Getting Her Back

by Wylder, Penny

  What the hell just happened?

  And more than that… how screwed am I now?

  * * *

  I’m standing with a circle of the dads—some from the neighborhood whose kids have grown up with Lina, and a few from my office with kids of their own who go to school with her.

  On the far side of the yard, Lina and the other kids surround Tilly in an excited huddle, tugging on her skirts for attention, their faces eager as she crowns them each one at a time. Every girl gets a different sparkly tiara, and every boy gets a different golden crown, which shine so bright my eyes hurt just looking at them.

  She’s instructing them on the game they’re going to play next, some new version of tag with dragons and knights and princess—or, in Lina’s case, “Princess Knights”, because she wants to be one of the people chasing the dragons. I’m grinning ear-to-ear, and not only because Lina is happier and more excited than I’ve seen her in weeks.

  It’s also because I can’t help being impressed by how easily Tilly guides the herd of kids. I know it’s her job and all, so I shouldn’t be that surprised she likes kids, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a woman act like this with Lina. Joking, winking, leaning down to whisper secrets in her ear—but sharing those secrets with the other girls too, so nobody gets too jealous or upset.

  She’s a natural at this. I watch her shout to start the game, and the kids scatter, and she straightens. Now, my thoughts trip back to the place they skirted around in the hallway.

  Because just based on the way she moves, the way her hips sway and she stretches her arms comfortably, I can tell she’s at ease in her own body. Sexy in a simple, uncomplicated way—she’s not showing off or trying to lure anyone in. This is just how she is, naturally.

  And it’s damn fucking attractive. I can’t stop thinking about what she must look like without the Party Princess getup. I can’t stop thinking about how I’d like to tear all that off her, catch her alone in my room and toss that dress on the floor, then kneel in front of her and press a kiss to her soft belly, my mouth moving lower as she drops her hands to bury them in my hair and gasp in that sexy, soft voice she has…

  Then, almost as though she can feel my stare, Tilly turns around and flashes me a grin across the yard. It’s a cocky, off-center grin. The kind of smile that tells me she knows exactly what kind of trouble she’s causing.

  I grit my teeth. Any more of this and I’m going to have to find a quiet corner to sit in until my body calms the fuck down. Until all the blood in my head stops racing straight to my dick.

  Beside me, Bill from accounting coughs and casts an eye around the yard for his wife. “Damn. If I’d known you hired such fucking hot entertainment, Killian, I’d have come to this party solo. Please tell me the princess is staying for an adults-only show after this.”

  All that blood racing south reroutes in an instant and pounds through my temples instead. I ball my fists and round on him. “What the hell is wrong with you, Bill?”

  “Whoa.” He takes a step back, hands raised, his eyes wide with surprise. “Hey, I was just joking, Kill.”

  “Don’t talk about her like that,” I spit.

  To my annoyance, his surprise melts into something worse. A sort of confident, knowing smirk. “Oh I see how it is. Party girl’s already spoken for. My bad.”

  “That’s not—” I sputter to a halt and clear my throat hard. “It is not appropriate to speak about women like that, Bill. She’s just doing her job. How would you like it if someone said that kind of shit about your daughter once she’s all grown up?”

  He scowls, the smirk melting away. “You know, you used to be fun, Kill. Back before all this crap.” He waves a hand at the yard.

  “This crap? My daughter happens to be the most important thing in my life,” I respond, voice pitched low. A couple of the other guys glance our way, but I don’t care. I glare at Bill. “Not my fault you didn’t change at all when you had a child. You should figure out what’s really important to you, Bill.”

  He storms away from me, stung. I couldn’t care less. I watch him beeline into the house toward the fridge where I keep beers for the adult party guests. Let him stew, who cares.

  One of the other guys, a father I don’t know too well, one of Lina’s friends from school, sidles up to me. “Thanks for saying something,” he murmurs. “I think most of us wanted to.”

  I force out a laugh then, and shake my head, before I move away from the cluster of guys. What the hell was that, anyway? I know Bill likes to say that kind of shit. Normally it doesn’t get to me.

  But hearing him say it about her…

  I glance across the yard to Tilly. She’s joined in the game she started, and is currently being chased by Lina, the latter of whom has a plastic sword in her hand she’s brandishing with an almost tribal yell. I swallow hard, throat dry, unable to tear my gaze from Tilly’s face, lit by the bright sun overhead, her mouth open in an ecstatic laugh, her blue eyes flashing.

  She is fucking gorgeous. Perfect.

  At that moment, our eyes lock again, and she flashes me a wink, right there in front of half the yard. At that moment, I know in my gut I’m fucking screwed.

  * * *

  This full-length novel contains a stone-cold-fox single dad who's ready for a second chance at love, and the sassy but sweet woman who compliments him perfectly. NO cheating, lots of kindle-melting action, and always a happily ever after!

  Keep reading here!

  Books By Penny Wylder

  Filthy Boss

  Her Dad’s Friend

  Rockstars F#*k Harder

  The Virgin Intern

  Her Dirty Professor

  The Pool Boy

  Get Me Off

  Caught Together

  Selling Out to the Billionaire

  Falling for the Babysitter

  Lip Service

  Full Service

  Expert Service

  The Billionaire’s Virgin

  The Billionaire’s Secret Babies

  Her Best Friend’s Dad

  Own Me

  The Billionaire’s Gamble

  Seven Days With Her Boss

  Virgin in the Middle

  The Virgin Promise

  First and Last

  Tease

  Spread

  Bang

  Second Chance Stepbrother

  Dirty Promise

  Sext

  Quickie

  Bed Shaker

  Deep in You

  The Billionaire’s Toy

  Buying the Bride

  Dating My Friend’s Daughter

  Big Man

  Trapped with My Teacher

  My 5 Bosses

  Good Girls Say Yes

  His Big Offer

  Dangerous Love

  The Roommate’s Baby

  Perfect Boss

  Cowboy Husband

  Knocked Up By Her Brother’s Enemy

  Flirt

  Lust

  Claim

  The Wife Arrangement

  Big Mountain

  The Baby Maker’s Club

  Prom King

  The Single Dad Arrangement