Daddy 101 (American Romance)

by Leigh, Jo

  He might not be able to fix everything right now, but he sure could do some fence-mending when it came to Dani and their dinner plans. She was with Chloe now, and he headed toward the little girl’s bedroom.

  Chloe’s door was open, and he saw Dani sitting on the edge of the twin bed. One soft light was on, and it bathed Dani in a hazy glow. He could only see her profile, and Chloe, tucked in with the covers up snugly against her chest. Dani was in a sweatshirt and jeans.

  Chloe saw him and waved, using just her fingers. Dani turned at the movement, and smiled. He’d expected her to be upset, but she didn’t appear to be.

  “Come in,” she said. “It seems Chloe has a question for you.”

  He walked into the little girl’s room, curious. “A question for me?”

  Dani nodded. “Yep. She won’t tell me what it is, either.”

  “Hmm,” Alex said, hoping like crazy the question was about NASDAQ prices or interest rates. Something he could answer.

  “You have to sit on the bed,” Chloe said. Then she turned to Dani. “And you can’t listen.”

  Dani stood up and gave him a little shrug that told him she was to be held harmless. He nodded.

  “I’m going to make some cocoa. You want some?”

  “Sounds good. I’ll meet you at the table.”

  She smiled at him, leaned down and kissed Chloe, then left the room. He wanted to join her, to tell her how sorry he was for changing their plans. Hell, he just wanted to look at her. Okay, so he wanted to kiss her. Maybe get in a touch or two. But first, there was Chloe.

  Her room was just as unexpected as the girl herself. There were no dolls on shelves, no plush animal toys, except for one rather ratty looking stuffed pony sitting next to a computer on the desk. He did see a telescope, a microscope, a picture of Einstein and that picture of the Earth he liked so much. The one taken by the shuttle astronauts. Chloe certainly wasn’t a typical eight-year-old.

  “So what’s this burning question?” he asked, hoping like hell it wasn’t about physics.

  “I heard you and Ted talking about my mom,” she said. “And I was wondering. What’s a mistress?”

  On second thought, a physics question was just fine.

  “Well?” Chloe prompted.

  “Yes, well, let’s see.” He stood up. Walked away from the bed, casually, not running or anything, while he scrambled for an answer. The silence in the room was deafening. Weren’t children supposed to be seen and not heard?

  “A mistress is someone who runs her household,” he said, praying he could get away with this interpretation. “It doesn’t even have to be a household. It can be a business or even a group she’s in charge of. Like, say, in England, they would call a landlady the mistress of the house. Or a school principal would be the headmistress.”

  “So you want Mommy to run your household?”

  He blinked. Where were earthquakes when you needed them? “I’ve thought about that, yes. But we’re just at the talking stage. I do like the idea of you and your mom coming to New York, though.”

  “Yeah, I do, too,” Chloe said, lifting herself up on her elbows. “I’ve been looking up all this stuff on the internet about New York. It’s so cool. They’ve got about a hundred museums, and there’s this really huge park called Central Park where they have boats on the lake and you can skate there in the winter. And everything’s open really, really late. And you can ride in carriages around the park, with real horses.”

  He sighed with relief. That had been a close one. Thank God Dani hadn’t stuck around to hear. She’d have been plenty upset. He wasn’t too thrilled himself. If he’d had a clue Chloe was anywhere near the dining room, he’d have kept his mouth shut, and Ted’s, too.

  He moved back over to Chloe’s bed. “So you think you’d like it there, huh?”

  She nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, yes. I’m not very crazy about living here. But Mom has her clinic, and all the relatives and everything. She’d probably be sad to leave Grandma and Grandpa.”

  “You wouldn’t?”

  She thought for a moment. “Yeah, I would. But we’d come back to visit. And they could come to visit us. Grandpa would love the lake with the boats. He really likes boats.”

  “Central Park is pretty neat. In the daytime, that is.”

