“Never mind,” Nate said. “I know what the problem is. How about I take Jenny and Jane out for an adventure? Chloe and I will bring Derrick and we’ll make a day of it. A full twenty-four hours kid free.”

Carter’s libido wanted to respond before his brain could even contemplate Nate’s offer. “I don’t want to bother you guys.”

“Family doesn’t bother each other,” Nate said. “We have each other’s backs.”

“Okay.” He needed to know if whatever it was he felt for Tess had legs. A trial run to know if he was truly interested in her or just so goddamned horny any woman would do. Though deep down, Carter knew. His interest in Tess wasn’t casual. And a full twenty-four hours with her would be amazing. “I’m going to take you up on that offer.”

“Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thanks, Nate.”

“No thanks needed, brother. Just go out and get yourself some happiness.”

For the first time in a long time, that’s exactly what Carter wanted to do.

Six

It felt weird knocking on Tess’s front door. As though they’d been casual backyard friends from day one and coming through the front was too formal. After last night, Carter was hoping for more. Nate and Chloe had driven down early and picked up the girls for an overnighter with Chloe’s foster son, Derrick. They had a full twenty-four hours’ worth of activities to keep the kids busy, which would undoubtedly earn Nate the Uncle of the Year award.

It had already earned him the Brother of the Year award.

“Carter?” Tess answered the door, her brow puckered and an adorably confused expression on her face. “Did you knock at the back? I didn’t hear you.”

He suddenly felt like the world’s biggest jackass. The day he’d planned seemed so perfect in theory, but now? Shit. “No, I uh … my truck’s in the driveway and there’s too much to haul around to the back.” He’d been confident enough to march over to her house and kiss her last night. Today? He could barely articulate.

A smile tugged at Tess’s lips as she craned her head to look out at the driveway. “Where are the girls?”

They were always on her mind. That alone made Carter want to sweep her up into his arms and kiss her again. “With their uncle Nate,” he said. “Until tomorrow.”

Tess’s eyes widened a fraction and her smile grew. Carter’s gut tightened and his heart began to pound. “What’s in your truck?” Her voice had gone low and breathy which only served to increase Carter’s heart rate. He was as eager as a fourteen-year-old kid on his first date. Totally pathetic. Times like these, he wished he could be more like Travis. Confident, forward, a little wild. A hell of a lot more experienced.

“Paint, molding, some wainscoting. I thought I could help you get started on the inside. So it felt a little less like Millie’s place, and more like yours.”

“Carter.” Tess’s voice softened with emotion and his chest swelled. She jumped up and threw her arms around him and as though as he was helpless not to, he wound his arms around her. “This is awesome. Thank you so much.”

She angled her head back to look at him and put her mouth to his. It caught Carter off guard, but he wasn’t about to complain. The kiss was slow and sweet, and only made him want more. She was breathless when she finally pulled away, and Carter was reluctant to let her go.

“You have to let me pay you for what you bought, though.” Tess headed down the front steps and rushed toward Carter’s Ford with an excited bounce in her steps. “So far, all I’ve managed to buy is white paint for the ceiling. Oh my god, Carter, this is awesome!”

She hopped up on the bumper and climbed into the back of the truck with all of the enthusiasm of a kid at Christmas. Carter grinned as he followed her down the stairs. That he’d made her happy filled his chest near to bursting with pride. “No way are you paying me back,” he said. “It’s a housewarming gift.” She pursed her lips as though about to argue. “Try to pay me,” he said, “and I’ll call a contractor to do a full remodel.”

Her answering laughter was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. “I can’t wait to get started. These projects are always more fun with a partner.”

Partner. Carter agreed. “Everything in life is better with a copilot.”

Tess’s gaze met his and the depths of her blue eyes shone with emotion. “Definitely.”

They started in the living room and talked while they worked. With every minute he spent with Tess, the more Carter marveled at how easy she was to be with. He didn’t need to be anything but himself with her. He realized, though, that there was still one big part of his life he hadn’t told her about.

“So, what is your brother doing with the girls?” Tess dipped her roller into the sage-colored paint and began to spread it on the wall.

“Zoo, FC Dallas soccer game.” he paused. “Helicopter ride.”

“Helicopter ride?” Tess laughed. “How’d that fall into the mix?”

“Technically it belongs to Christensen Petroleum,” Carter said. “Nate usually refuses to use it but he made an exception in the interest of entertaining the girls.”

Tess nodded as though following along with the conversation. She stopped, the paint roller frozen on the wall. “Wait. Christensen Petroleum as in Carter Christensen Petroleum?”

He cringed. “I own shares, but Nate has the controlling stock.”

“Holy shit Carter! So you’re like, loaded.”

He hated being judged by his money. He didn’t think that Tess would care either way, but it still reminded him of why he and his brothers liked to distance themselves from their family name.

“We grew up with nothing,” he said. “Okay, that’s not entirely true. But when we graduated high school, our dad cut us loose. He wanted us all to be self-made men. He didn’t give any of us a dime. I paid my own way through college—the portion that my scholarship didn’t cover—and paid off the student loans on my own, too. He died about nine months ago and left us the company. Not that any of us had any use for it by then.”

“Wow.” Tess shook her head. “I can’t even imagine. So, Texas oil family, huh? You guys must be famous.”

He shrugged. “Only in certain circles. Circles that I don’t want anything to do with.”

“You’re sort of an anomaly, you know that?” Tess resumed painting, but a smile played on her full lips.

“Why do you say that?” Carter could listen to her talk all day. The smooth slightly husky tone of her voice was like slipping into a tub of warm water. It instantly relaxed him.

“You’re famous in more ways than one. Gorgeous. I’m going to assume you have more money than ninety-nine percent of the state—or the world—and you’re the most laid-back guy I’ve ever met. You’re a great dad and conscientious. You’ve got this everyman vibe and you could easily—” She cut herself off as though about to say something she shouldn’t.

“What?” Curiosity burned through him.

Tess focused her attention on rolling the paint on the wall. “Nothing,” she said. “You’re a great guy. That’s all.”

“Great guy. Nice guy. Everyman type of guy.” Carter laughed. It was the story of his life. He’d always been the nice guy while Travis had been the one the girls went crazy for. He’d always felt lucky to have won Steph’s heart. Travis’s personality was so big that Carter got passed over more times than not. “Dependability. Not exactly what drives women wild.”

“I like nice guys,” Tess said. “Nice guys don’t break your heart. They don’t sleep with your best friend. They don’t lie or disregard your feelings.” She took a deep breath and met his gaze once again. “A nice guy is exactly what I go crazy for.”

He was crazy for her. He’d only known her for little over a week and Carter was falling fast. Would falling for Tess be exactly what he needed? What his girls needed? He didn’t think his little family could sustain another broken heart.