by Rita Herron
“I can take care of myself,” Paige cut in.
His eyebrow shot up in surprise. “Well, if you ever need anything, I’m right next door.”
She smiled as if she’d understood his double meaning and might take him up on it, and his heartbeat picked up to an unsteady beat. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.”
Early morning light shimmered on the russet strands of her tousled hair casting a softness to her face that added to her vulnerability. Her soft voice almost shattered his control, made him forget about Derrick and Dash. She caught his gaze, and a flicker of desire darkened the centers of her beautiful green eyes. He couldn’t resist the impulse to touch her.
His fingers trembled slightly as he gently rubbed her chin with his thumb. He heard her breathe, a soft whisper of desire that coiled his insides with fiery heat, then pulled her mouth to his, teasing her lips with his as he inhaled the sultry scent of her shampoo and feminine sweetness. Then he hesitated, half expecting her to pull away, but he saw the pulse hammering at the base of her neck and realized she wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted her.
She tasted of strawberries and cream and a hint of strong, delicious coffee, sweet and luscious. When her lips melded against his, he felt her need in the involuntary way she parted her lips to taste him. With a quiet sigh of feminine yearning, she accepted the invasion of his tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth and he seared her lips with his, totally claiming her. Leaning forward, he felt her body press against his, and he thrust his hand deep into the tresses of her already sleep-tousled hair, wishing for the life of him he could bury his whole body inside hers.
Her hand sank into his thick hair and he heard a low moan and realized he’d made the sound. Anxious to be closer, he scooted back his chair and slid his other arm behind her back, stroking the column of her spine, his body hardening with desire when he felt her breasts press against his chest.
“Daddy!” the girls yelled from outside.
The two of them jumped apart guiltily. He stood so abruptly his chair fell backward and hit the floor with a loud thud. Paige’s creamy skin looked flushed and her lips were bruised and swollen from his kisses. Her troubled gaze locked with his, but she quickly averted her eyes and stood, then turned to the stove when August and Summer screamed for him again. He quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets.
The girls banged on the screened door, jerking him back to reality. And reminding him of the very reason he shouldn’t be kissing Paige. “Daddy, come check the kitties. Fluffy’s climbing out of the box!” August yelled.
“Uh, I guess I’d better go.” He righted the chair, hating the way his husky voice betrayed his calm. Paige nodded, still not facing him.
“Paige?”
“Hmm?”
“Look at me.”
She paused, finally meeting his gaze. Confusion clouded her expression, but he also saw the desire still nestled in its wake and his gut clenched. In spite of all the warning bells clamoring in his head, he wanted to kiss her again.
“Daddy! Hurry!”
“I…I’d better go. Thanks for breakfast.”
Instantly she glanced at her hands and shoved the bowl in the sink. “Sure, no problem.”
He opened his mouth to tell her the kiss was a mistake, but snapped it closed, deciding he couldn’t say the words, not when he wanted to repeat the experience all over again. He remembered her hands in his hair, her voluptuous body pressed against his own rock hard one. “I’ll see you later,” he finally said.
She still wasn’t looking at him; she only nodded in response.
“Listen, I have to go to the clinic for a while. But you’ve done me two favors now. The tea and breakfast. Why don’t you come over tonight and the girls and I’ll cook dinner for you?”
“I don’t know, Zeke. I have to work and—”
“It’s only dinner, Paige. A backyard barbecue. You helped us out. Now we’re simply returning the favor. Besides, I found a couple of puppies that should be suitable for watchdogs, and we can pick a time to deliver them.”
“Okay. But, Zeke, we’ll make sure the girls know we’re only friends.” She finally faced him, her expression troubled. “I’m going to finish my degree. I don’t want to get involved with a man with children, and I don’t want to mislead the girls either.”
He gave her a tight smile, his chest constricting at her declaration. “Right. We’ll make sure they know that. See you at seven.”
Then he strode to his house, more confused than ever. He’d thought Paige wanted him, and she seemed to like the twins. But like Renee, her career was more important. She didn’t want the responsibility of a family.
