Her Surprise Engagement (Sorensen Family)

by Ashlee Mallory

  Almost absentmindedly, he noted the light was on above the stove in the kitchen as well as an upstairs hall light. But Emily had mentioned that she would get word to their groundskeepers that guests were arriving today; it was his guess the lights were probably on for their late arrival.

  Oliver stopped beside him, suddenly rigid as he sniffed the air.

  “It’s okay, boy,” Lily said and patted his head. “Let’s go find our room.”

  “Wait,” Jack said, untangling her backpack from the bags on the floor. “Take this with you and make sure you plug your phone in so it’s charged. I’ll be up in a few minutes to tuck you in.”

  “Dad. I think I can put myself to bed. I’m not five.”

  “I’m sure you can.” He paused. They had been here enough times for her to remember where everything was. Particularly the large kids’ room Emily had specially designed to be both a bedroom—complete with four double beds built into a two-level loft style corner of the room—and an entertainment area on the other side, decked out with beanbag chairs, a massive television, video game consoles, and an air hockey table. And that was just the last time they’d been here. “All right. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Night,” she said a little more brightly and raced up the stairs, Ollie on her heels.

  He had to relax. She was growing up and it was perfectly normal for her to want to do things for herself. After grabbing the red reusable Target bag filled with their leftover road trip snacks, he crossed the great room and entered the kitchen, where he set the bag on the counter.

  Odd. There was an opened bottle of wine sitting on the kitchen counter, next to a stack of papers. Walking over to them, he glanced down at what looked like a partially completed application. The header said it was for a small business loan. He scanned its contents, stopping when he read the applicant’s name.

  Who is Daisy Soren—

  At that moment, the French doors that led onto the deck swung open and a dark-haired woman, who probably would barely reach the top of his chin, walked in carrying an empty wine glass.

  That explained the wine, at least.

  Ordinarily, Jack might have taken a more aggressive, almost defensive stance at the prospect of a strange person entering a home where he and his daughter were staying. But from the woman’s appearance, he doubted she was a threat. Far from it.

  Not with the dark, almost black hair piled haphazardly on top of her head, a few pieces loose and framing a softly contoured face that was bright and flushed and altogether lovely. And especially not in that bulky blue bathrobe she had tightened around a slim waist or the fuzzy socks pulled nearly to her knees.

  Her dark brown eyes locked with his and widened.

  If Jack had been surprised to find a strange woman walking into the house, he could only imagine the shock she was experiencing.

  The wine glass she’d been holding dropped to the floor, shattering into a million pieces, and she raised her hand to her mouth as if to hold off a scream.

  This was going to be complicated.

  Chapter Two

  After finally getting the three kids asleep in the massive king-size bed in the master suite, Daisy had sunk wearily into the giant tub located in the adjoining bathroom. For the time being, she’d let the stress of car repairs, her dwindling bank account, and her ex-husband’s broken promises take a much-needed break in the recesses of her mind.

  Instead, she’d focused on just being here.

  In this beautiful home situated on a gorgeous lake, with three wonderful kids and a doting aunt to share it with.

  A trick that had worked, so that when she finally rose from the tub, her fingers pruney and shriveled from the water, she’d felt surprisingly renewed. Rather than waste the moment trying to find sleep squished between her kids’ knees and elbows on the bed, she’d opened the bottle of wine Payton had left out for her and pulled out the bank loan application she’d been sitting on for more than a month.

  Daisy didn’t know how long she’d been working when she was struck by how quiet and still the house was and, realizing the rain finally had stopped, she’d decided to take a break and stepped outside onto the deck to appreciate the beauty of Lake Tahoe, the open sky above her.

  She might not have planned this vacation, but she was coming around to thinking this trip might be what she’d needed—no, they all had needed—after all.

  It was in this relaxed state of mind that Daisy finally stepped back inside the house, ready to turn in.

  At least until her gaze rested on the tall, strange man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the state’s lieutenant governor standing in the kitchen. If that hadn’t sent her heart racing, the sound of shattering glass a second later nearly had her heart bolting from her chest.

  Every instinct called for her to scream at the top of her lungs and retreat back into the shadows of the deck. Only, upstairs the kids and her aunt were resting and safe—for now. And she meant to keep them that way.

