Delinquent Daddy (14 page)

"And every time you take your shirt off around me," he continued, "or press your ass against my erection, I'm bound to remember just how
satisfying
those not-so-bad times used to be."

Scowling, Ellie opened her mouth to argue each of his points. It hadn't been her intention to turn him on or drudge up any bittersweet memories either time, and the bastard knew it.

But Boston merely lifted his hand and set his index finger on her lips, hushing her. "I don't care if they were accidental incidences or not. They're still playing havoc on my concentration. And my judgment's going to be skewed until I get past this. But...if I could convince myself you're not as good as I remember, I'm sure I'll be fine, and we'd finally be able to discuss whatever we need to discuss in a more professional, unaffected manner."

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"Just what are you suggesting, Boston?" Ellie said, gaping.

"That we have sex one last time to get it out of our systems?"

His smile bloomed into a half chuckle. "That would be nice, sure. But I doubt we'd have to go as far as that."

"Then?"

Grin falling, he turned all business in the blink of an eye.

"A kiss. All it'll take is one kiss. Then I'll know it's only in my head."

"Oh." Ellie's shoulders loosened and she tilted up her chin.

"Well, in that case...go ahead." She was amazed she could act so casual about it when the idea of him pressing his mouth to hers made her heart thump hard against her ribcage.

Boston looked similarly amazed. Instead of dipping his head and pressing his mouth to hers, he lifted his eyebrows.

"Well, aren't you a little too willing to comply." Leaning even closer, he whispered, his breath caressing her lips with each word he uttered. "Let me guess. You're having the same disturbing memories."

"No," she rushed out her answer. She wanted to shove against his chest to give herself some room. But she refused to let him know how much his proximity affected her, though, damn it, the glint in his eyes made it clear he already suspected.

"I'm just worried Cassie will notice and get scared if you keep going around...half cocked like you are."

He grinned. "Half cocked? Cute pun." Reaching out, he wrapped a piece of her hair around his finger, growing 129

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fascinated with the ringlets her locks made as he slid his finger free.

To keep herself from smacking at his hand and giving away even more of her apprehensions...and desires, she snapped, "Can you just get it over with already?"

His surprised blue eyes met hers. "No." His grin smoldered, hot and languid. "I have to do this right or it won't work."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Whatever." Tilting her chin up again, she prayed he wouldn't notice the way her pulse ticked heavily against her throat. "Take all the time in the world then. I don't care."

"You have to kiss me back too," he argued. "Or—"

"I said fine," she grit out.

After a moment, nothing happened. Then he spoke. "Open your eyes."

Though she didn't want to, she found herself following his order as her lashes flickered apart. "Why?"

"I want you to know who you're kissing."

Like she could forget. Ellie watched him warily as he licked his lips and shifted close enough to crowd her against the kitchen cabinets...cool wooden doors at her back; hard, hot Boston at her front.

"Ready?" he whispered.

"Yes." Damn it, would he just do something before she imploded?

Suddenly, there he was. He slanted his mouth down—no hesitation, no pausing to think it through, just steady determination—and their mouths connected. She let out a sob 130

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of release, closed her eyes, and bowed her back until her breasts pressed against his chest.

He groaned deep in his throat and cradled her face with both hands, pressing his thumbs against the apex of her jaw as if to force her mouth open in case she tried to reject the push of his tongue. But rejection was the last thing on her mind. She sucked the wet warmth between her teeth and drew from his taste, holding him tight, probably yanking out half his hair she gripped him so hard.

They made love to each other's mouths, diving deep in the recesses of their souls as they mated, tongue to tongue, breath to breath. Ellie couldn't seem to get close enough and clung to him, clutching his shoulders for dear life. He growled out a sound of similar frustration and picked her up, setting her on the countertop to fit himself between her thighs and press close to her heat.

She gasped and wrapped her legs around his hips, cradling his erection to her core.

"It's you," he rasped against her mouth between each kiss, his hands crazily running up and down her body as if to convince himself of that very fact. "It's you. God, Ellie, I can't believe it's really you."

"Boston," she moaned, throwing her head back so he could nibble his way down her jaw, using both teeth and tongue to lavish her throat.

Reaching the base of her neck, he buried his nose in the top opening of her blouse and held her tight a moment as he breathed in her essence. "Jesus, you still smell the same.

Your hair, your clothes, your skin."

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"So do you," she said, kissing his jaw and running her hands through his thick black locks.

His fingers fumbled as he opened her shirt. "You and your buttons," he panted, sounding impatient yet tenderly amused.

"I swear, I bought you an entire wardrobe to replace all the buttoned garments I used to rip off you."

She grinned and nipped her teeth at his earlobe. "You did."

And she'd kept every one of them, storing them away in a box at the back of her closet.

She expected him to lift his face, look her deep in the eyes, and tear the two sides of her shirt apart...for old time's sake. But when he pulled back to grin at her, his fingers slowed, carefully continuing to release one fastening at a time. After watching himself work for a moment, his eyes slid up, and their gazes connected. She felt the punch of longing deep in her gut.

The last button came free, and Boston easily separated the two sides, letting out a breath as his gaze swept over her.

"Why didn't I ever realize how much more sensual it was to savor my prize and unwrap it slowly...one button at a time?"

Ellie shook her head, unable to speak, her mind blank of words. His blue gaze held her captivated.

"You're stunning," he said and lowered his mouth to press a warm kiss to her chest, right where her heart beat against the swell of her breast.

Stirred by such a sweet act, she skimmed her fingers over his cheekbone. He closed his eyes and rested his face on her chest, pillowed by her breasts. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she hugged him back. They remained that way 132

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nearly a whole minute before his muffled voice came from her cleavage.