And his family had to come first.
PAIGE FOLDED AN assortment of delicate lacy undergarments that had been shipped to the boutique and arranged them on a display table. She hadn’t been able to shake Zeke from her mind. She fingered the trim on a pair of sheer black thong panties, suddenly wondering if Zeke would like them. After arranging several bottles of body liqueurs and oils on the shelf beside the lingerie, she lifted the top and sniffed one of the sample bottles. Piña colada. Hmm, yum. Would Zeke like the fruity taste?
She snapped the lid back on the bottle. Heaven help her. She’d never lusted for a man in her life. And now, she was thinking of seducing her neighbor with see-through lacy undergarments and edible body liqueurs.
Her lips still burned from Zeke’s flaming kiss. She’d never reacted so strongly to a male friend as she had to Zeke. Her reaction was crazy—it wasn’t as if she’d never been with a man. She and Eric had been intimate; after all, she’d spent two years with him. But looking back on their relationship, she realized he hadn’t made her body yearn and burn the way Zeke’s simple kiss had. Actually, she and Eric hadn’t spent a lot of time alone, they’d always included Joey. Could she have made herself believe she was in love with Eric simply because she had loved his little boy?
She had to admit, she hadn’t really missed Eric as much as she’d expected, and she certainly hadn’t thought about his kisses for hours afterward, had never daydreamed about taking his clothes off and making love to him the way she’d been daydreaming of Zeke all morning. Sex with Eric had been rare, and…boring. The thought of falling into bed with Zeke and devouring his tantalizing muscular body sent a shiver of wicked delight up her spine. And his reaction seemed equally volatile, making her wonder… Hmm.
“Paige! Hey!” Amelia sauntered through the door, her arms laden with expensive-looking packages.
“Hey, Amelia. Looks as if you bought out the stores.”
“I’m getting ready for my honeymoon.” She grinned and headed straight to the lingerie table, immediately grabbing a pair of white bikini thongs. “I’ll take these.” Amelia gathered up several more undergarments, oblivious to the cost.
“How did you and Dash get along?” Amelia propped her elbow on the counter while Paige totaled up the items.
Paige wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think he’s my type.”
“He likes to party. I thought you wanted that,” Amelia said.
“I thought so, too.” Paige carefully wrapped each of Amelia’s purchases in flowered tissue paper. “But he and I…well, the chemistry just wasn’t there.”
“No animal attraction, huh?”
Paige laughed. “Yeah.” Unlike Zeke.
“Well, we’ll keep looking. Derrick has lots of friends.” Amelia pulled out her credit card. “Let’s see—describe your perfect man.”
Paige drummed her fingers on the counter in thought. “Warm, friendly, sexy, good with kids. Tall, dark, broad shouldered, olive skin.”
Amelia laughed. Paige caught herself and inwardly winced when she realized she’d described Zeke. She ran Amelia’s card through the computer, then handed it back to her.
“Unattached, no kids, lots of money, free and adventuresome, right?” Amelia added.
“Right.” Free and adventuresome. Not already tied down with a family. Paige shifted the conversation to
her friend, “Listen, you want to shop tomorrow for your dress? I thought we could check the bridal shops. You can point out styles you like and we’ll work up a design.”
“Great!” Amelia gave her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re making my wedding gown.”
“I’ll draw a few sketches tonight,” Paige said.
“Perfect.” Amelia collected her packages and hurried out the door. Paige watched her go, wishing her own life was as interesting as Amelia’s.
Beverly glided in. “If you don’t have plans tonight, drop by for Chinese. There’s a Brad Pitt movie on cable.”
Paige thumped her thumb on her chin. “Now, that’s tempting, but I’ve been invited to dinner.”
Beverly clicked her silver-polished nails on the counter. “Who’s the lucky man?”
Paige gathered her purse as Beverly locked up the store. “It’s not a date,” Paige said, emphasizing the last word. “My neighbor’s barbecuing.”
“Girlfriend?”
“No, a guy.”
