Hero of Mine (7 page)

No more distractions or other people getting in the way. It was time to get back to just Noah and her against the world.

One Week Later

D
ANI PULLED INTO
the parking lot of the park, smiling as Noah squealed excitedly from the backseat. Dani had been working her butt off all month to pay off the repairs she'd needed on her car, and it felt like she'd hardly seen her baby at all. But today was the first day of her two weeks of paid vacation from the clinic, and although she only worked at the shelter twice a week, she'd gone ahead and taken the time off from them as well. She planned to spend as much time as she could with her son.

Climbing out of her door, she went to the back of the car first and grabbed the dogs' leashes. Both of them nearly bolted away from her in their excitement to see the green grass, but she quickly got control of them and went to pull Noah out of the car. First, she struggled to get him into his warm, puffy jacket and mittens; then she placed his little knit cap with bear ears on top of his head. Finally, balancing him on her hip, she grabbed the diaper bag, and now that she was officially loaded up like a pack mule, she kissed Noah's cheek.

“You ready to play?”

“Yay! Play!”

Once they were safely on the grass, Dani let Noah down to walk beside her and the dogs. They were the only ones in the park right now, probably because of the definite nip in the air, or maybe it was just too early for most people. Whatever the reason, the cooler temperature didn't seem to bother Noah as he rushed toward the playground.

“Hang on, Noah, wait for Mama.” Dani found a good spot and drilled her two anchors into the ground. Hooking Shasta's and Bella's long leashes onto them, she spread out the quilt from her diaper bag and left the bag on the blanket to catch up to her toddling son, who had ignored her directive and was making his way toward the stairs.

“Hey!” she said in her loud mom voice. Noah stopped in his tracks and turned around, his thumb in his mouth. Dani knelt in front of him and spoke a little softer. “When Mama tells you to wait, you wait. Got it?”

Noah nodded, and Dani smiled. “Okay, climb.”

Popping his thumb out of his mouth with a grin, he started climbing. Dani followed along beside him all the way to the top of the smaller slide. Dani's heart still climbed up and lodged itself in her throat every time, but she knew it was good to let him explore, to test his limits and gain confidence.

She didn't need to transfer any of her fears onto Noah. She wanted him to be braver, stronger . . .

Better than she could ever be.

Suddenly, Shasta let out a guttural snarl and started barking. Dani caught Noah as he came down the slide and carried him over to the blanket to see what was bothering the dog.

In the parking lot was a tall man in a dark poofy jacket and beanie. In his hand was the leash of a large gray dog walking with a definite limp.

No way. It couldn't be.

But as the pair moved closer to where Dani stood, she recognized Tyler's handsome face and nearly groaned with frustration. As the only people in the park, it wasn't as if she could ignore him.

What are you obsessing about? Because you got defensive? Or that you almost lost your mind and kissed him?

She knew by the expression on his face that he recognized her and held up her hand. “Hey there.”

“Hi.” He stopped a few feet from her, Duke at his side. In the weeks since she'd seen the dog, he'd put on weight, and although he was still dragging a cast along on his back leg, he looked good.

“Duke looks healthy.”

“So does Noah.”

Dani looked over at Noah, who was climbing back up to the top of the smaller slide. He slid down with a squeal, and before Dani could run over and catch him, he hit the ground on his butt.

His big eyes shot to hers in surprise, and she almost giggled at his expression. Except she could feel Tyler's gaze on her and wondered if he was judging her.

“Whoa, buddy, was that fast!” Tyler's tone was excited and jovial, and the toddler instantly responded by laughing.

“Yeah!” Climbing to his sneakered feet, he came over to stand next to Dani, never taking his eyes off Tyler. “Puppy?”

Dani couldn't believe Noah remembered the puppy from the hospital.

Tyler knelt down, and she admired his attempts to avoid Duke's tongue. “Hey, Noah. I'm Tyler. I don't think we were ever properly introduced.”

Shasta and Bella whined and whimpered, straining at the end of their leashes, and Shasta growled as Tyler leaned toward Noah with his hand out.

“It's okay,” Dani said. The dog quieted, but Dani took comfort in her protectiveness.

