Page 13 of Off Limits Daddy

Once in the kitchen, I pulled out a step stool and invited Aiden to help me. He stepped up as I grabbed the milk from the refrigerator. "Would you like a mug?" I asked Agent Marsden without looking up from the milk I poured into the pan to heat.

"I wouldn't mind a cup of hot chocolate."

I lifted my eyes to see her sitting at the dining table, surprised that she was accepting my offer.

She shrugged. "It's cold outside. It will take away the chill.”

“Can you get the hot cocoa? It’s in the pantry,” I asked Aiden.

I worked through the hot chocolate making process, talking through it as Aiden watched intently and handed me the ingredients.

A few minutes later, I poured three mugs of hot cocoa, putting a large amount of whipped cream on all of them. I brought all three over to the table and then sat across from Agent Marsden while having Aiden sit on my lap.

Across from me, Agent Marsden was serious and severe with her red hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail and wearing a crisp white shirt with a blue coat, the uniform of the FBI. She took a sip of her hot chocolate, and as she pulled her cup away, she had a thick white whipped cream mustache.

She looked at Aiden, all her features softening as she did so. "This is delicious. You helped make this?"

On my lap, Aiden looked up at me, his eyes wide, presumably from the whipped cream mustache. I shrugged. Aiden looked back at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Something on my face?”

I had to admit that I did not expect a woman who could relate to children. When I met her at the gym, she was guarded and aloof most of the time, except during sex, when she was wild anddemanding. Nothing in my encounters with her, including our recent discussion at the door of Brett's cabin, hinted at a woman who could be soft and gentle with children.

Aiden turned his head to look up at me again, and although he didn't say a word, his expression revealed that he was amused by Agent Marsden.

"What do you think, Aiden? Maybe I should've brought napkins,” I said.

Agent Marsden didn't say anything until Aiden turned back to her. "Are you saying that there's something on my face?"

Aiden bobbed his head up and down and then he put his finger over his upper lip like he was making a mustache.

"I have something on my lip?" She ran her tongue along the top of her lip, and heaven help me, it was sexy. But hell no. This wasn’t the time or the place or the woman.

"How's that?" she asked.

Aiden nodded again.

"Whew. That was close. It would've been embarrassing to go out with whipped cream on my face."

I leaned over and tried to crane my head so I could see Aiden's expression better. The kid had a hint of a smile on his lips. I had to admit, she impressed me with her skills in talking to kids.

"Thank you for helping me with that, Aiden. I'm wondering if maybe you could help me with something else."

Aiden nodded, but he leaned back further against me as if he could tell he was going to be asked questions he wouldn’t like.

Agent Marsden pulled out a sheet of paper and slid it across the table. On it, I saw what looked like a box with wheels, perhaps a car. Next to it, there were two stick figures and lots of red coloring.

I lifted my gaze at her, immediately feeling annoyed that she would show him a picture that clearly showed violence.

Her gaze was squarely on Aiden. "Did you draw this picture?"

Aiden bit his lower lip and looked up at me.

"It's okay if you did. I really like the color you used for the car. You’re good at drawing.” She pointed to the car.

Aiden turned back to her and gave her a slight nod.

"So you did draw this?"