Beverly’s smile turned wicked. “A single man?”
“Yeah, he moved into Eric’s old house.”
“Is he good-looking?”
Paige shrugged. “If you like tall men with dark hair.” And eyes that look like chocolate kisses.
“Sounds pretty good to me,” Beverly said in a teasing voice.
Paige sighed. “No, that house is totally jinxed. He has kids and animals and dirty dishes and—”
“Responsibilities.” Beverly winced and shook her head sympathetically. “Well, maybe you can eat fast and make up some excuse to leave.”
Paige nodded. “Yeah, I have a project due.” She touched her finger to her lips, the memory of the kiss once again surfacing. But unfortunately, she’d be going to bed alone. Because Zeke was anything but free and adventuresome. He had domesticity and homebound stamped right on his sexy forehead. And she must have stupid stamped on hers, because even with all her reservations, she couldn’t shake him from her mind.
No, she had to. She couldn’t take a chance with someone else’s children. What if he left her with the girls, and something happened to them?
ON THE WAY TO the clinic that morning, Zeke had explained to his daughters about dinner and his friends-only relationship with Paige. All day though, the idea gnawed a hole in his stomach. After kissing her, really kissing her, could he be satisfied with a platonic relationship?
While he examined patients, the girls played with some of the pets he’d boarded for the weekend and drew pictures for the bulletin board in the waiting room. The adults seemed to get a kick out of their artwork, especially when the twins featured the clients’ pets in their drawings.
“Um, Dr. Blalock.” His receptionist, Clara strolled in with her clipboard. “I finished the billing, entered all the patient info for the day and checked the appointment calendar for Monday.”
“I guess you’re ready to leave then.”
Clara smiled. “Yep. But I thought you might want to see this.” His eyes bulged when he saw her holding the same crayoned flier advertising for a wife and mother his girls had posted in his neighborhood—his name and phone number in bold letters. No wonder two of his clients had invited him out for dinner. And a third woman had flirted outrageously, embarrassing him in front of Clara!
“Where did you find this?”
Clara smothered a giggle. “On the bulletin board in the cat room.”
“Oh, my God. Did you check the dog room?”
She handed him a second flier. Zeke hissed through his teeth. His daughters had advertised his sexless, single life on his own bulletin board for all his clients to see!
“August! Summer! Come here!”
Both girls ran to him, their eyes widening when he waved the paper in the air.
“Why did you put this up in my office?”
“’Cause you said you and Paige was only friends,” August said.
“And we wanted you to get us a mommy.”
He squeezed the flier between his fingers, taking pleasure in the sound of the scrunching paper. “Get in the car.”
“Uh-oh,” August said.
“He looks really mad,” Summer whispered.
Zeke locked up the clinic. It was going to be a long ride home.
AFTER WORK, PAIGE soaked in the bathtub with some of the strawberry-scented bath oil from the boutique, then toweled off and dressed in a clean pair of jeans and a dark green scooped neck T-shirt the same shade as her eyes. She brushed her hair and left it loose, flowing in waves around her shoulders, then slipped her feet into sandals, dreading going back to the house where she’d spent so much time with Eric and Joey. But dreading even more seeing Zeke after that spectacular kiss. Had he forgotten it—even given it a second thought?
Butterflies danced in her stomach. Ridiculous for her to be nervous. Tonight’s dinner did not constitute a date. This impromptu dinner would prove to the girls they were simply friends. Then she’d ask Amelia to fix her up with another man, someone more suited to her tastes than Dash Huntington. On the way out the door, the evening light caught the gold color of the afghan Joey used to cuddle with, reminding her of her painful loss and strengthening her resolve not to get involved with Zeke.
At exactly seven, she stood on the doorstep to the Blalock house, listening to a mixture of barking and frantic voices coming from inside. August whipped the door open, her face a mass of chocolate. “Come in. We’re making dinner!”
