Daddy 101 (American Romance) (8 page)

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Authors: Jo Leigh

BOOK: Daddy 101 (American Romance)
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Despite his misgivings, he believed his father’s rules made some very legitimate points. The Bradley men had done well for many generations, and they’d all adhered to those same rules. But Dani as a mistress? Jeez, he didn’t even like the sound of the word where Dani was concerned. And of course, there was Chloe to think about.
Living in New York would be a plus for the little girl. She could get the education she deserved. He could set Dani up in a practice. They’d live very well; he’d make sure of that. Chloe would get into any college she wanted. Dani could shop at her leisure, have a maid, a cook. It wasn’t such a bad package.
The other problem was time. How was he going to convince her that he was serious with only a few days to play with? Well, he’d just have to figure that out.
Now, if he could just get to sleep. He had to be up with Dani in the morning. Laundry. Damn. Ted would have a heart attack.
 
THE ALARM WOKE DANI, and she groaned as she reached to turn off the horrifying squeal. She wondered if she’d slept an hour all night. Or even ten minutes. It was Alex, of course, that had kept her awake. Thoughts of him. Dressed. Undressed. Smiling. Kissing.
Kissing
. That was the killer. If she’d never kissed him, things probably would have been fine. But no. He had to go and kiss her and remind her that she had a body and it had needs and he was a man and she was a woman and they both had different parts that meshed so well together.
She hauled herself out of bed and tried not to gasp at her image in the mirror. Thank heavens for makeup. She needed it today.
Her shower was a quick one, and she had to consciously slow herself down when applying that much-needed makeup. But she kept speeding up—her actions and her heart. All because he was here. He was awake. He was Alex.
What in the world was she thinking?
She tried on four different outfits, and finally settled on a pale pink skirt and blouse. She found her pumps, slipped them on, then did a final mirror check. Good thing, too, because she’d forgotten to do her hair, which stuck out all over her head as if she’d been given an electric jolt.
She sighed, and went back to the bathroom. She had this awful feeling today was going to be very, very long.
When she finally made it out of her bedroom, Chloe and Alex were already in the kitchen. She heard Chloe laugh, and that made her smile. Chloe didn’t often do that, especially with strangers. Her daughter was always thinking too much to laugh freely. What had Alex said to her?
“Guess what, Mom,” Chloe said. “Alex doesn’t know how to make toast. Can you believe it?”
Dani looked from her daughter to Alex. He was so beautiful it took her a moment to adjust. It was him, and he was here, and she hadn’t just dreamed it all. Right now, he had a very silly grin on his face. A stunning, silly, intimate grin.
“I do know how to use a toaster,” he said, nudging Chloe gently with his elbow. “I’m just not familiar with the intricacies of cinnamon toast.”
Chloe laughed again, making Dani’s heart even fuller. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, you know.”
“Chloe. Be polite. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t know the first thing about cooking.”
“Hey,” Alex said. “I made the-coffee.”
She looked at the counter where he pointed. He’d found an old jar of instant coffee in the cupboard, and had turned on the electric kettle. Which sat right next to the coffeemaker she used every day. “Thank you,” she said, smiling.
The kettle hissed then, and Alex poured the boiling water into two cups. “Cream? Sugar?” he asked. He was so inordinately proud of himself, she knew she couldn’t keep it together. Her laughter was right there, and one more word from him and she wouldn’t be able to hold back.
“I’ll get it,” she said, hoping he didn’t hear the strain in her voice. She quickly opened the fridge, but she didn’t get the cream right away. Instead she breathed deeply, forcing herself to think of anything but Alex’s face and the hot water. The man was tickled pink that he could plug in a kettle. When they talked about men being from Mars, they had to mean him. A grown man, for heaven’s sake. It was too much. What on earth would she do with someone like that?
“Do you have to milk the cow?”
She grabbed the cream and turned to face him.