  “So can we go?”

  “That’s up to your mother.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Dani’s voice made them both turn to look at the door. Alex had no idea how long she’d been standing there, or what she’d heard.

  “Right now, it’s time for someone to go to sleep.”

  “But, Mom. Alex knows all about New York. He can tell us everything.”

  “We’ll talk about it another time, Chloe. Right now, it’s lights out.”

  “Okay,” she said, letting her head fall back on her pillow. “Only one more thing.”

  “What?” Dani asked, her voice full of suspicion.

  Chloe turned to Alex. She crooked her finger for him to come closer. He leaned toward her.

  “Closer,” Chloe said.

  He was already flush against the bed, so she must mean to lean down even more. He did.

  “Closer.”

  He bent further. Now he was just inches from the little girl. She must want to whisper something in his ear. Something she didn’t want Dani to know. He bent a last inch.

  Chloe kissed him. On the cheek. Then she lay back down, turned to her side and closed her eyes.

  It took Alex a while to get what had just happened. It was so unexpected, especially from Chloe. He liked it, though. More than he had any reason to. He bent down just that inch more and kissed her on her small soft cheek. “Sweet dreams, little one.”

  Then he straightened up, smiling, and after she turned off the light, he followed Dani.

  She walked him down the hall until they were once again in the dining room. His computer was still open, and his files were stacked neatly next to it. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

  “It’s all right. I know you’re a busy man.”

  “I didn’t ask them to come here.”

  “I know.”

  “And I never intended to miss our dinner.”

  “Please don’t apologize. It’s perfectly okay.”

  There was something in her tone he didn’t like. A distance, a formality. Either she was angry, or worse, she’d changed her mind about him. That wouldn’t do at all.

  He walked toward her, determined to get his Dani back. To pick up where they’d left off at the clinic this afternoon. Damn Ted for showing up like that. Sure he’d needed to get his work done, but there was nothing that couldn’t have waited, despite Ted’s hysteria. Business was simply business. Dani was something else altogether.

  Dani kept herself still. Even though she wanted to back away from Alex, she didn’t. She had to be strong now, make her stand. She’d awakened tonight. Seen him clearly for the first time. Seen the different universe he occupied when he wasn’t trapped in a one-horse town like Carlson’s Gap.

  The urge to run increased as he took the last few steps that brought him within touching distance. This wasn’t going to be easy. He intoxicated her when he was this close. Her pulse speeded up, her heart pounded in her chest. She even felt her nipples harden, and she was grateful she’d put on this sweatshirt. She couldn’t let him know how he affected her; it would give him too much ammunition.

  “What’s wrong, Dani?” He reached out and brushed the side of her cheek, gently.

  Dani’s eyes fluttered closed of their own volition. She struggled to gain her composure as she took hold of his hand and brought it down. “Nothing,” she said, even though she knew he’d never accept the single statement.

  “Please don’t lock me out,” he said. “Not now. Not when we’re just getting started.”

  “There’s nowhere to go, Alex. Nowhere but down.”

  His brows came together and the hurt in his face made her swallow hard. “What happened? Was it Ted? Did
he say something to you?”

  She shook her head. “No, he was perfectly nice. So was your attorney. But it was pretty clear that neither one of them understood why you haven’t gone back.” She took a step away from him. There was no choice. If she stayed too close she would buckle. “I think you should have gone back, too.”

  “Why? Just tell me.”

  “Because you’re you. And I’m me.”

  “Now what in hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “Don’t get angry. I’m just trying to be honest here.”

  She saw him inhale deeply, then let the air out slowly. Why was the urge to comfort him so strong? It was utter foolishness to want to make him feel better just as she was trying to sever their tenuous bonds. It would have been much easier if she didn’t like him so much. But that didn’t matter. Not for what he had in mind.

  “Honest? Are you going to tell me you don’t feel anything toward me? Because I won’t believe that. Not for a minute.”