When Noah ignored his hand, Tyler took it in stride. “The puppy I brought to see you got a new home, and so did his brother, Zeus. They were adopted by a couple of kids with special needs, and the puppies are going to help them. Isn't that great?”

Noah nodded, and in a flash, he was headed back to the playground equipment.

“Well, he's obviously really broken up about not seeing the puppy,” Tyler joked.

“Yeah, kids tend to have a short attention span.”

“You don't say?”

“Oh yes.” Dani ran over and picked up a cigarette butt just before Noah bent over. “And they're quick.”

“Do you mind if I introduce myself to your dogs?”

Dani lifted Noah up and came over. “Sure, the big cautious one is Shasta, and the pug is Bella. They're fine. Shasta just gets a little protective of Noah.”

“Good with other dogs?” Tyler held his hand out to her dogs, and Shasta sniffed him excitedly.

“They both love other dogs, although Bella can get a little bossy.” Noah struggled in her arms, wanting back down.

“You like to be the boss, huh?” Tyler cupped the sides of Bella's face and scrunched up his own, making Dani laugh. She liked that he was a dog person; so many people didn't get her love of animals.

Duke and the girls sniffed at each other as Tyler stood up, and she noticed him wince. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, my knee just aches sometimes,” he said.

“What happened?”

“I was shot.”

Dani was just letting Noah back down, and her gaze jerked up to his. “Shot?”

Tyler chuckled. “What did you think I did before Alpha Dog?”

“I don't know. I mean, I knew you were in the military, but I never imagined that you . . . ” She trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

“It was just part of the gig.”

Dani studied him and saw the pain in his eyes, knowing there was more to the story, but it wasn't her place to ask.

Tyler looked away, putting Duke into a down-stay, and Dani, realizing that she'd stared at him too long, jerked her gaze away to find Noah back on the play structure, heading toward the highest area.

Panic seized her, tightening her chest. “Noah, no! Come back down, please.”

The toddler paused for half a second and glanced at her before he kept crawling up. Fear and anger bubbled within her as she ran toward the structure, taking the steps at full speed. She stepped onto the top of the first level just as Noah reached out for the large pole.

“Noah!”

Her son jumped at her harsh tone, and all she could do was watch in horror as her baby pitched forward off the structure toward the ground.

T
YLER SAW THE
kid lose his balance as if in slow motion, his little arms flapping in the air like a bird. Tyler didn't even realize he was moving until he caught Noah in his arms, bringing the kid in close to his chest. The blood pounded in his ears as his adrenaline rushed through, and he barely registered Dani's terrified cries, he was so focused on the trembling kid in his arms.

“Oh my God, Noah!” Dani was suddenly in front of him, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she reached for her son.

Tyler passed Noah over, and Dani squeezed him, burying her face into his neck as she sobbed. Noah burst into loud wails as Dani rocked him in her arms, murmuring soothingly.

Tyler checked on the dogs; Shasta and Bella were straining at the end of their leashes once more, while Duke still lay there. After his temperament test, Tyler had been working on his training and found he was already accomplished in obedience. The dude was completely chill, and Tyler had done everything he could to find his owners, but no one had responded to his Craigslist ad. Tyler had decided to keep it up until the cast came off, but at this point, Tyler already felt as if Duke had always been his.

His focus once again on Dani, he could tell she was experiencing an emotional roller coaster when she pulled away from Noah and scolded, “When Mama tells you to stop, you stop! Do you know how badly you could have been hurt?”

Followed by another crushing hug that was probably cutting off the kid's air supply, but Tyler wasn't going to interfere. He'd experienced enough of them from his own mom to know that when a mother was scared or her baby was hurt, you did not mess with her.

Dani's wet green eyes met his, her lip trembling. “You must think I'm the worst mother in the world.”

“Are you kidding? My mom once turned her back, and I hid in the Macy's men's department for ten minutes. She was in such a panic, and I came out laughing, ‘Here I am, Mommy!' ”

“Oh, God, I would have died. How old were you?”

“Four, I think? She still says that took years off her life.”

“I know the feeling.” She kissed Noah's head. “I think that's enough park for Mama.”

