Doorstep daddy (30 page)

_{Unfortunately all hell broke loose while she was gone.}

_{"What do you mean, I have to give a talk?" Richard
I
demanded as Jason's fellow Cub Scouts scooted out of the car and onto the driveway of their leader's house.}

_{Jason turned away. "I forgot to tell you, I guess."}

_{"You forgot your head, Jay." Richard frowned at his
I
nephew. "Look at me when I'm annoyed with you, okay? You owe me that much."}

_{Jason turned to him, his expression contrite. "I'm j sorry, Uncle Richard."}

_{Well, Richard thought. A sincere apology certainly
I
took the wind out of his sails as far as righteous anger
I
went. Who was he to yell, anyway? He'd done the same thing to Callie, but on a grander scale. And the consequences had been more dire for her. In his own case,}

_{he'd just lose an hour. But his nephew needed to learn not to do it again. "I'll bail you out this one time, but never again commit me to doing anything that you haven't talked with me about first, Jason. It's irresponsible." "Okay."}

_{Jason jumped out of the car, his body language jaunty. Richard wondered if his little lecture had sunk in at all. He unbuckled Mark from the car seat and went into the "den" to give his talk, which turned out to be about trailblazing. Richard knew nothing about trailblazing, which annoyed the den mother. Worse, Mark kept wandering around the woman's house and getting into things while Richard talked.}

_{At home later he discovered Callie's important call on the answering machine, but the message was garbled and naturally the most crucial parts missing. Like the name and number of the person on the line. Callie would kill him. And Amanda wasn't home yet. Richard frowned, glancing at the kitchen clock after settling Jason at the table with homework and Mark with a snack.}

_{"She should have been home by now," he grumbled to himself.}

_{Callie came in first. Mark ran to her and she picked him up, giving him a hug. She looked radiant with the boy. Never had a hiring felt so right, Richard thought proudly. Now if only he could get her on board more permanently...}

_{"Boy, a milk-and-cookie kiss," she said. "I'm so thrilled."}

_{Jason laughed. "I won't kiss you!"}

_{"Now, I'm really thrilled." She ruffled his hair.}

_{"I will," Richard said, catching her at the waist and kissing her soundly. When he was finished, he couldn't
tell who wore a sillier grin - Jason or Callie.}
^4
4
_{No milk-and-cookie kiss, I know."}

⁴
_{'It'll do." Callie blushed. "You're sucking me into all this. You know that."}

_{"My game plan." He didn't have any doubts about it. Maybe the kids were wrapped up in this somewhere, but they were a minor consideration when it came to how he felt about her. Now was the worst time to give her bad news. "Callie, that call came for you...."}

_{"Oh, good," she said brightly. "Where's the name and number? I'll probably have to call tomorrow, won't I? It's after five."}

⁴
_{"The message was garbled on the answering machine. I couldn't make out the name and number."}

_{Her face fell. "You've got to be kidding!"}

_{"I was out with Jason, who committed me to a talk he forgot to tell me about." Richard glared at Jay, who looked positively innocent.}

_{"Like uncle, like nephew," Callie said. "Jay, that] video game is going home with me today."}

_{"But, Callie, I didn't even play it yet!"}

_{"I'm sorry about that, but no video games from me for three days. You need to remember to ask people
I
about doing things before you say yes for them. Yourl uncle hasn't learned the lesson yet, but you still have a chance, my friend, and I intend to help you."}

_{"I learned today," Richard muttered. "I learned before, too."}

_"Right."

_{"Yes...well..." He decided they had digressed enough. "Unfortunately I wasn't here to take the call personally, but the machine should have taken care of) it. I'm sorry there was a problem."}

_{"I needed that call."}

_{"I need da call," Mark repeated. Jason smiled. Callie didn't.}

_{"Call back and talk to whoever it was you talked to in the first place," Richard said. "They can track down who's handling your case."}

_{"I guess I'll have to." Callie drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "This wasn't anyone's fault. Maybe God is telling me I shouldn't get my old job back."}

_{"I could have told you that." Richard put his arm around Callie. "I'm truly sorry."}

_{"I feel like Lester," she said. "I'm dead and nobody told me."}

_{The front door opened and closed. Amanda came into the kitchen, smiling happily. "Hi."}

_{"Hi, yourself," Richard said. "You're kind of late, aren't you?"}

_{Amanda glanced at the clock. "Only forty-five minutes. Joey's coach drove us home and treated us to dinner first."}

_{Richard felt his blood pressure shoot up. "You've already had dinner?"}

_{Amanda nodded. "Uh-huh."}

_{"Then that's the last practice of Joey's you'll go to."}

_{His niece's jaw dropped. "What!"}

_{Richard said sternly, "Practice was supposed to be over by four and you were supposed to be home by four-thirty. That's what time you told me. And you didn't even have the courtesy to call. You've lost the privilege of going to Joey's practices."}