  She shook her head. “No, I won’t tell you that. If I didn’t feel anything, maybe I’d really think about joining you in New York. The problem here is that I do. I like you, Alex. And I’m not ashamed to admit I’m attracted to you. But that’s neither here nor there. The truth I’m talking about is that there’s no hope for a future for us. Not the kind of future I want for myself. Or for Chloe.”

  “If it’s that mistress business—”

  “Of course it’s that mistress business. But it’s more than that, too. Alex, you’re Tiffany’s. I’m Wal-Mart. It would never work.”

  “You don’t know that. How can you know that if you don’t take a chance?”

  “Because I’m a realist. And when you get back to your home turf, you’ll be a realist, too. This is nuts. You’re making too much of a physical attraction.”

  “Dammit, Dani, it’s not just that. You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.”

  “Exactly. I’m a small town hick, and for some reason that’s caught your fancy. But what happens when you get bored with the shiny new toy? What happens to me, and to Chloe?”

  He didn’t say anything for a long minute. His face was serious, his brows still together in a disapproving V. He ran his hand through his hair, turned away from her, then turned back. All she wanted to do was run into his arms and tell him everything would be okay. She wanted his smile back, his quick wit, and mostly she wanted to see that look of longing in his eyes. But she believed what she was telling him. It couldn’t end well. There was no chance of that. So best to get the hurt over and done with.

  “What’s impossible to fight,” he said, his voice so low she had to strain to hear him, “is this idea you have that I don’t know what I’m doing. If you knew me better, you’d see that I’m not a romantic dope. I don’t make decisions like these lightly.”

  “But I don’t know you better.”

  “So the real enemy here is time, right?”

  “That’s only a part of it.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “There’s too big a gap between us,” she said. She felt suddenly tired. More than tired. She pulled out a chair and sat down, knowing full well she couldn’t have stayed on her feet for another moment. “I’ve lived here all my life. My family has lived here for four generations. I’m safe here, and so is my daughter. I’m not willing to give that up.”

  He took the chair next to hers and moved it over so he could face her closely, then he sat down. Reaching over gently, he captured her hand. His thumb rubbed her wrist softly, back and forth. “I don’t want to steal you from your family and put you in some ivory tower. I’ve got a company jet that will be at your disposal, and there’s no reason you and Chloe couldn’t use it as often as you like.”

  She started to protest but he held up his free hand to stop her.

  “The safety issue is a little trickier. New York can be a dangerous place, but there are ways to make yourself safer. I can help with that. I can’t guarantee nothing bad would happen, but you can’t guarantee that you wouldn’t be hit by a milk truck tomorrow on Main Street. But I don’t think that’s the safety you’re talking about.”

  “No?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I think the reason you’re so safe here is because you don’t have to risk your heart. When’s the last time you went out on a date?”

  She took her hand out of his. “I don’t see what that has to do with anything. Even if it was your business.”

  He leaned deliberately forward and retook her hand, holding it tightly so she couldn’t break away. After a moment, she stopped trying to.

  “Come on, Doc. Don’t pull back now. Tell me. Was it this year? Last year? Have you been out with anyone since Chloe was born?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I have.”

  “And?”

  “It didn’t work out.”

  “It? One guy?”

  “So I’m not promiscuous. Sue me.”

  He laughed. God, that sound weakened her more than any of his logical questions or illogical assumptions. That, and his hand on hers. If she didn’t make a clean getaway soon, she might crumble, and that would not be smart.

  “Safety isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” he said. “It’s damn lonely. What’s the worst thing that will happen if you come with me to New York?”

  “I’ll feel horribly out of place. Out of my league.”

  “I can safely promise that won’t happen. You’ll love New York. I know you will. Dani, it’s a thrilling city, and it has so much to offer you. As for being out of your league, that’s just plain not true. Despite the fact that I know a lot of wealthy people. They’re not all jerks. Some of them are pretty decent. Almost as good as the folks right here in Carlson’s Gap.”

