Yours Seductively

Chapter 12.2 (Part 2)

   Seeing Tyler, Amy squealed and held out her hands. "Daddy!"

   Paying no heed to his travel-wrinkled shirt and chinos, he gathered his daughter close and eagerly accepted her slobbery kisses. This, he thought as Tom grabbed on to his leg and hugged fervently, was exactly what he had needed. Suddenly he felt like all his fatigue just flown away. "How's my princess?" he asked, nuzzling Amy's warm cheek. "Did Jane teach you to swim, too?"

   "No," Tom said, gazing up at him. "But she walked. All by herself. Without holding on to anything." he said proudly at his father.

   Tyler lifted an eyebrow in Jane's direction. "It sounds as if I've left my children with Mary Poppins."

   She smiled, though he couldn't quite read the expression in her eyes. "Not exactly. I have experience teaching swimming, and Amy was definitely ready to walk, anyway." Jane said modestly.

   He was having to make an effort to keep his eyes focused on her face, rather than the expanse of skin revealed by her hot-pink bikini. He was aware that a hug from Jane was the only thing missing to make his homecoming complete, but the way she stood let him know that was unlikely. Though she hadn't hesitated to come through for him when he'd needed her, he still had a long way to go to win her forgiveness.

   He would not accept that she might never grant it to him. He will do everything to win her back, whatever it takes.

   She reached for her cover-up and pulled it over her head, to Tyler's mingled regret and relief. "How was Brent when you left?" she asked.

   "The same. He's out of immediate danger, thank God, but he has a long recuperation ahead of him. It's really a miracle that he wasn't killed." he replied.

   "Didn't I tell you he would be all right?" she asked with a shadow of her usual smile.

   "Yes you did." Tyler responded. Again, Tyler was reminded of Jane's own brand of optimism.

   Aware of curious eyes focused on them, Tyler asked, "Are you ready to go home, or do you want to stay a while longer?"

   "We're ready," Jane answered. "The kids have been in the sun long enough."

   Tyler pushed Amy's stroller, Jane carried the floating seat and Tom skipped alongside them, chattering a mile a minute about the fun he'd had with Jane. Tyler listened with a pang that he found ironically amusing. Wishing that he could have been there with them, sharing the happiness Jane brought in their everyday life. As far as he could tell, his children hadn't missed him at all. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. They couldn't be blamed for falling under Jane's spell. Everyone else did—including him.