A Daddy for Her Daughter (10 page)

“Why?”

Kaleb hadn't expected the bald question, so he shifted for a second, trying to figure out a good answer for what had been an impulsive statement. “Because you work hard, and you deserve it. Just like Roxy thinks you do. You have a good sister, you know.”

“Oh, I know. She rescued me.” As if realizing that sounded a little weird, she continued. “Matthew was getting harder and harder to avoid in my little hometown. Gamble Point, Nebraska, actually. Roxy suggested I move to the city and make a clean break of it. I never expected him to follow me. If he'd hurt anyone, I never would have—”

“He didn't, Maddy.”

“I know, but...” She shook her head as if trying to blot out that horrific image. “Anyway, sit down. And thanks for staying.”

“Thanks for asking me.”

Just then her cell phone rang. He nodded toward her purse. “Feel free.”

“I'll just be a minute.” She got out her phone and glanced at the readout. “It's my mom. I'll try to make it quick.”

“Take your time.”

While Maddy talked to her mother, who had obviously called to wish her a happy birthday, Kaleb wandered around the living room, glancing at pictures of her and various family members on the mantelpiece. One of the shots was of a woman with the same curly hair as Maddy, threaded with a few strands of gray. That had to be her mother.

He peered closer. He could certainly see where Maddy and Roxy got their looks. A man in bib overalls had to be her father. She'd mentioned that he died in a tractor accident and the snapshot was older than the one of her mom. He didn't see any other ones of the man. A twinge of pain cramped his lungs for a moment. His own parents were still very much alive. Still very much hoping for another grandchild, although Kaleb didn't see that happening anytime soon, if ever. The genetic dice hadn't rolled in his favor the first time, and he couldn't guarantee the outcome would be any better a second time. He couldn't see himself putting his heart—or a child's life—at risk like that. Once had been more than enough.

Having Chloe propped on his shoulders had reawakened feelings that were better off left dead. And Maddy obviously felt the same way about Chloe getting attached to another man.

He picked up a picture of Maddy holding a bundle wrapped in a hospital blanket. She was smiling, but the curve of her lips seemed uncertain and more than a little sad. He studied the picture. Her hair was longer than it was now, but she still had the same expressive eyes. The same high cheekbones. The woman from the previous picture was also present, leaning down beside Maddy, her cheek pressed to her daughter's. Matthew was not in the picture, although it was possible she had got rid of any reminders of what must have been a terribly unhappy and unstable marriage. He set the picture back down, a rumble starting up in his gut that wasn't caused by hunger.

Something had happened, even back then. But it wasn't his place to ask. Especially since the last thing he wanted to do was exchange confidences about their pasts. He didn't want to talk about Grace. Or his own failed marriage. At least Maddy still had her child.

“Sorry about that. She wanted to wish me a happy birthday.”

He nodded at the picture he'd just held. “Is that her?”

Maddy glanced at it. “Yes. I'm trying to talk her into moving to Seattle, but she doesn't want to leave Nebraska.”

“You have her eyes. Her smile.”

“Thank you. I love my mother's smile. She's a truly kind woman.”

“I can believe that, judging from the pictures. But then again, so are you.”

Something in the atmosphere changed slightly as Maddy's eyes met his. “D-do you want to eat?”

Eat. Yes. That was the thing he should do.

Instead, he moved a step or two closer. “Happy birthday, again, Maddy. Has it been a good one?”

“It has. Especially now.”

He wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but he cupped her face, meaning to give her a quick birthday kiss. But when his lips touched hers, they suddenly had a mind of their own and lingered a little longer than he'd meant them to. When Maddy didn't move to break the contact, he slid an arm behind her back and edged her another step closer. Still no protest on her part.

To hell with it. They were both grown-ups. If they spent a night together, it was no big deal. She'd said herself she didn't want to spend her birthday alone. Well, he didn't want to spend the night alone either, and it had been forever since he'd been with anyone. She'd made it clear that she wanted no ties to a man. And he wanted no commitments to a woman.