  She studied his eyes, surprised at the fervor she saw there. “Why are you fighting so hard?” she asked. “That’s what I don’t understand. You don’t know me well enough to want me like this.”

  He sat back with a jerk. She could see her question had startled him. But it had to be asked.

  “I guess I am fighting pretty hard,” he said. “But that’s just who I am. When I know something is right, I don’t let anything stand in my way.”

  “And you know I’m something right?”

  He nodded. “Beyond a shadow of a doubt.”

  “I wish I could be so sure.”

  “I think you already are. It’s the fear that’s stopping you, Dani. Trust me, you won’t feel lost or alone. I won’t let that happen.”

  “There are some things even you can’t protect me from,” she said, pulling her hand free once more. She stood up before he could grab it again. “You can’t protect me from a broken heart.”

  “I’d never hurt you, honey. Never.”

  “Don’t say that. You know it’s not true.”

  He stood, too, but he didn’t try to touch her again. He simply captured her gaze and held it steady with an intensity that kept her from moving an inch. “You can stay here,” he said, “and be safe and secure and watch your daughter grow up, and your practice flourish. You might even meet some nice guy, and decide to get married. But you’ll always know that you had a chance for magic, and you let it pass you by.”

  “Magic?”

  He nodded. Then he lifted his hand and brought it slowly toward her. He touched her arm with the tips of his fingers, and she jumped from the spark. She didn’t see it with her eyes, but she felt the shock course through her. Up and down her arms, through her chest, down her legs, settling at the juncture of her thighs. Just from a touch. Just from his touch.

  “Magic.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “What’s all this?” Dani stood in the laundry room, amazed and mystified by the stacks of neatly folded clothes on the low utility table. Everything was clean. Blouses, slacks and skirts were hung on the rack, towels and sheets were separated by color.

  “Hmm,” Alex said, moving up behind her...close behind her. He put his hand on her waist, tentatively at first, then
firmed his grip and pulled her back so she was flush against him. “Looks like the laundry fairy paid you a visit.”

  “But you were sleeping. I saw—”

  Alex turned her around. “You saw me? And when was that, you little voyeur?”

  She felt her cheeks flush. Not just because she’d let it slip that she’d peeked in on him during the night, but because he held her so close to him that she felt her body get all moist and tingly. The magic was back, full force. As much as she’d like to deny that, she couldn’t. She betrayed herself every time she touched him. “I looked in on you, yes,” she said, trying hard to keep her voice steady and guard her eyes so he wouldn’t see what he was doing to her. “Just to make sure everything was okay.”

  “Was it?”

  “Yes. You were sleeping very soundly. I thought for the night.”

  He nodded. “I did sleep through the night. I told you. It was the laundry fairy.”

  “Alex, of all the things I could call you, a fairy isn’t one of them.”

  He grinned. It was impossible not to grin back. Lord, how handsome he was. In his simple white shirt, sleeves rolled up revealing the muscled forearms with a smattering of dark hair that made him all the more masculine, and his jeans, just tight enough to show off his award-winning butt, he was devastating. But just because he turned her to mush, she wasn’t going to take back what she’d said last night.

  “There’s only one thing I want you to call me, Doc.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Lover.” Then he leaned forward, her eyes fluttered closed and then his mouth took hers captive.

  He didn’t use force. He used skill. His lips touched hers lightly at first, then the pressure increased until she knew she was being soundly, stunningly kissed. When he let up, she opened her mouth to protest, which must have been what he’d counted on, for in that second, he snuck his tongue inside her mouth and tasted her, awakening sensations that had no business being awake.

  Using his hands on her back, massaging, exploring, squeezing her flesh oh so gently, he outmaneuvered her on both flanks. She pulled back for a second, realized it was hopeless and sent up the white flag. She kissed him back.