“Paige, oh, no. Is it seven already?” Zeke’s harried expression was almost laughable. He was standing in the middle of the den with toys strewn around, kittens crawling all over the place, and a sleeping dachshund with bandages taped around its middle cradled in his arms. The whole room spelled crisis. And one glance told her he’d dressed in a hurry—once again, his socks didn’t even match.
She should have been fashionably late. Judging from the chaos, she should also run like hell.
“Daddy’s taking care of Peanut.” Summer pointed to the dog. “We didn’t want to leave him alone.”
“He’s a baby, he gets scared at night,” August explained.
Paige nodded mutely, grimacing at the piles of laundry and toys littering the room.
Zeke settled the dog into a pet bed. “I’m sorry. I meant to have everything ready but Peanut had a reaction to the anesthesia and threw up all over the place and the phone’s been ringing. And August wanted to make pudding.”
Paige wrestled with her hands, wondering if he had a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner that could suck all the mess up in one minute. “Uh, what can I do to help?”
“Nothing.”
“Take Fluffy.” Summer thrust the kitten into her arms.
“And don’t trip over my salamander,” August said as Paige tiptoed across the array of toys. The dachshund whined and two golden retriever puppies tumbled from a box and waddled across the floor. Someone had to take charge. Obviously Zeke had lost control.
“Summer, why don’t you pick up the toys while August washes up, then we’ll see about dinner,” Paige said.
“What about the kitties?” August asked.
“I’ll put them in the box,” Paige offered.
Paige faintly remembered a song she’d learned at day care when she was five. She began singing and the girls quickly joined it, “This is the way we clean up, clean up, clean up…” Within minutes, the room looked noticeably better, barring the animal chew toys and the laundry now piled in one basket instead of scattered over the furniture.
“How did you do that?” Zeke asked, staring at Paige in surprise when he saw the miraculous change.
Paige grinned. “We divided the tasks and sang—that way, it seems like fun, not work.”
“I’ll have to try that.” Zeke led her toward the kitchen. He had steaks marinating for the grill and a bag of prepackaged salad ready to open. He tried to hide the plastic packaging and Paige hid a smile.
Summer and August ran in. “Let us butter the rolls.”
“G
irls, I don’t know—”
“Daddy, please.” Zeke gave in to their puppy dog expressions and the girls piled so much butter on the rolls Paige decided she’d be jogging forever to burn off the fat.
“How about a cold drink?” Zeke offered. “You can sit outside and talk to me while I cook the steaks.”
“Sure.” Paige opened a soda and followed Henrietta, the girls and the mother cat through the French doors. The girls raced around the yard playing with hula hoops. Paige tried to relax in the wrought iron chair, but Zeke’s muscular physique mesmerized her, lighting a fire in her belly. The muscles in his arms rippled while he stoked the grill, his firm thighs and butt filled out his jeans to perfection. Heaven help her. Every time she looked at the man, she started lusting after his body. It was sinful for a man to look so sexy in worn-out jeans and a T-shirt. Especially a father.
“So how were things at the clinic today?” Paige asked.
Zeke flipped the steak and shot her a strange look. “The girls posted their fliers on the wall at my clinic and three women propositioned me.”
Paige laughed outright.
“It wasn’t funny,” Zeke said. “I’ve had three calls since I arrived home. Those women probably think I’m some sexless, pathetic—”
“I doubt that’s what they think at all.” Paige immediately wished she hadn’t spoken. Zeke’s gaze trapped hers. Hunger burned in his eyes, the same hunger she felt for him, only it had nothing to do with the steaks that were burning.
Burning. “Zeke, the steaks!’
He whirled around and slapped at the fire with a mitt.
The sound of a car rolling into the driveway jerked their attention from the charred food. Paige wrinkled her face in confusion at Zeke’s frown. “Oh, no. Not my mother.”
“Grammy!” The girls raced to the Cadillac luxury car and pelted the slightly gray-haired woman with kisses as she climbed from the car. Then a much younger woman with dark hair cut in a stylish bob joined them. Was she a relative as well?
Zeke switched off the grill and shoved his hand through his hair, rumpling the long dark strands as his mother approached. “Mom, what are you doing here?”