Noah surprisingly didn't protest, but Tyler realized that he didn't want them to leave.

“What if I took Mommy and Noah out for a hot chocolate and a muffin?”

Noah poked his head up at the mention of hot chocolate, but Dani looked like she was about to decline.

“You really don't have to do that—”

“You don't like muffins?” Tyler asked innocently.

“Of course we do; everybody likes muffins.”

“Then it's no problem. We can head up to LaBou and sit outside with the dogs.”

He could tell she was still hesitant, but Noah seemed to be watching her with pleading eyes.

“Okay, sure. We would love to have muffins with you.”

“Chocolate,” Noah whispered.

Tyler's heart skipped at the sweet smile she gave her son, their cheeks still wet from their tears.

Clearing his throat, he said, “You handle him, and I'll help you get packed up.”

She didn't argue with him, and he went about folding up their quilt, surprised at himself. If he was so hell-bent on steering clear of Dani and Noah, why hadn't he just said hi and moved on? What was going on with him?

Maybe Henry's advice got to you more than you realized.

Picking up her diaper bag and the dogs leashes, he stood up with a laugh. Just because he hadn't hooked up with a woman for a while, even in Tahoe, didn't mean he was looking to settle down.

“I think we're all packed up,” he said.

She looked a little embarrassed, with her cheeks stained red and her eyes slightly downcast. “I'm sorry; we were planning to make a morning of it, so I always pack more than I need.”

“You don't have to apologize, really.” As they started walking back to the cars, the dogs all fell in line beside them, although the dog she'd called Shasta kept turning her head to check on her humans. It was exactly how Rex had been with him.

When she opened up the back for him, he loaded her dogs and shut the door. Standing alongside her car, he waited as she buckled Noah in. When she finally pulled her head back out and reached for her bag, he handed it to her slowly, their hands brushing. Tyler resisted the urge to wrap his fingers around hers, so delicious was the shock between them.

Instead, he released the strap quickly, holding tight to Duke's leash.

“So, should I just follow you?” she asked.

Standing so close to her, with her looking up at him expectantly, he was tempted to kiss her. To see if she tasted as sweet as she looked.

Backing toward his car slowly, he decided any sudden movements might lead him down a rabbit hole of stupidity. “Yeah, you can follow.”

D
ANI SAT AT
the outside table with Noah and all three dogs, staring in the window at Tyler ordering their food. The young barista behind the counter smiled at him with definite interest, and Dani wished it didn't bother her so much.

“Game?” Noah asked.

Knowing what Noah was asking for, Dani prodded, “What do you say?”

“Pwease.”

Dani bent into the diaper bag and pulled out his LeapFrog tablet. She didn't let him have it often, mostly for trips in the car, but it was a nice little distraction.

Tyler came outside holding a drink carrier and a white food bag. “All right, I've got the good stuff.” As he sat down, he placed cups in front of all of them. Before Noah could reach for his cup, Dani took it and tasted it, making sure it wasn't too hot. With a smile, she handed it back to Noah. “Perfect.”

“I told them it was for a little kid and not to make it too hot.”

“Thank you.” Dani took a sip of the chai latte he'd bought her with a sigh. “This is heaven.”

“Wow, your pleasure bar is set pretty low,” Tyler said teasingly.

Dani's cheeks burned at the term
pleasure
. “Considering I've been working fifty hours a week or more for the last three weeks, I haven't had a lot of time to enjoy the little things.”

“Does that mean I crashed a mother and son date?” Tyler pulled out half a muffin and set it on a napkin for Noah. “I could have gotten a whole one for each of you.”

She'd told him they'd split a muffin and was happy he'd listened. “He won't eat it all. And no, you didn't crash the date. Noah and I have two weeks of fun planned.”

“Oh yeah, you on vacation or something?”

“Yeah, we can never really afford to go anywhere, so I just take my two weeks and we do day trips. The beach, the zoo, Apple Hill. . . things I think he'll enjoy.”

“That's good. Quality time is important.”

She raised her eyebrow at him. “I thought you didn't know a lot about kids.”

