My stomach squeezed. It was adorable. So was I really jealous of a toddler?
She eyed me. “You're pretty."
Way to melt my heart. "Well, thank you, but I’m not as pretty as you are."
She giggled and tucked her face into her father's neck. "No. I'm not as pretty as my mommy."
“I'm sure your mommy is beautiful." I gave her a soft smile.
A harried woman came running around the corner. "Oh Jesus Christ, there you are, Mayzie."
Mayzie clapped. "Mommy, you found me. You seeked me good."
The woman took her from Jax and admonished her. "Mayzie, I told you if you wanted to play we had to stay in the back of the house, remember?"
Mayzie frowned. “I sorry. I forgot." She pointed at Lock. “Isn't he cute, Mommy?"
Her mother laughed. "Oh my God. This child. She's boy crazy already and she's only a toddler."
Jax frowned down at his daughter, who looked nothing like either of the two of them. Mayzie's mother looked maybe like she was Indo-African? Her skin color was deep brown, though not as deep as mine. But her hair was a silkier texture with a slight curl to it. "Hi, I’m Neela. This one's mum. His wife."
I gave her a grin and shook her hand. "Hi, I’m Saffron."
Jax scowled at Lock as Lock turned his charming grin on her. "Lachlan King. It's nice to meet you. Your daughter's adorable."
Neela rolled her eyes. “Don't buy it. She's a ridiculous flirt and will use her dimples to get whatever she wants."
“I can see why."
With a laugh, I added, "Lachlan sees no problems with that strategy. That's how he gets through life."
Jax laughed at that. And then Neela excused herself and leaned in to give her husband a kiss. Jax lingered just a second too long, and Mayzie pushed at her father. "Ew, daddy, stop slipping your tongue in mommy's mouth. Gross."
All of us laughed. And as the two of them were leaving, Jax's gaze stayed on his wife's arse. Oh boy, that was a man in lust with his wife, which was amazing. How did these kinds of things happen where people were so besotted with their significant other that they just couldn't keep their hands off each other? Trying to think back, I thought my parents were maybe past that point in their life. Well maybe not. I did see them sneaking kisses every now and again. But they weren't nearly as demonstrative as these two.
When Jax led the way back toward what seemed like offices, I raised an eyebrow at Lachlan, and he shrugged. "Okay, fine. He's married."
He said it with such a snotty countenance I had to giggle. To cover, I asked Jax, “Is this a work-life situation?"
He nodded. “Yeah, it is sometimes. We have a couple of agents who stay on-site. When Tristan travels, Ariel will stay here. As she says, it's better for her health to not have to go blind up in the palace with Penny and Sebastian."
I frowned at that. “Go blind?"
His ears turned bright red as he lifted a brow.
I snorted a laugh. "Ah, got it."
"When Tristan's there, I think they're more discreet because Sebastian is very protective of Penny. But when his cousin is gone, they're more liberal. There isn't a member of staff who hasn't walked in on them at least once."
I hid a laugh. "Oh my God."
“Yes, yes, it is in fact an oh-my-God situation."
Lachlan was loving every bit of this. "Oh man, Saint's going to be pissed he's missed this briefing."
Jax led us into the conference room, and we took seats next to each other with Jax at the head of the table. “Your other agents are coming in tonight, correct?"
I took out my tablet. "They made a stop in New York for some extra equipment."