It was the perfect marriage.

No. Not marriage. It was the perfect arrangement. An arrangement that would last a single night. Maybe not even that long.

But you're in her house. Off your own turf.

It didn't matter, because there was no question about where Maddy's loyalties lay. With her daughter and no one else. He just needed to be certain they were on the same page. He eased back. Landed a few more kisses on her soft lips. “How hungry are you?”

Her hands went to the back of his neck. “Pretty hungry.”

His gut sank before coming back up. The way she'd said that... “Hungry. For dinner?”

“Do you need to ask?”

No, he didn't, since she was holding on to him as tightly as he was holding her. This time when he kissed her, he did it without holding back, landing his mouth on hers and slanting over it. His fingers went underneath her tank top, finding the warm skin of her waist before sliding around to her bare back. She was impossibly silky and smooth, and he couldn't stop one of his hands from running up her spine, feeling the bumps of her vertebrae beneath his seeking fingertips.

Wanting to touch more of her, he found the hem of her shirt and tugged it up, unlocking their lips long enough to haul it over her head before finding her mouth again. This time, his tongue slid in to find hers.

The woman tasted like mint with an edge of sweetness that was all Maddy. And he couldn't get enough of her.

Her hands went to his chest, splaying over it as he pulled her closer. He found her bra clasp and the need to unhook it thrummed within him. But he wanted to enjoy this. Every second of it.

He hadn't planned on coming back to her place and doing this, but, now that it had happened, he was going to make it last. If this was going to be the only time he had with her, he wasn't going to punt a field goal when he could run the play all the way home.

Pulling free from her for a couple more seconds, he yanked his own shirt over his head, taking a moment to look at her. Clad in a lacy black bra, casual capri pants and her sandals, the woman was gorgeous. Her lips were pink from his kisses, her hair in glorious disarray from the breeze earlier. She looked like a modern-day Eve. A temptress who was holding out a very different kind of fruit. One he couldn't wait to taste. To savor. Until he'd devoured every last bite.

“I'm glad I had Roxy take Chloe after all.”

“Are you?” He leaned in and nipped her bottom lip. “What about that bubble bath you were looking forward to?”

“I'm still looking forward to it.”

He frowned. Maybe he'd misunderstood her. But no. They were both standing there partially clothed.

Maddy hooked a finger in the waistband of his jeans. “The present Roxy gave me—it's everything I need for a relaxing night in the tub. Bath salts, bubbles. A loofah.”

“A what?”

“It's a... You'll have to experience it to understand. But it's heavenly.”

It couldn't be any more heavenly than what he was looking at right now. “And you're telling me this because?”

“Because the bathtub in this apartment is oversized.”

His body went on high alert. “Are you saying it's more than enough for one person?”

“I'm saying it's more than enough for two people. That tub was what sold me on the apartment. It seemed like the perfect place to unwind after a hard day.” She grinned. “Except, I think I've only gotten to use it once.”

“I'm sure it's hard when you have a child pounding down the door.”

“Exactly. But there's no child right now. And Jetta isn't overly fond of water. So I'm pretty sure we're safe.”

“
Safe
is a relative word.” One side of his mouth went up. “Are you inviting me into your tub, Dr. Grimes?”

“It depends on whether or not you'd accept the offer.”

“I don't think there's any question of that. It's more of a question of how long it will take to fill that tub.”

“How about if I go in and get it started and then call you when I'm ready?”

* * *

Maddy scooted beneath a mountain of bubbles until only her head and neck were showing. The second thoughts that had churned to life the second she'd turned on the tap had now morphed into third and fourth thoughts. It was probably too late to back out now, though, especially since she was completely naked and was pretty sure Kaleb was waiting on the other side of that door. She could always send him away. But she didn't want to.

So what was the problem?

