It'll Be An Adventure (Masters of the Shadowlands #15)(45)
Author: Cherise Sinclair

 

Connor scowled. “Brothers are supposed to watch out for their sisters. It’s a rule.”

 

As Murphy took the pitcher of juice from the fridge, Grant handed Aria a glass and whispered, “Say please.”

 

Murphy’s heart turned over as the little girl shrank back, her brown eyes wide.

 

Grant put his arm around her and whispered, “It’s okay. She’s nice. And we’re here.”

 

Murphy murmured to Beth, “You have wonderful children,” then went down on one knee with the juice pitcher.

 

Tiny teeth biting at her lower lip, Aria carefully extended her glass. “Please?”

 

Murphy filled the glass and handed it back with a smile. “You did that just right. I bet your mama is proud of you.” She remembered how special she’d felt when her mama had said those words. I’m proud of you.

 

“I am,” Beth said, stroking Aria’s pale hair. “Of all three of my children.”

 

Grant stood and motioned to Connor. “You have sister watch. I have to help with the locks.”

 

As he ran out, Murphy grinned at his mother. “Do you have a budding carpenter?”

 

Beth laughed. “Nolan says the best contractors start off as carpenters, and Grant plans to follow in his footsteps. Connor is a gardener like me.”

 

“A shame, but he’ll be bored here. My rental has no bushes or flowers.” Just a patchy lawn beside the sidewalk.

 

Oh, sidewalk. “You know, Connor, I have some colored chalk. Would you and Aria like to draw pictures on the sidewalk?”

 

The brown eyes got big. “Yeah! That’d be awesome.”

 

She took the giant box of chalk from the kitchen drawer and handed it over. Seconds later, the kitchen was empty of children. She started making a pot of coffee.

 

“They’ll love being able to decorate your sidewalk. Thank you.” Beth smiled and accepted a glass of juice. “So, how did you and Saxon first meet? At search and rescue?”

 

Murphy felt her face heat. “Um. The…uh…club.”

 

Beth started laughing. “Oh, I know that look. The club as in the Shadowlands?”

 

God, how embarrassing.

 

“Too funny. That’s where I met Nolan, as it happens. Master Z basically handed me over to him—and I was terrified.” Beth’s eyes went soft. “Instead, I discovered he’s the finest person in the world. We’ve been married over three years now.”

 

Awww. “That’s wonderful. I’m glad for you.”

 

Maybe somehow, somewhen, a man will fall in love with me.

 

“Beth, those boys of yours get bigger every time I see them.” Saxon strolled into the kitchen. “Are you giving them super-vitamins or something?”

 

“No.” Beth snorted. “They’re probably catching up from not having enough food when they were younger.”

 

Murphy frowned. Not enough food?

 

“Look at that face.” Saxon chuckled. “Murphy’s wondering why you were starving your boys.”

 

“What? Oh.” Beth shook her head. “They’re adopted. And we just got Aria last spring.”

 

Murphy laughed. “There’s a relief. I was worried for a moment there. You have a wonderful family.”

 

“I know.” Beth’s smile was sweet. “I worried at first that I wouldn’t love them the way I might if I’d carried them, but…love is love. They’re mine.”

 

Nolan’s rough, low voice drifted in from the open door. “Good, Grant. Now slide that part in. Gently… Perfect. Good hands, tiger.”

 

Murphy smiled. Not only a good husband, but Nolan was obviously a great father too. No wonder Grant loved helping him.

 

Then again, when young, she’d been just as eager to help her father. But he’d rarely noticed, let alone handed out compliments to her—or to her brothers.

 

He gave her compliments now, she thought cynically, but only to win free labor. The fake praise always left a bad taste in her mouth.

 

Shaking her head, she tuned back to the conversation that had continued without her. Saxon and Beth were talking about the club members, using a word she hadn’t heard.

 

“What are Shadowkittens?” Murphy asked.

 

“Ah, we’re the significant others of the Shadowlands Masters,” Beth said. “Mostly female with an occasional male submissive.”

 

“And now, our Shadowkittens have started having litters.” Saxon grinned. “Jessica and Kari have two each. Then there’s Beth’s three, and Josie already has a son. Andrea and Sally are due in November.” His eyes narrowed. “Who doesn’t have babies yet? By the way, I’m not counting Anne as a kitten; she’d hurt me.”

 

“Kim and Master Raoul are trying. So that leaves Gabi, Rainie, and Uzuri. Mistress Olivia and Natalia are considering children too.” Beth gave Murphy a teasing look. “See what you’re missing? You, too, could get caught up in the breeding frenzy.”

 

“No, not me.” Murphy shook her head. “I love children, but I don’t think I’d be a good mom. I seem to have done a lousy job in raising my b-brothers.” Her voice escaped her control and wobbled with the last word.

 

“Hey.” Saxon pulled her against him. “How old were you when your mom died—thirteen?”

 

Her throat was clogged so she just nodded.

 

“Sweetling, a thirteen-year-old who is only three years older than her brothers can’t exactly raise them.”

 

“You’d be a nice mom.” Connor stood behind Saxon holding her chalk. He gave her a firm nod. “You would.”

 

Her eyes prickled at the surety in his brown eyes. “Thanks, Connor.”

 

She smiled and looked up, only to find Saxon studying her with an unreadable expression.

 

 

 

 

 

She loves children.

 

Saxon thought about Murphy’s words over the next few days, and how great she’d been with Nolan’s rugrats.

 

But it hurt to hear the unhappiness in her voice when she talked about raising her brothers. How she thought she was a failure.

 

Finished charting, Saxon picked up his coffee and set his feet on his desk.