“That must’ve been surprising,” Teagan gushed. Only then did I realize she’d already latched onto Axel and was on her way to developing a big crush on him. I couldn’t blame her. He was hot. So very, very hot. Teagan was drooling all over the man, but secretly so was I.

“Yeah, I mean, it took some adjusting, but all of us like his new boyfriend.”

My brother noticed his daughter’s attraction to Axel, and his glower deepened. This situation could turn volatile at any moment. I nudged Jock with my foot. When he frowned at me, I gave him a you’d better behave glare I’d stolen from Esme. He returned the glare and amped it up a notch. I kicked him under the table, and he yelped, drawing the attention away from Axel.

“Are you okay, Daddy?” Anna, the peacemaker of the family, asked. Poor girl, she craved harmony and was clearly disturbed by her mother’s absence and her father’s current emotional state.

“I’m fine.” Jock’s face colored slightly, and he suddenly seemed to think his stew the most interesting thing in the room.

The conversation refocused on Axel, and my brother’s face turned to stone, unreadable. He was trying, and I gave him credit for his efforts.

The rest of the meal went without a hitch. Afterward, rather than eating and running, Axel stayed and played a board game with the kids for about an hour. Jock excused himself and went to his room, while I stayed and oversaw everything. I didn’t entirely trust Axel around my nieces and nephews, but I had to admit he had a way with kids.

“It’s time for bed,” I announced promptly at nine p.m. to the collective groaning and complaining of the children.

“I’m fifteen. I don’t have to go to bed at nine,” Teagan protested. “Axel, let’s take a walk. I can show you the neighborhood.” She batted her eyelashes at him and leaned across the table, gazing up at him with this dreamy expression. Axel stared back at her in abject horror as if he’d just realized she was coming on to him.

“Uh, no, I’d better go.” He stood abruptly, tripping over the chair behind him and almost knocking it over. Teagan giggled, while the others laughed out loud, including me. Untangling himself from the chair, Axel pushed it back, then he bowed low with a flourish, which set off another round of chortling. At least he could laugh at himself. I was impressed.

He told the kids good night, and I shooed them off to bed, even Teagan. When I turned back to him, he was standing nearby with his hands in his pockets.

“Good night,” I said abruptly, not wanting to hang with him in private. Being alone with this man was too dangerous and too tempting. I made a huge mistake and met his gaze. His meadow-green eyes held mine, and try as I might, I didn’t have the willpower to look away.

“Geneva.” His voice was soft, like a caress. He took a step toward me, pulled by that same visible thread I felt every time our eyes met. He stopped, and his gaze reflected the battle waging inside him. I had my own battle, and I wasn’t sure I was winning. If we gave in to our baser instincts, neither of us would be the victor.