The problem was she hadn't done this in a very long time. And the last time had been when she was pregnant with Chloe, and it had been terrible. Matthew had barely been able to look at her back then. And now she had stretch marks and a little more meat on her hips than she'd had in her younger years. What if she saw the same look of disgust in Kaleb's eyes that she'd witnessed in Matthew's?

She should tell him to leave. Now. Before he had a chance to see her.

No. She was buried beneath the bubbles. It was one of the reasons she'd told him about Roxy's gifts. It gave her an excuse to whip the water into a frothy mass that covered everything. He could feel her, and they could make love, but it wouldn't be like lying naked on the bed, her every flaw exposed to his eyes.

Yes. She wanted to do this. Despite her fears, she had a feeling that Kaleb, despite all the flirting he did, would be a passionate but fair lover. He wouldn't expect perfection. At least she hoped he wouldn't.

She sank even lower, mounding more bubbles over her breasts.

“Everything okay in there?”

She'd turned the water off minutes ago, so he must be wondering what was taking so long. “Yes.”

“Well, may I come in?” There was a thread of amusement in his voice.

“Do you promise not to laugh?”

This time there was a prolonged pause. “Why would I laugh?”

Her face flamed to life. Did he want her to spell it out? “Because I'm not...I'm not... I don't want you to laugh at me.”

“Maddy, the last thing I feel like doing right now is laughing.” The doorknob turned, but he didn't shove the door open immediately. “I'm coming in. If you don't want me to, you'd better tell me now.”

She bit her tongue to keep herself from shouting for him to stay out.

The door opened just enough for him to slide through. Maddy half expected him to burst into the room fully naked, ready for action. But the man was dressed exactly as she'd left him. His chest was bare, but he still had on his jeans, which were slung low around his lean hips. Even his shoes and socks were still in place.

He closed the door and leaned against it, studying her for several heart-pounding seconds. Long enough that she wondered if the bubbles had dissipated, allowing him to see her through the water. She forced herself to keep meeting his eyes, refusing to cower, even though she wanted nothing more than to leap from the tub, grab the nearest towel and cocoon herself in it.

Moving from his post, he sat on the very edge of the tub. “Why would I laugh?”

She swallowed. “I've had a child. My body isn't... It isn't like it used to be.”

“You're beautiful. I don't need to see you naked to know that.” He dipped a finger beneath the bubbles and scooped up a small amount, plopping it onto her nose. He smiled. “Still not laughing.”

“Thank you.” The simple words almost got stuck in her throat but she forced them out.

He leaned down and kissed her mouth. “Are you sure there's room in there for me?”

“Oh, yes.”

With that, he stood up and toed off one shoe and then the other while she watched. He rolled off his socks, revealing strong feet, the slightest dusting of dark hair across the top giving them a decidedly masculine edge. Maddy's mouth watered.

He was going to be in the tub in a few more seconds and those hands would touch her all over. Only this time there would be no clothes between them.

His wallet came out of his pocket. He opened it. Took out a condom from a little side section. Lord, she hoped that was something he always carried and not something he'd put in there just for this occasion.

Maybe he saw the uncertainty on her face because he stopped and traced a line down the length of her jaw. “I wasn't scheming to get into your bed when I left my house this morning, if that's what you're wondering.”

“Of course not.” But it was, and they both knew it.

Some woman was going to be very lucky to have him one day. For a second she wished it were her, before shutting down that line of thought completely. She had Chloe to think about. And there was no way she was going to set up her daughter to be hurt by a man. She hadn't allowed Matthew to do that. And she wasn't going to risk it with anyone else. Not right now. Maybe when Chloe was old enough to understand that relationships were never a certainty.

She shook that from her thoughts before she ruined everything.

Kaleb fished his keys from one of his front pockets and set them on the side of the sink. Then he smiled. “Do you have a dryer?”

“Yes, of course, but why do you—”

She hadn't even got the words out of her mouth before Kaleb stepped into the bathtub, still clad in his jeans.

“What are you doing?” The words came out as a choked laugh.