"Come on, I want to see!" Sam said, her enthusiasm tangible and contagious.
Even his stomach churned with unfamiliar excitement. Growing up, the most exciting birthday gift his parents had ever given him was a savings bond. At least he'd had Uncle Russ, his father's brother, for the kind of fun gifts a kid needed like a bike or the latest gadget.
This large gathering and the love in the room was as alien to him as the young girl who was his niece. Not for the first time, he realized he had his work cut out for him when it came to winning her trust.
He glanced at Zoe, who sat on the arm of the sofa beside him. By the way she glared at him when she sensed no one else was looking, she obviously hadn't forgiven him for his lie. Despite the fact that they were adversaries, she hadn't thrown him out, at least not yet. Instead he sensed that for the time being, they were on the same side, though solely for Sam's benefit.
He owed her for that and as he met her gaze, an odd sense of gratitude filled him. Who was he kidding? When he looked at the raven-haired beauty, a hell of a lot more than gratitude washed over him.
"Introducing Sam's birthday gift and the newest member of the family!" Elena said, interrupting his thoughts as she walked into the room, holding a leash in one hand.
"Ooh, what is it?" Sam asked.
Ryan tried to see, but she darted in front of him, blocking his view. He heard a loud squeal that could have come from Sam, but his gut instinct told him the sound was from an animal.
Of the swine variety, if he wasn't mistaken.
"It can't be," he muttered.
"It is," Zoe retorted.
He hadn't realized he'd spoken aloud.
"And you will be nice about it." She treated him to a forced smile.
He rose and stepped around the couch to catch his first glimpse of the…pig. A tiny, black-and-white pig. Snout and all. "It's gratifying to know my hearing's not going."
"Your mind's not playing tricks on you, either," Zoe said helpfully.
"Gee, thanks."
Elena leaned down beside Sam and patted the space beside her. "Come sit quietly."
Sam did as Elena instructed, both women sitting cross-legged on the floor. Everyone else had grown silent, too, respecting the fact that the tiny piglet was shaking like a leaf.
"Sam, meet Ima. Ima, meet Sam," Elena said, lifting the pig and placing her gently in Sam's lap.
"Ima?" Sam asked. She paused, her nose crinkling as she thought about the name. "Oh I get it!" she finally said and began giggling.
"I don't," Ryan muttered.
Every eye in the room turned his way.
"I'm a pig, doofus," Sam said, grinning. "Get it? Her name's Ima Pig." When Ryan didn't answer right away, Sam rolled her eyes. "See, Zoe, I told you he's got a- "
"Samantha!" Elena and Nicholas said at the same time.
Elena gently took Sam's chin in her hand and turned her face toward her own. "Be nice to Mr. Baldwin. He's a guest in our home and he's your elder. In this house we respect our elders."
Sam glanced down before looking his way, her features contrite. "Sorry, mister," she said, her hands gripping the old keys around her neck.
Ryan struggled for air. She was being reprimanded for being fresh to him while he sat here and lied to her face. It wasn't right or fair. The charade he'd begun had already started to weigh on him and he wondered how he'd manage to play social worker for any stretch of time.
"That's okay," he managed to tell her. "It's your birthday and you're excited. I understand." Though he sensed it wouldn't matter what day it was. Sam's tough exterior had been formed long ago.
Excusing himself, he made his way into the kitchen. Above the whispers of the family, he heard Elena's instructions about how to care for the animal, how not to scare it, how Ima would think anyone coming for her from above was a predator and so Sam should always approach the pig from the side. She'd obviously done her research on the care and feeding of pigs. If her actions with Sam were any indication, Elena Costas was a loving, caring parent and the thought scared him spitless.
But he was Sam's uncle. Her flesh and blood. Surely that counted for something…didn't it?
SITTING IN HER FAMILY HOME and watching Sam unwrap gifts reminded Zoe of past birthdays and holidays. All involving family fun and unbelievable presents. Zoe remembered the dog she'd been given for her tenth birthday. Ari had received a cat. And somehow, maybe because the Costases had said so, they'd all gotten along, she recalled. This feeling of family made her whole and she wanted the same for Sam.
That's why Zoe had let Ryan watch her family interact with the teenager for a while before she'd come up beside him, and why she gave him a few minutes alone in the kitchen to think things over before joining him in the other room. She wanted him to realize how well Sam fit in with them.
"Hey there, Mr. Social Worker, how's it going?" she asked.
"It's fine and I'm confused. She's really excited about the pig," he said, shaking his head.
"It's a legal pet to replace the monkey. Not replace it in her heart, but in the house- "
"I get it. I just couldn't believe your mother walked in with a freaking pig."
Zoe blinked, startled. Something told her Mr. Uptight, Conservative Bostonian didn't curse often. "A Vietnamese potbellied pig, in case you were wondering."
"I wasn't."
"Liar."
To her surprise, he burst out laughing. "Are you people for real?"
"Last time I checked." She nodded toward her family gathered in the other room. "We may be different, but we love each other so if you're thinking you can use our uniqueness against us- "
"Whoa." He held up a hand. "I didn't mean anything except you're all nothing like what I'm used to."
Zoe stopped, smiled slightly, then placed her hand on the back of his larger one and gently pushed it down, keeping her fingers lightly closed around his. "And what would that be? Proper decorum at all times," she teased softly.
A dimpled grin worked its way across his face, but his stare remained fixed on their hands. She suspected he also felt the heat passing between them.
No doubt he needed an explanation for her behavior when they were supposed to be on opposing sides. She wished she could understand it herself. How could she be so attracted to a man she knew was lying? A man who was, in essence, forcing her to lie to her family?
Yet she was attracted. Very attracted. Enough that she couldn't control the smiles he evoked or the warmth surging through her body right now.
He also deserved an explanation. "What can I say? You may be a lying creep, but you interest me." In fact, her insides tingled, making her aware of sensations that had been dormant for a while. She couldn't remember the last time simply touching a man had caused her breasts to grow heavy and her nipples to tighten against her shirt.
Oh yes, she liked how this man made her feel.
When she'd worked for the Secret Service, the agency had frowned on mixing work and pleasure. She'd resented the rule at the time and had bent it on occasion, but with Ryan's relationship to Sam between them, she'd be smart to follow a no-fraternization rule now.
On the other hand, he was hard to resist; his pull was magnetic. And he'd be around for a few weeks, underfoot, watching them and getting to know Sam. She couldn't deny the desire to get to know him equally well. Without a doubt she knew he'd give her all the heat she desperately needed without being any threat to her resolution to advance her career and her life. It was an ideal situation.
"You see? Not only are you one big, loving group, but you say what you think." He shook his head in disbelief.
She swung their clasped hands back and forth. "Better than keeping your feelings bottled up until you explode."
"Or run away," he muttered.
She paused. "Your sister?"
He nodded. "She chafed under rules and restrictions."