Brian Haner Jr

"How do you know they live happily ever after?" Kyle asked with a yawn as he burrowed his head deeper into his pillow.

"Because it's a fairy tale and that's always how they ent. It's the point."

"Will I live happily ever after?"

"Of course," Nicole said kissing his cheek. "We always have challenges to keep us growing as people, but on the whole life is generally happy."

Kyle rolled onto his side. He didn't take up much room in the single bed, but he was surrounded by an army of stuffed animals. They crowded his feet and legs, leaned on his pillow and pressed up against his back.

"Go to sleep," Nicole said as she stood.

Brian pushed off form the wall where he'd been leaning and approached his nephew. "Night, Kyle. You have sweet dreams."

"I will." He held out his arms to hug him.

He'd always thought he was so small, but he wasn't when compared with Sky. Funny, he couldn't picture his own daughter ever being so big. Or worse, talking. Nicole had handled Kyle's question about living happily ever after with an ease that he couldn't imagine. If it had been him, he would have hemmed and hawed before coming up with some philosophical reply that only would have confused him. Parenting was harder than it looked.

"I love you, Uncle Brian," he murmered.

He kissed his forehead. "I love you, too, kiddo. Now go to sleep."

But instead of resting his head back on the pillow, he grinned slyly. "I think you should kiss Nicole good-night."

Brian didn't dare turn around to glance at Nicole. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what she was thinking. "Do you now?"

"Uh huh. a nice, big kiss, like the way Daddy kisses Val when he thinks we're not watching."

"I'll have to tell your father that you are watching. What do you think of that, you minx?"

He giggled.

He kissed his forehead again. "Go to sleep."

"What about Nicole?"

He stood up and clicked of the bedside lamp. "That's none of your buisness. We'll see you in the morning."

"Okay, night."

He followed Nicole out of his room and into the hallway. Brian tried not to notice the quiet of the house, or the dim lighting in the hall. Had it looked this intimate before? He couldn't remember.

"Sorry about that," he said quietly as he shut the door behind him. "I can't figure out why the kid is behaving like this."

"Hes matchmaking," Nicole said lightly. "What I can't figure out is who is putting him up to it."

"The list of suspects is long. I'd guess everyone from Matt to Vall. Maybe even his mother." He shrugged. "I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable."

Not at all. I think it's pretty funny. Are you okay with it?"

Maybe it was the silence of the night, he thought as he resisted the need to stop closer to her. Maybe it was the fact that he could inhale the sweet scent of her body. Or maybe it was just plain stupidity on his part. Regardless, he found himself wanted to pull her hard against him and kiss her. Just like Kyle had requested. He wanted to kiss her the way a man kissed a woman he's attracted to.

Instead he swallowed. "Yeah, I'm fine. You're right. This situation is pretty funny." He cleared his throat. "So. Ah, do you want to watch some television?"

"Sure. It's a little early to go to bed."

"Great."

But neither of them moved. He motioned toward the stairs. "The family room is down there."

"I know."

Damn. Had it gotten hot in here. or was it just him? He tugged at the collar o his shirt. "Nicole, I..."

"Yes?"

Had her eyes always been dark, bottomless pools? And was it his imagination or did her body seem to be swaying towardhim? Lord help him, he wanted her.

"Either we go downstairs right now or I'm going to have to kiss you," he told her.

"Are those my two choices?"

"Yeah."

She smiled. "Hmm, I'm going to have to think about them for a while."

"Are you?"

She nodded.

He took a step closer, then placed one hand on her waist. "Here. Let me help you decide." Then he lowered his mouth to hers.