_{"No!" Amanda shrieked.}

_{"Ha-ha-ha," Jason sneered.}

_{Amanda shrieked again, yanked off her beret and threw it at her brother. Jason shot out of the chair and
went after her. Richard, feeling like a lion tamer in a cage, quickly wedged himself between the children. He caught both by the arm and sat them down at the table.}

_{"Stop it," he said. "I will have some order in this house, and if you don't like it, too bad. Jason, you're in trouble already, so don't make it worse for yourself. Amanda, courtesy starts at home, and you will adhere to' it. I expect you here directly after school. You will do your homework, and you will obey the rules of the house. If you show me you understand them and will abide by them, I'll change my decision about your attending things at Joey's school. You made a choice. You] screwed up. You do have the ability to be paroled early for good behavior, okay? But you do this again, and you won't see the outside of your room until you're out of college. You, too, Jay. Do you both understand?"}

_{The children nodded.}

_{"Okay," Richard said, nodding back. "Jay, finish, your homework and get ready for dinner. Amanda, go up to your room and do yours. I'll look at it after we eat."}

_{The kids dispersed on their appointed tasks. Richard* puffed his chest out, feeling more in control than ever. The things a little extra sleep and a little less chaos could do.}

_{Callie gazed at him thoughtfully. Richard smiled at her. "Not bad, eh?" "Not at all."}

_{"Just remember, I don't need you for this. I need youj for
this.*}
⁹

_{He kissed her thoroughly. "Poopies!" Mark yelled.}

_{Chapter Fourteen}

_{"Mark's out like a light."}

_{Callie chuckled at Richard's leer. She knew she shouldn't, but somehow Mark's afternoon nap time was rapidly becoming let's-fool-around time for the adults.}

_{"I have three letters to write and fax for you," she murmured, then sucked in her breath when he lifted her hair and kissed the nape of her neck. Who knew napes were so sensitive? Especially hers. She needed to concentrate on business. It was improving, but they had to stay on top of it. "They're regarding those bids, which are due in Hong Kong today."}

_{"Write 'em tomorrow, I don't care."}

_{He pulled her from behind his desk and into his arms. He fitted his mouth to hers in a perfect kiss. Callie's head spun, the sensations pushing her out of control.}

_{"How am I supposed to resist this?" she asked when he turned his attention to her throat and chest.}

_{"You're not." He grinned against her skin, having already unbuttoned the top of her blouse. She had no clue when he had done it.}

_{"I should. I really should." She meant it only halfheartedly. "I am supposed to be
working
for you."}

_{"You are, and you're doing a marvelous job." He
gave her another breathless kiss. "This is break time - and you're doing a marvelous job there, too."}

_{This is confusion time,
she thought. Her feelings for him confused her more and more, especially being with him like this.}

_{When they went upstairs - on tiptoe past Mark's closed door - her heart led the way. Her soul made love with his, just as their bodies came together as one. He was exquisite, everything she needed or wanted, and not just in making love.}

_{Spending long hours in his household had shown her that people could share responsibility. Richard entrusted her to run the core of his business, giving her direction and then letting her get on with it. He spent his time caring for his niece and nephews, going to her only for advice on discipline. She involved herself as much as she wanted, and she wanted to much more than she needed to. She also loved the job and, truth be told, didn't want to go back to her old one. One of the best changes in this quick change of her life was that she'd found the time to get caught up in her college courses. All thanks to Richard.}

_{As she lay with him in the aftermath of their lovemaking, replete, she admitted what her heart had known almost from the first moment they'd met. She loved him. How could she not? He was a caring man, a sexy man, a strong man and a tender man. Her fierce need to protect her dreams and goals was easing because they seemed as much a priority to him as to her. Maybe, in the right situation, she could have it all. Maybe this was the right situation. Maybe it didn't matter whether it was right or not, because she loved him.}

_{"What are you thinking?" Richard asked, stroking her arm and kissing her hair.}

_{"That you are a marvelous man." He smiled, his eyes closed. "You're sweet-talking me, woman."}

_{"You deserve it."}

_{He laughed. His fingers traveled down her spine and over the curve of her derriere. He cupped her flesh, his palms kneading. Warm liquid pooled deep within her.}

_{"You're going to kiss me, too," she added in a whisper. "And I will die a happy woman."}

_{"Good." He opened his eyes and gazed at her. "I know you aren't ready to hear it, but I have to say it. I love you, Callie."}

_{Callie swallowed, knowing that if she told him the same she would be taking a big step toward trusting him. "I love you, too."}

_{He turned to her, his lion's eyes wide. "Cailie."}

_{She kissed him softly. "I have for a long time and it scared me. Maybe I'm not so scared anymore. Well, I am, but I love you more than I'm scared."}

_{He pulled her on top of him and brushed her hair back from her face. "I don't know what I did to make you come around, but I am so glad you did."}

_{"You did nothing and everything." She kissed his nose. "You yelled at me, harangued me and basically shamed me into loving you, I think."}

_{"Now there's a strong recommendation," he said ruefully.}

_{She kissed him again. "I think I needed it. I do have to let the past go, just as you said. But, Richard, please don't take ten steps forward because I've taken this one, okay? Wait until I'm there with you."}