane shot his wife an angry glare. “Damn it, Portia!”
Instead of shrinking back from him, she stroked her hand over his cheek. Before her eyes, the intimidating man softened.
“They’ll be safe with Blake,” Portia murmured.
Lilo had never seen anything like it. Immediately, she understood their relationship. They were true partners, one incomplete without the other. This was what true love looked like. It existed. And it could last.
Zane nodded before severing the intimate contact with his wife. His eyes met Blake’s. “You’d better make sure of that, or I’m gonna crush you with my bare hands.”
“Get out of here, and have a great time in NOLA. Give my best to Cain and Faye,” Blake said.
“Nicholas, Adam!” Zane called out.
As if the boys knew that this was good-bye, they came running and flew into their father’s outstretched arms.
“You guys behave, okay? Or I’ll be back to drag you down to New Orleans by your ears.” Despite the threat, Zane’s voice was soft.
“Yes, Dad,” Nicholas said, and Adam echoed it.
The affectionate exchange made them appear younger, and Lilo realized that despite their obvious attempts at wanting to show their independence from their parents by not going on this trip with them, they were still kids who sought their parents’ approval and affection.
Portia bent down and kissed her sons. “Time to go.” She looked at Blake. “Thanks, Blake. And nice to meet you, Lilo. Don’t let the boys drive you crazy.”
Involuntarily, Lilo had to smile. She liked the young mother who seemed to have such power over her husband and such confidence in Blake. When the door closed behind them and the two boys were already running back into the living room, Lilo turned and found herself facing Blake.
“It’s nice of you to look after two young boys.”
Blake shrugged. “They’re really no trouble.”
She lifted an eyebrow, when she heard one of the boys yell.
“Give me that remote! It’s my turn!” It was the younger boy.
“I’m the man in the house when Dad’s not here, and you know it.”
Blake chuckled and winked at her. “Okay, maybe just a little trouble.”
“Blake?” came Nicholas’s voice from the living room.
“Yes?” he answered and walked toward the arch, looking into the room.
Lilo followed him.
“I’m going to stay in the guestroom with the turret. Adam can sleep in the room out front,” Nicholas announced in a determined voice.
“That’s not what we agreed!” Adam ground out and kicked his brother in the shin. “You said we were gonna play for it. And whoever wins the first game gets that room. You’re such a jerk sometimes.”
“Hey guys, sorry, but you’ll have to share the room out front,” Blake interrupted.
Both boys stared at Blake, their mouths gaping open. “Why?”
“Lilo is staying in the room with the turret.”
Nicholas jumped up. “What? I don’t wanna share with Adam. I need my own room. Can’t your girlfriend stay in your room? It’s not like you have to pretend for us.” The teenager puffed up his chest. “I know about these things.”
Lilo felt heat shoot into her cheeks. They thought she was Blake’s girlfriend? Just like Zane had probably thought so, too. His look had implied as much.
Next to her Blake ground out a low curse. “You’re sharing the room out front. No discussion.” Then he turned to look at her and said more quietly, “I’m sorry about that. They’re just boys. They don’t know any better.”
9
Blake closed the refrigerator and turned back to Nicholas and Adam who were both stuffing their faces with sandwiches. That was one thing about young hybrids: they were constantly eating. Not only human food, but also blood to keep up their vampire strength. It didn’t matter that it was two in the morning.
“And not another remark about Lilo and me. Is that clear?” he said, pinning Nicholas with his eyes.
The boy shrugged and managed to look sheepish. “How was I supposed to know she’s not your girlfriend?”
“That’s exactly the reason why you don’t make assumptions.”