The Playboy's Baby(37)

“Two weeks.”

His mind raced ahead. Plenty of time to get her moved into town. “Well, my offer still stands.”

She was silent for a moment. “You know, there’s an entire town full of people you could hire. Why me?”

He sighed, thought about giving her another excuse, and then decided to be honest with her. “Because I trust you. Because I want Annie in town, with me. Permanently.”

Silence rose like a mountain between them, the ease gone, and the air suddenly heavy with tension. For several heartbeats, neither said anything.

“Am I just a means to an end? A road block to get out of the way?”

The harsh, suspicious tone to her voice made him cringe and he let out a heavy breath.

“Not even close.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I won’t take her away from you. I couldn’t do that. That wouldn’t be fair to you. So, I thought of something that would benefit all three of us.”

True, her taking this job would get her, and Annie, back into town, but it had become about more than just a need to keep his daughter nearby. He had this overwhelming need to not only take care of Annie, but Emma too.

Moreover, he wanted her to know he’d always be there for her. Emma needed someone to care for her. He wanted to be that someone. Wanted it with a fierceness that scared the hell out of him, but one he couldn’t deny anymore than he could deny himself his next breath.

Not that he could tell her any of that. “Just…promise me you’ll seriously consider it.”

“I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.” Yeah, he looked forward to that too. To finally getting to see her, to look into her eyes. “Night, Em.”

“Night, Dillon.”





Chapter Eight





After having spent the last three nights falling asleep to the sound of his voice, the thought of seeing Dillon again left Emma a tangle of emotions. The entire drive back to Hastings Saturday morning had a knot of guilt firmly in the pit of her stomach. She shouldn’t look forward to seeing him. The man was forbidden, completely off limits. On some level, she knew that.

Yet, underneath it all, beat an emotion that refused let go—need. A connection had grown between them that hadn’t been there before. After having spent the last three nights lying in the dark talking to him, she felt closer to him than ever. She’d never had that kind of a connection in any of her romantic relationships. Fear of the past repeating itself always held her back, convinced her over the years that family and work provided all she needed. Janey had always been the one she talked to when she needed to confide in someone. That she had this connection with Dillon, of all people, flat out floored her.

Right or wrong, she needed to see the glimmer of recognition in his eyes.

When she actually pulled into the driveway, those giddy happy little butterflies began to dance in her stomach. Dillon had told her to let herself in, but her hands trembled so much getting the key in the lock proved a challenge. Finally, opening the front door and stepping inside, she held her breath in anticipation of seeing him.

“There she is.”

Emma turned her head toward the sound of Dillon’s voice. He sat in a chair beside the kitchen table, Annie in her high chair in front of him. He held a spoonful of something out to her waiting mouth. Watching the two of them, Emma had the sudden sense of having come home. A sense of rightness.

She immediately scanned Annie, relieved to see she looked not only okay, but there was a happy little sparkle in her eyes. She bounced in the seat, waving her arms at Emma to be picked up.

“How was the drive?” Dillon turned in the chair to look back at her, a soft smile on his mouth.

The instant their gazes collided, the glimmer of recognition, of the last three nights and the almost intimate conversations, jumped out at her. She heard again the quiet huskiness of his voice, the things he shared with her, felt again the closeness between them. All reflected back at her from the depths of his dark eyes. The way his gaze reached out to hers said without a doubt he looked forward to seeing her too.

“Uneventful.” She closed the door behind her.

The memories flooded her. With them came the need to touch him, to connect, physically. She felt a near overwhelming desire to press herself along the length of that tall frame and feel his arms wrap around her. To feel the warmth and safety she found there.

Dillon broke the gaze first. Turning back to Annie, he scooped another spoonful of what looked like applesauce and deposited it into her open mouth. “You didn’t scratch my car, did you?”

His voice held a teasing lilt that set her heart flip-flopping and immediately inspired a grin.