She caught Alex looking at Chloe. His smile was still there, but now it was totally unconscious. His eyes were narrowed a bit as he studied her daughter, who was busy mixing sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Alex’s expression was one she was familiar with. She had it herself so often. Wonder. A little confusion. Amazement. Chloe was a unique creature. An incredibly huge brain in such a tiny little thing. So pretty, and so innocent. Dani could tell Alex was seeing all of that. Maybe more.
He turned from Chloe and focused that same intense gaze on her. Dani felt the first flush of the morning on her cheeks. How he did that to her was still a mystery. She didn’t look away, though. When his smile broadened she saw it. When the look of wonder didn’t go away, but instead grew deeper, she saw that, too.
But mostly, she saw his desire. In the light of day, it was unmistakable. No errant shadow, no trick of the moon. He wanted her in a way that was real and tangible and spoke the question as loudly as words.
She wondered if he could see just as clearly that her response was, “Yes.”
“Laundry,” he said, his voice gravelly and rough.
“Fluff-and-fold,” she whispered back.
His grin grew mischievous. “Wash-and-wear.”
“You guys are weird,” Chloe said. Then she took her cinnamon toast to the table, shaking her head all the way.
Chapter Eight
“A
re you sure you want to do this?”
Alex looked at the neat piles of sorted laundry in the small pantry off the kitchen. Then he looked at his notes. “Yep. I lost fair and square. The laundry will be done.”
“Okay. But you don’t have to.”
“I know. I want to.”
She looked up at him with an achingly sweet smile, and he realized that although it was a piddly task, one that meant nothing in the overall scheme of things, he really wanted to do it for her. To do it well. He wanted her to come home to perfectly folded towels and socks and shake her head and tell him she was impressed and pleased. It was also true that he could tell her quite a few tales of his financial and corporate efforts that were a hell of a lot more impressive than separating whites from darks, but right now, it was the laundry he needed to conquer.
“Feel free to use the phone,” she said. “And eat whatever you like. I’ll come home about one for lunch.”
“Do you want me to fix you something?” he asked.
Her grin broadened. “No, I think you’re going to have your hands full today. I’ll bring something back with me. Then, maybe you could come back to the clinic with me to see Pete.”
“Great. I’d like that.”
She really was beautiful. Standing so close to her in the small room was getting to be a little difficult. He kept wanting to touch her. To feel her skin and her hair. To kiss her. God, yes. Kiss her.
The moment stretched. If it were another woman, he wouldn’t have hesitated. He would have swept her into his arms and kissed her till they both cried uncle. But with Dani he found himself hesitating. She wasn’t like other women. She needed deft handling, consideration and patience. He was pretty sure he could manage the first two, but patience? There was no time for a long courtship. There was barely time for any courtship at all. No, he had to let her know. Now.
He leaned forward. She closed her eyes and leaned, too, and he felt immediate relief, and excitement. To know she wanted the same thing he did...at least for now.
Just as his lips touched hers, Chloe opened the door.
“I’m late for—”
Alex jerked back. So did Dani. He picked up the box of Tide and read the back furiously, his face hot with embarrassment. Although why he felt this way was not clear. He hadn’t done anything. Even if the kiss had been completed, there was still no reason to blush.
“I know, honey. We’re almost done here. Get your lunch and meet me at the front door.”
“Were you two kissing?”
Alex chanced a look at Dani. Her face was as red as his must have been, but other than that, she looked remarkably composed. Especially after that question.
“Yes, we were. Or, we were going to.”
“Why?”
“Because grown-up friends sometimes kiss,” Dani said.
She wouldn’t look at him. He went back to reading about tough stains.
“I don’t care, you know,” Chloe said, the censure clear in her voice. “You can kiss all you want. But I’d prefer you did it when I wasn’t late for school.”
He coughed. Well, choked. He heard Dani clear her throat. The presoak instructions held his rapt attention. Dani, however, got it in gear. She walked toward the door, then stopped.
“I’ll call you as soon as I check on Pete,” she said. “And don’t forget to dry the sweaters on the rack.”
He dared a glance and was rewarded with a guilty little smile. It would do till she got. home. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”
Then Chloe grabbed Dani’s hand and pulled her away.