“I don't, but I have a great mom. She worked full time until she married my dad, well stepdad, but before that, she always spent her days off with me. It meant a lot, and I never questioned that she loved me.”

Hearing Tyler speak so openly and warmly about his mom made her heart stutter.

“Oh man, I blew it, huh? You think I'm a mama's boy now.”

“No! No, I think it's sweet.” Running her hand over Noah's soft curls, she admitted, “I hope someday that Noah talks about me like that.”

Tyler handed her the other half of the muffin. “He will, trust me.”

And then he pulled out two foil-wrapped croissant sandwiches.

“Are those both for you?” she asked.

With a wink, he opened one up and took a bite. “I'm a big guy with a healthy appetite.”

“Apparently.”

“Hey now, it isn't nice to call someone a pig.”

Her cheeks burned. “I didn't!”

“You insinuated.”

Dani grinned sheepishly. “I did, I'm sorry.”

“You're forgiven.” Wiping his hand on a napkin, he moved closer to Noah. “Hey, dude, what are you watching on here?”

Noah held the tablet out to him, and Tyler squinted at the screen. “Who is this guy?”

“Mickey,” Noah said.

“Mickey, huh? Is he cool?”

Noah nodded, his gaze straying back to the tablet.

“Noah, why don't we put the tablet away—”

Tyler glanced up at her and said quietly, “It's okay with me. Besides, I want to know if Mickey finds all the sheep, don't you, Noah?”

Could ovaries really explode? Because Dani was pretty sure hers just had.

O
NCE THE EPISODE
was over, Tyler let Dani take Noah's tablet back. They had only watched about five minutes of the episode, but it turned out taking an interest in Noah's favorite show had endeared him to the toddler. In fact, when Noah had offered him a slimy piece of muffin with an earnest expression on his sweet face, Tyler hadn't been able to refuse.

He'd taken the soggy piece and pretended to put it in his mouth, chewing with closed-mouth gusto. Noah, delighted, tried to share some more, but Tyler said, “Oh, no thanks, buddy, you eat it. I'm full.”

He puffed out his cheeks, and Noah giggled, showing muffin-caked teeth, but instead of being grossed out, Tyler laughed along with him.

And then he'd caught Dani watching them, sipping her latte silently. Her expression wasn't the same as the one from the hospital. That one had scared the hell out of him.

Instead, the warm look she gave him made him feel heroic.

It was a crazy notion, but he liked Dani and Noah. This morning had been fun, even with that scary part. He'd relaxed and opened up like he'd never done with a woman. Talking about his mom like that . . . Any of his friends would have given him all kinds of hell, but Dani had admired him for it.

It was a bit of an ego boost; he wasn't going to lie. He'd had women admire him for his body, his face, or his charm, but no one had ever caught a glimpse of the guy beneath. At least, he didn't think so, but there was an ease with Dani he appreciated.

Suddenly, Noah and Dani started giggling, and Tyler came out of his musings to find his sandwich gone. Staring down at the three possible suspects, he pursed his mouth. Bella stood under Duke as if trying to catch any scraps being dropped, while Shasta sniffed at Duke's mouth.

“After all I've done for you, you steal my breakfast?”

Duke licked his chops in response.

“Shasta is just sad she didn't get to it first. She's notorious for snatching food off the table when my back is turned.”

“So you're saying we both have dogs that are sneaky thieves?” he said.

“Most definitely.”

Tyler picked up his second sandwich and took a bite, making happy noises as he watched the three dogs staring at him.

“Okay, now you're just teasing them,” Dani said.

“Damn straight, think they can just take my sandwich—”

Tyler jerked his sandwich back just as a giggling Noah reached for it.

“You trying to swipe my food now, too?”

“Noah—” Dani started to say, but Tyler interrupted her.

“You're gonna take the dogs' side, huh? I see how it is.” Shoving the sandwich into his mouth and holding it there, he reached out to tickle Noah. The little boy squealed as Tyler's fingers attacked his ribs.

“Mama!”

“I'm coming, Noah.” Dani's voice was filled with laughter as she came around the table behind Tyler to help her son.

