They’d slept for three hours now. The sight of the two of them tugged at her heart. Dillon appeared to take to fatherhood and he took it seriously, but seeing them didn’t soothe the worry. She wasn’t sure anything would. Since Janey’s death, she hadn’t left Annie for more than an hour or two. She didn’t know how to explain it to him either. Despite knowing Annie was perfectly safe, the thought of leaving her still wrenched at her gut. Emma had never been very good at letting go.
Seeing Dillon with his daughter gave her hope for the two of them. He was a good father, attentive and patient, which made him all the more attractive.
Her heart hammered, the memory of their bet sliding to mind. She shouldn’t have done it. She should have turned him down flat. It would have been the proper thing to do. While the very thought of leaving Annie alone with him rattled her nerves, she didn’t want him to fail. For Annie’s sake, she wanted him to succeed.
So why had she accepted Dillon’s challenge?
The temptation had been too much to resist. When she returned, she’d have to kiss him. A bet was a bet and she didn’t go back on a promise. Oh how she yearned for a taste of that man’s mouth, for the passion his eyes promised.
She didn’t date much. Not like Janey. She wasn’t tall, leggy, and outgoing. No, she was short, brainy, and shy. Add Coke-bottle glasses and she’d make the perfect geek. Men didn’t notice her. Never had. The few that did usually only wanted one thing. She’d never gotten caught up in passion for the sake of getting caught up in it, the way Janey had far too often. Fear of repeating that awful night in high school always stopped her.
It didn’t stop her from wanting it. From wanting to experience passion at a man’s touch. To make matters worse, she wanted that passion with Dillon. Being in his house the last few days, she ached for his touch. Watching him with Annie, she had a feeling his gentleness would transfer to the bedroom.
This bet was reckless and wild and not like her at all, which provided a temptation she couldn’t to resist.
Heaven help her if she actually lost this bet.
Annie stirred and pushed upright on Dillon’s chest. She blinked sleepily and looked around in confusion. Catching sight of Emma, her mouth curled into a grin.
“Hi, sweet girl.” Emma set her coffee cup on the table and padded across the room to smile down at Annie. “Did you have a good sleep?”
Annie burbled a happy reply and then turned to stare down at Dillon for a moment. She patted his mouth and squealed. “Da!”
Emma’s heart warmed. Technically that was Annie’s first word and she uttered it all the time, usually grinning with pleasure when it earned her a response. At this point, it was more an innocuous sound that she’d learned. Annie had yet to associate it with a person, but the first time she spoke it in Dillon’s presence, his entire face lit up.
“Oh, sweetheart, be gentle. Daddy’s sleeping.” Annie patted his mouth again and squealed in what appeared to be an effort to get him to respond. Curious to know how he would respond, Emma stood back to watch.
Dillon’s eyes finally fluttered open. When they focused, a grin slid across his mouth. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Annie smiled, squealed, and patted his mouth again. “Da da da!”
Seeming to understand, he stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth and crossed his eyes. Annie rewarded him with a hearty giggle and his smile widened. Tenderness slid into his dark eyes, and the emotion hit Emma’s chest like a wayward arrow. Joy for Annie filled her. She deserved a good father, and Emma’s heart swelled with pride to see she and Janey had been right about Dillon.
Yet seeing their closeness made Emma’s chest ache for all the things she might never have. Like a family of her own. Call her a hopeless romantic, but she wanted it all, the white picket fence, two kids, and a dog. Always had. She just wasn’t sure it was possible for her. Wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to put the past behind her enough to move into the future. So far, she hadn’t found a man patient enough. Once men figured out she wouldn’t sleep with them, they dropped her like a hot potato. Watching Dillon and Annie gave her a glimpse of what it could be like, and some part of her held tight to the hope blossoming inside of her like a flower in spring.
Dillon’s head turned, his gaze locking on her. “I fell asleep.”
Shoving the emotions firmly away, Emma managed a smile. “I’m not surprised. You were pretty tired.”
He turned back to Annie, concern creeping in his eyes. “That could be a problem, couldn’t it?”