“Don’t forget the cat,” he called out, not wanting to deal with that particular feline all day.
“Right!”
He listened for a while. Chloe’s entreaties got more urgent. The cat hissed. Dani was patient and never raised her voice. Finally he heard the front door close. He was alone. With the laundry. Have mercy.
 
SHE COULDN’T CONCENTRATE. Dani petted the pregnant dachshund on the exam table and forced herself yet again to banish Alex from her thoughts. The pup was actually in good shape. It was her owner that needed calming. Thank goodness there hadn’t been any real emergencies today. Just routine exams, a couple of shots and of course, Pete.
Alex’s dog was improving, although not quite as quickly as she’d have liked. She would keep him on the IV for another twenty-four hours. On the other hand, his appetite was picking up, and that was a good sign.
It occurred to her that while she wasn’t happy that Pete was still not up to par, she was glad that Alex would have to stay for at least one, probably two more days. Just the thought of him in her house, waiting for her, was enough to make her pulse speed up.
That she was so pleased annoyed her. She knew full well that the longer Alex stayed the worse it was going to be when he left. She already liked him too much. And she wanted to believe him too much. He made it so easy, with his convincing words and his expressive eyes.
“Well?”
Dani jerked away from her thoughts of Alex and realized she’d been staring at Edna Bickle for who knows how long, while Tinkle, her unfortunately named dachshund, was flat on her back while Dani rubbed her tummy.
Dani stilled her hand and continued her examination, flustered that she was so unable to control herself. This time, she made it through, gave Edna the good news that Tinkle was the picture of health and sent dog and owner off. All of it without thinking of Alex even once.
It was 12:10 and she had one more patient to see: a kitten who needed her shots. If she hurried, she could be done in about five minutes, and then she could head over to the diner, pick up lunch, then be home at 12:45. She hurried.
 
AT 12:45, DANI OPENED her front door. The first thing she heard was laughter. Female laughter.
Dani walked quickly toward the kitchen and put the bag of turkey sandwiches on the table. Again, the sound of feminine laughter assailed her, and it was no TV or radio program. That was a woman. Here. In her house. With Alex.
As she headed toward the laundry room, she heard it again, only this time, more than one voice pealed in glee. She felt her temperature rise and her adrenaline kick in. Who had he brought here?
Dani turned the corner and stood at the door to her pantry. Alex was too busy to notice her arrival. Too busy with three women, all of whom she knew, all of whom were supposedly friends of hers, and one of whom had a pair of Dani’s bikini panties in the air, twirling it around, which Alex tried to grab by getting very, very close. To make matters worse, her washing machine was open, and suds,
lots
of suds spilled out of the top, down the sides, onto the floor and into the still-waiting piles of laundry.
Crystal Crane, the woman with the panties held aloft, was leaning back over the dryer. Her crop-top T-shirt was pulled so high that Dani could see the undersides of her nonbra-clad breasts. One more inch, and she’d be fully exposed. Dani held her breath as Alex reached higher...then he stopped. Leaned back. Put his hand down.
“You win,” he said. “You can keep them.”
Crystal didn’t move. She knew what position she was in, and she had no qualms about how suggestive she was. “Come on, Alex. Don’t be such a party pooper.”
“This isn’t a party,” he said, his voice quite firm. “And I appreciate you ladies trying to help, but I’ve got things under control now.”
“Do you really?” Dani said.
Four pairs of eyes turned to her. All extremely wide.
“Dani,” Alex said.
“Dani” came the Greek chorus.
“Yes,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “Dani. Whose house this is.”
Crystal finally pulled her hand down. She didn’t let go of the panties, though, she just put her hand behind her back. “We came over to ask Alex—”
“If he wanted to be—” Karen Stovall said, interrupting.
“Part of the opening ceremonies—” Jean Crocket added, butting in.
“This weekend,” Crystal finished.
“He won’t be staying that long,” Dani said. She turned her gaze to Alex then, and got some tiny bit of satisfaction that he looked exceedingly guilty. “Pete will be on his feet by Friday.”
