childbirth makes him queasy." Surprisingly, he felt no urge to make a similar speedy exit. Instead, he stayed where he was, standing close to Carrie. When he inhaled, he could smell the light, tantalizing scent of her perfume. For a moment, his mind seemed to cloud.
"You haven't met our sister Alexa yet," said the ever-chatty Ben. "Alexa, this is Tyler Tremaine." He spoke the name reverently.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Tyler nodded at Alexa. She was blond and slim, about five foot seven and very attractive, but she interested him as little as Ben did. It was Carrie that he wanted to look at, wanted to talk to, though he was well aware that he shouldn't attempt to prolong their visit.
"Shall we move this traveling circus inside?" Ben suggested eagerly.
"No!" Both Tyler and Carrie exclaimed at the same time.
Now, how was he going to explain that outburst? Tyler combed his fingers through his hair in a rare, nervous gesture. "It's just that—" he began, then paused, flummoxed. It was just that he didn't dare let them inside, not with the party already heating up. And if parties were rated the way movies were, this particular party, at the early hour of 7:03, would've already earned an eye-popping NC-17. The X rating would be earned by nine or ten.
But how to tactfully explain? It was a daunting challenge, even to Tremaine Incorporated's silver-tongued king of marketing. It seemed as though he had been rendered temporarily speechless.
Carrie was the one to fill the awkward silence. "Don't worry. I understand." She appeared amused rather than insulted. "I'm sure your house isn't childproofed, and you don't want these three launching a commando raid on it. Actually, we can't stay. We just dropped over to say hello and-"
"You're very gracious, and I feel like an idiot," Tyler cut in, feeling as gauche and foolish as a bumbling adolescent. It was a first, for he'd never been a bumbling adolescent-he had been a smooth operator since childhood, when he'd realized the power of his natural smile-and-charm style.
He tried to summon that power now, flashing a smile warm enough to melt polar ice caps. "You see, there is a-"
He never had the chance to invent a polite reason for barring them from entering his home. The baby triplets, growing bored with the inactivity, launched their own escape. All three scrambled out of the wagon and took off at breakneck speed in three different directions.
Alexa, Ben and Carrie immediately sprang into action. Ben ran after Franklin who was headed toward the back-
yard, Alexa followed Dylan who was racing to the front door, and Carrie chased after Emily who laughingly charged toward the street.
Tyler followed Carrie and quickly outdistanced her, bending down to scoop up little Emily before she reached the sidewalk. She let out an indignant howl of protest, then stared up at him, her big blue eyes curious. It suddenly seemed to occur to her that she did not know her captor, and her expression turned wary. "Down," she said uncertainly.
"Not a chance," said Tyler. "You're up and you're going to stay up, you little monkey."
"Monk-mey," Emily repeated, and then demanded forcefully, "Down!" She arched her back and squirmed, so wriggly and rubbery that Tyler nearly lost his hold on her. Fortunately, he managed to retain his grip as the baby hung practically upside down, still in constant motion.
"I'll take her." Carrie reached for her daughter, successfully suppressing her smile of amusement. Poor Tyler looked hilariously awkward, trying to cope with Emily's acrobatics. Clearly, he'd never held an active toddler before.
Tyler gratefully handed Carrie the wriggling little girl. "Thank you for catching her," she said warmly. "You were amazingly fast."
A car roared down the street, well past the speed limit. Though Tyler had the baby in his arms well before the car had appeared, the very thought of an uncomprehending toddler dashing into a car's path shook him.
"She's the fast one—they all
"You haven't met our sister Alexa yet," said the ever-chatty Ben. "Alexa, this is Tyler Tremaine." He spoke the name reverently.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Tyler nodded at Alexa. She was blond and slim, about five foot seven and very attractive, but she interested him as little as Ben did. It was Carrie that he wanted to look at, wanted to talk to, though he was well aware that he shouldn't attempt to prolong their visit.
"Shall we move this traveling circus inside?" Ben suggested eagerly.
"No!" Both Tyler and Carrie exclaimed at the same time.
Now, how was he going to explain that outburst? Tyler combed his fingers through his hair in a rare, nervous gesture. "It's just that—" he began, then paused, flummoxed. It was just that he didn't dare let them inside, not with the party already heating up. And if parties were rated the way movies were, this particular party, at the early hour of 7:03, would've already earned an eye-popping NC-17. The X rating would be earned by nine or ten.
But how to tactfully explain? It was a daunting challenge, even to Tremaine Incorporated's silver-tongued king of marketing. It seemed as though he had been rendered temporarily speechless.
Carrie was the one to fill the awkward silence. "Don't worry. I understand." She appeared amused rather than insulted. "I'm sure your house isn't childproofed, and you don't want these three launching a commando raid on it. Actually, we can't stay. We just dropped over to say hello and-"
"You're very gracious, and I feel like an idiot," Tyler cut in, feeling as gauche and foolish as a bumbling adolescent. It was a first, for he'd never been a bumbling adolescent-he had been a smooth operator since childhood, when he'd realized the power of his natural smile-and-charm style.
He tried to summon that power now, flashing a smile warm enough to melt polar ice caps. "You see, there is a-"
He never had the chance to invent a polite reason for barring them from entering his home. The baby triplets, growing bored with the inactivity, launched their own escape. All three scrambled out of the wagon and took off at breakneck speed in three different directions.
Alexa, Ben and Carrie immediately sprang into action. Ben ran after Franklin who was headed toward the back-
yard, Alexa followed Dylan who was racing to the front door, and Carrie chased after Emily who laughingly charged toward the street.
Tyler followed Carrie and quickly outdistanced her, bending down to scoop up little Emily before she reached the sidewalk. She let out an indignant howl of protest, then stared up at him, her big blue eyes curious. It suddenly seemed to occur to her that she did not know her captor, and her expression turned wary. "Down," she said uncertainly.
"Not a chance," said Tyler. "You're up and you're going to stay up, you little monkey."
"Monk-mey," Emily repeated, and then demanded forcefully, "Down!" She arched her back and squirmed, so wriggly and rubbery that Tyler nearly lost his hold on her. Fortunately, he managed to retain his grip as the baby hung practically upside down, still in constant motion.
"I'll take her." Carrie reached for her daughter, successfully suppressing her smile of amusement. Poor Tyler looked hilariously awkward, trying to cope with Emily's acrobatics. Clearly, he'd never held an active toddler before.
Tyler gratefully handed Carrie the wriggling little girl. "Thank you for catching her," she said warmly. "You were amazingly fast."
A car roared down the street, well past the speed limit. Though Tyler had the baby in his arms well before the car had appeared, the very thought of an uncomprehending toddler dashing into a car's path shook him.
"She's the fast one—they all
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