"These grew."

His hand came up to investigate the change in her breasts.

He pulled one free of its bra cup to study its fullness a moment, gently rubbing his thumb over her hard nipple before he dipped and took the throbbing peak into his mouth.

Ellie gasped and clutched the back of his head tight.

"Boston. Oh, God. Please."

After moving his attention to her other breast, his fingers found the top button of her slacks. He drew the zipper down.

Tensing with eager expectation, Ellie wanted to thrash her head from side to side and moan out,
yes, yes, yes
. But all she could do was tighten her grip on his head as he bit down on her nipple. She arched her hips up when he slid his hand over her stomach and into the waistband of her panties.

His fingers grazed her pubic hair until they encountered an old scar. Pausing, he broke free of her breast, looking confused. Then he leaned forward to examine the mark. After frowning at the foreign blemish that hadn't been there the last time he'd breached her panties, his eyes lifted in question.

"C-section," she answered his silent query. "I'd planned on a natural birth, but...there were complications."

Boston's eyes snapped open wide...alert. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, loving his concern. "I'm fine. Now."

"Now?" Latching onto that word, he wrinkled his brow in concern. His gaze fell to her scar, and his fingers traced it again in a gentle, loving caress. "What happened?"

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"Placenta previa. Problems with the placenta," she added at Boston's blank look. "It wanted to come out first, which would've put Cassie in danger. So, they gave me a spinal block and cut her out. It wasn't as bad as it sounds," she was quick to tack on when his face paled. "The doctor handled it beautifully, and Cassie was delivered just fine."

But Boston didn't look reassured. "I wish I could've been there."

Ellie swallowed and closed her eyes. When he pulled his hand from her underwear and zipped her slacks closed, her lashes shot open.

He looked distant and reserved as he took a step in reverse. "I
should've
been there, Ellie."

"Boston," she started. She wanted to reach for him but didn't dare.

As if he could read her thoughts, he shook his head and turned away, running his hand through his hair as he put distance between them. "This didn't turn out like I thought it would." He sighed and glanced blindly across the kitchen before he sent her a leery, untrusting look. "I guess we're just going to have to get used to my attraction and learn to deal with it. Because I won't ever touch you again."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode from her kitchen.

From her house.

From her life.

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134

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Chapter Eight

After hearing the front door open and close, Ellie yanked her top back together, slid off the counter, and hurried toward the living room. The room was dark, so she felt safe in going to the window and lifting a curtain. From the streetlamp's glow, she watched him walk stiffly yet steadily around to the driver's side of his Infiniti.

In the sparse lighting, he looked so much like the boy with whom she'd fallen in love. His hair was still pitch black and his form was that same slim, sleek build. It tore her up to see him like that. Once upon a time, he'd smiled whenever he'd seen her. And now...now he scowled as he sent one last glare up at her house before sliding into his car. It was almost shocking how drastically their relationship had changed.

But the one thing that remained the same and surprised her the most was his physical response to her. She couldn't believe they'd both gotten turned on so easily. It wasn't a good kind of shock, though. His instantaneous attraction to her had been one of the main things that had drawn her to him. The man could've had any girl he wanted back in college. Heck, he still could snag any woman. But he'd wanted Ellie. It'd been so flattering she'd been powerless to deny him anything.

The fact that this hadn't changed in ten years was going to make her struggle that much harder. Ellie closed her eyes and snorted out an ironic laugh. Harder. Oh, yeah, she could say that again.

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Outside, his car engine started. Her eyes flew open. As he pulled away from the curb, she rubbed her fingers over the ache in the center of her chest. There was something else that hadn't changed. It still hurt to watch him leave.

Gritting her teeth, Ellie dropped the curtain. As the cloth fell over the window, she backed away and slid her hand down until she clutched her churning stomach. She continued to step in reverse until the backs of her legs bumped the sofa.

Though she wanted to sink into the soft, comforting cushions and cry, she opted to walk down the hall and check on her daughter.

Surprisingly, Cassidy was fast asleep. Though she hadn't done so in years, Ellie slipped into the room and tiptoed to the bed. She pulled back the covers and crawled onto the mattress with her baby. Cassie's sweet little-girl smell enveloped her and she closed her eyes. Instantly, she smiled, thankful she was here, thankful she'd ended up so blessed.

Ellie hadn't lived an easy life. Since the time she was eight and her parents had died in an automobile accident, she had grown up in a home where food came sporadically, if at all.

She'd lived with her deceased grandmother's older sister, and Aunt Eadie didn't have the greatest memory. Ellie had practically raised herself.

From the moment her daughter was born and that tiny little life had been placed in her arms, totally her responsibility, she'd sworn Cassie would never live the way she had. Her daughter would always have a meal on the table, and she'd always have a structured, orderly life where she could take part in as many after-school activities as she 136

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wanted. Plus she'd grow up in a neighborhood where she could play out in the open in a safe environment and attend a nice, reputable school.

So far, Ellie had been able to provide all of that; she wasn't about to lose slack now. Most of her good fortune had come from luck. The house she owned, or at least would own after another twenty-five years of payments, could actually be accredited to her louse of a boss. Winston's brother, Dr.

Mendel Young, had wanted to sell his guesthouse for years and when it went on the market, Winston mentioned it to Ellie.

Like a dog to a bone, she'd jumped on the chance to live next door to doctors and bankers. It didn't even matter that her home was only an eighth the size of every other house on the block. It was hers and didn't have wheels under it. She adored it.

She lived in a beautiful, safe community with a wonderful neighbor friend in Dr. Young's wife, Nora. Even their son, Keller, was a blessing to have nearby. From the moment the two children had met, they'd been best friends.