“That’s great,” he said. “But...”
“But he already said yes,” Crystal said. “Didn’t you, Alex?”
Alex didn’t look at Crystal. But he did nod. “That I did.”
“He’s going to take pictures with people,” Jean said. “And sign autographs. With him there, I’ll bet we can get TV coverage from Albuquerque. Maybe even national coverage.”
“We’ll get more people here than we ever dreamed,” Karen said. “Imagine. The Sexiest Man in the World right here in Carlson’s Gap. We’ll raise a fortune.”
“National coverage,” Dani said, her heart sinking as if it were a stone. “I see.” She did, too. All that talk about how he didn’t want the publicity was just that. Talk. The first chance he got to flaunt his fame, and he leapt at it as a starving dog leaps at a bone. “Mind telling me what happened to that?” She pointed to the washer.
“Oh, I think that was my fault,” Jean said. “I guess he’d already added the detergent.”
“No, I added the detergent,” Karen said, holding up her hand as if she were a guilty schoolgirl.
“Uh-oh,” Crystal said. “I did, too.”
“Swell,” Dani said.
“We’ll pay for any repairs,” Crystal said, moving now toward the door, and escape. “Won’t we?”
“Of course,” Karen said, picking up the cue and moving, too.
“Right,” Jean added.
Then the three women walked past her, fast, and were on their way out. No one bothered to say goodbye. Alex hadn’t moved.
“I can explain,” he said.
“No need. I understand completely.”
“I don’t think you do.”
He pointed to a folded stack of towels on the counter. “I got the one batch done just fine.”
“I told you, you don’t need to explain. Besides, I’m late. I brought you a turkey sandwich. I’d appreciate it if you could call the repair service. I can’t afford to be without the machine for long. The number is right there on the side.”
“Wait a minute. Weren’t you here to have lunch with me?”
“That was the plan. But plans change. I have to get back to work.”
He moved toward her, and she stepped back.
“Look, I didn’t ask them to do this,” he said. “I really was doing fine before they showed up.”
“You don’t owe me any explanations. Just please get the washer fixed.” She turned, anxious to get away. Even as she felt it, she knew her disappointment was silly. Hadn’t she known all along who he was? That whatever he said was bound to be some kind of a lie?
“Wait.”
She stopped.
“Don’t go. I don’t want to leave it like this.”
She turned once more to face him. “Like what?”
“You’re angry.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Please stay. You don’t have to. But I’d appreciate it. I didn’t know they were going to come in here and mess with your things. If I had, I would never have opened the door. I thought they were your friends.”
“I thought so, too.”
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think they meant any harm.”
“Of course not. Look, forget it. It’s fine. Really. I just have to get back—”
He was in front of her somehow, with his hands on her arms. Standing close. Looking down into her eyes. “You can’t think I wanted this to turn out badly.”
She couldn’t look back at him. Not at those pleading eyes. If she did, she would start believing him again. “Let me go please.”
“Not till you look at me.”
“Alex, stop it.”
He let go with his right arm, and raised his fingers to her chin. He lifted her head up until she was forced to meet his gaze. “Please, Dani.”
She wanted to believe his eyes. That was the whole problem. He looked so sincere, as if it mattered to him that she was upset, that he’d upset her.
“I wanted so much to do this one thing for you,” he said. “And I’ve screwed it up royally. Give me another chance?”
“What for?” she said, hating to say the words, but knowing she had to. “You’re a guest. A visitor. You don’t have to do anything to impress me.”
“I’m not trying to impress you.” He shook his head. “No, that’s not true. I am. But not the way you mean it. I know it sounds stupid, but I wanted to make things easier for you today. To take care of this damn laundry so you wouldn’t have to. I thought it was going to be a piece of cake.”
“Most things aren’t. At least, not for me. I imagine you’re pretty used to seeing things go your way.”
“Dani, just because I have some money doesn’t mean the world bows down in front of me. I have my own struggles.”

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