The sandwich fell onto the table, and Tyler swallowed the bite in his mouth. “You two are tag-teaming me now?” He grabbed Dani when she tried to get by and pulled her onto his lap. “That's fine, I'll get you, too!”

But with Dani's mouth just a hairbreadth from his, her soft round ass pressing into him, both of them stilled. Their breath mingled, and Tyler's eyes locked with her bright green ones.

“Mama.”

Noah had crawled out of his chair and was struggling to climb on top of Dani. Once the toddler had put himself between them, he wrapped his chubby arms around her neck. “My mama.”

The spell broken, Tyler helped them both off of his lap, trying to ignore the hard-on that had sprung to life.

“Sorry, I got carried away,” Tyler said.

Dani's cheeks and neck were scarlet. “No, it's fine. It was fun. I don't know why you say you aren't good with kids. You're a natural.”

Words that should have sent prickles of warning down his spine. Instead, he held out his hand and changed the subject. “Do you have your phone on you?”

T
HAT NIGHT
, D
ANI
stood in her kitchen, sipping a glass of wine and staring at the number in her phone. She'd already carried Noah to bed after watching two episodes of
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
with him and having him fall asleep snuggled into her lap. Now, with the place so quiet, she was really tempted to press the little phone icon and call Tyler.

Are you crazy? You just saw him earlier today! You do not want to freak him out.

God, was it wrong to like him so much? Despite every warning bell ringing in her head that he was a player and a jerk, the way he was with Noah today . . . playing with him, making him laugh.

But it wasn't just that. The fissions of electricity between them had made her almost lose her mind and kiss him.
In front of Noah
. She knew enough from reading the stack of parenting books and magazines her mom gave her that you never introduced your kid to anyone you weren't serious about.

This situation is a little different. He met Noah by accident twice. You can always keep them separated until you figure out if he's playing you.

Just the thought of putting herself out there again, of trusting someone with not just her heart but Noah's, too, made her palms sweat buckets.

Setting her phone facedown on the counter, she took her glass of wine and went to sit on the couch. She had time. She didn't have to decide right now what she wanted to do with that number.

T
YLER WAS AT
Mick's Bar playing pool downstairs, and against his will, he checked his phone again.

“You waiting on a call or something?” Kline asked as he took his shot, knocking one of Tyler's balls in. “Fuck, I quit!”

“You can't quit until I beat you.” Tyler slipped his phone into his pocket, refusing to talk about Dani with Kline or anyone. Hell, he wasn't even sure why he'd given her the damn number anyway, but the ball was in her court.

Besides, it was Thursday night at Mick's, which meant Ladies' Night. The place would be packed with women looking to get drunk and hook up.

So why was he sweating Dani so hard?

“We're out of beer,” Sparks said. “Your turn, Best.”

Tyler laid his pool cue down and took the pitcher from Sparks. “Don't touch my stick.”

“Not even for a million dollars.”

Tyler chuckled as he climbed the stairs to the upper level and pushed his way through the throng of people toward the bar. The place was filled with women in skimpy tube and halter tops, their sweet body sprays and perfumes making the air almost cloying.

Since when aren't you into tube tops?

Since he'd seen Dani in her gray oversized sweater today.

The bartender waved him forward, and he held out a twenty. “Pitcher of Bud.”

He nodded and went to fill one up. While Tyler waited, he caught the eye of a tall, stacked brunette with red dick-sucking lips. She smiled coyly at him, and it was a message he recognized.

Come on over.

Yet here he stood, not even tempted to make a move.

“Here ya go, man.” The bartender took Tyler's money, and Tyler headed back downstairs, not giving the woman at the bar a second thought.

“Holy shit, he came back! Isn't this the time of night where you're ditching us for some chick?” Kline asked.

Yes, it usually was, and he'd had a clear-cut invitation upstairs. So why hadn't he taken it?

Maybe because she wasn't Dani?

Tyler set the beer down with a hard thunk of irritation and picked up his cue stick. “I told you. I can't leave until I kick your ass.”

“Whoa, what's got you in a mood? You strike out or something?” Sparks asked.

“No, I didn't. Now shut the fuck up so I can concentrate.”