His-And-Hers Twins Read Free Page B

heart-shaped face, and something about her tone bothered him, but he didn’t have time to analyze it.
    The twins barreled around the corner. “Henrietta’s in the yard,” August said.
    â€œOkay, let’s go.” Zeke pointed to the driveway. Summer and August skipped ahead. He closed the door, and he and Paige walked across the lawn to the sidewalk. When they reached her driveway, she paused, chewing her bottom lip.
    â€œWell, it was nice to meet you, girls.”
    â€œAren’t you coming with us?” Summer asked.
    â€œNo, thanks,” Paige said. A wary expression streaked her slender face. “I have homework to do.”
    â€œYou go to school?” August asked.
    â€œWe’re going to kindergarten next year,” Summer said.
    Paige laughed. “I’m finishing a college degree,” she answered. “And one day I’m planning to study in Europe.”
    August’s face lit up. “Our mommy went there. She lives in that big town with that river running through it.”
    â€œBut she never came back,” Summer said softly.
    Zeke’s heart squeezed as he remembered the day Renee had left. Both girls had cried for hours.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Paige said gently. She gave him a forlorn look and he shrugged, trying to mask his feelings. It sounded as if Paige had high aspirations, just like his ex-wife. Well, he wouldn’t travel that route again. No matter how sexy and delectable the female, looks weren’t the most important thing. If and when he ever became involved with another woman, she’d want a family—she wouldn’t be more concerned about her career than him or his daughters. Besides, he didn’t need the complication of another female—he had his hands full with the two he had.
    Paige gave him a slight wave. “Well, I’ll see you later, Zeke.”
    Zeke nodded and their gazes locked, the magnetism between them instantly sparking his body to arousal. A sweet sensuality darkened the light irises of her eyes, and she caught her bottom lip with her teeth again, a gesture he wanted to remedy by touching his lips to hers. She exhaled, then folded her arms beneath her breasts, her cropped shirt accentuating her subtle curves. Then she turned and he made a futile attempt not to stare at those dynamite legs and her curved backside as she strode toward her house.
    August tugged at his arm and he dragged his gaze from Paige to see a fuming, three-hundred-pound man storming toward him. To his horror, the man had one of his daughters’ fliers clutched in his beefy hands.
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    P AIGE STOOD ON her porch and watched as Zeke attempted to explain his daughter’s surprise to Mr. Larkin, a heavyset man who, from his loud voice and the way he kept waving his mammoth arms around, was obviously very possessive about his wife. Finally, after a few minutes of conversation, the twins joined in and the irate man turned to mush. Before they parted, she heard him asking about Zeke’s veterinary practice and agreeing to bring his bulldog to Zeke’s clinic for shots. He also promised Summer and August he’d let his dog visit Henrietta.
    The munchkin girls had stolen Mr. Larkin’s heart, just as they had hers. All the more reason for her to stay away from them.
    She sank onto the porch swing and rocked herself back and forth in an effort to get a grip on her emotions. The precious girls had matchmaking up their sleeves, and shedidn’t intend to raise another family. Standing on Zeke’s front porch had brought back painful memories of Eric and Joey. She could still see three-year-old Joey riding his tricycle in the driveway next door, toddling along with that stuffed bear he always liked to carry, curled up on her couch, snuggled with her grandmother’s afghan.
    But Eric and Joey had deserted her, and she had her own goals now. Giving up her menial office job had been the first step. Taking a job at a