  Which meant she needed to get this guy out of the house.

  But first, she needed something to protect herself with. She scanned her surroundings before resting on the bottle opener sitting on the kitchen counter. If only she could reach it before he—

  “Wait. Just hear me out,” the guy said in a smooth, even voice, softened probably to offer her comfort—at least before he tried to stab her to death. He raised his empty hands in front of him as if to show her he was unarmed. “I’m Jack. Jack Harrison. I’m a friend of the Vaughns.”

  Jack Harrison. It really was the lieutenant governor? The man who’d spoken at last month’s seminar at the women’s business center about starting up a small business? A seminar where she’d spent a good five minutes—okay, maybe ten—fantasizing about what it would be like to run her fingers across that strong jaw or through those waves of sandy brown hair.

  What was he doing here?

  “You know the Vaughns?” she asked more cautiously.

  “I spoke to Emily Vaughn a couple of days ago, and she assured me the place would be unoccupied this week. I promise, I’m not here to hurt you. In fact, my own daughter is upstairs right now.”

  She sighed in relief as the adrenaline and fear that had poured through her a moment before seeped away. He wasn’t here to kill her. Of that she was almost certain.

  He glanced down to the loan forms she’d left sitting out on the counter that outlined her miniscule savings, nonexistent assets, and lack of references or contacts that would make the loan ever happen. “Are you Daisy? Daisy Sorensen?”

  “Yes. But, if you don’t mind”—she snatched up the documents—“these are personal.”

  “Daisy Sorensen,” he said as if testing the words. “I know Payton married a Sorensen last year—I’m guessing you’re related?” He returned those bright blue eyes to her again, and his sensuous lips slipped into an easy smile.

  A smile that sent a ripple of sexual awareness through her. Something she thought she was incapable of feeling, at least for a very long time.

  Wait.

  She glanced down. Oh, holy Mary, Mother of…

  What am I wearing?

  Was she really standing in front of the lieutenant governor in her old threadbare bathrobe? And socks. Fuzzy socks. Where was that lightning when she needed it to strike her down?

  An uncomfortable heat flooded her cheeks.

  “Um. Yes. Payton married my older brother, Cruz—” Instinctively, she started to back up when he held his hand out again.

  “Wait. Hold on, let me get that broken glass cleaned up.”

  Crap. She’d almost forgotten. Great time to decide to walk around barefoot.

  A minute later, Jack Harrison was back, a small dustpan and broom in hand as he knelt down.

  Was this really happening? Was she really standing above the freaking lieutenant governor staring at the breadth of his shoulders as he cleaned up her broken wineglass? Watching the way his shirt dipped forward, providing a glimpse of tanned, silky skin?
Realizing how easily she could drop her fingers and tousle the thickness of that hair without him even noticing?

  He glanced up and grinned. “Think I got it all.” She managed to bob her head up and down as he dumped the glass in the trash. “You were saying? Payton married your brother?”

  Payton and her brother…where had she been going with that?

  “Right.” She cleared her throat. “Payton married Cruz. Actually, it was Payton who offered us the place for our vacation.”

  “Us?”

  “My aunt and three kids are upstairs.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Did he look disappointed? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time a gorgeous man heard that she had three kids and suddenly found her less appealing. She tipped her chin a little higher since she had nothing but pride in those kids and anyone who didn’t think so could jump off a—

  “Mom?” The voice sounded high and strained. A moment later, Jenna’s worried face appeared, followed by her other kids, their faces sleepy but curious. “I heard something, and I couldn’t find you and I got scared…”

  Whatever else Jenna was going to say stuck in her throat as she stepped farther into the room and saw the other guest. “Mom?” she asked again, this time more panicked.

  There was a loud tumbling sound and a second later, a small chocolate Lab bounded into the kitchen followed by a young girl who looked barely older than Jenna. “Dad? What’s going on? Who are these people, and why are they in our house?”

  “A dog!” Paul shouted and raced forward before she could stop him. Fortunately the dog, whose tail was wagging jauntily, seemed harmless as he met Paul and jumped up on him, barking excitedly.

  “Paul.” She tried to raise her voice above the chaos around her. “You should never approach a strange dog. You don’t know what he might do.”

  “It’s okay. He won’t hurt him,” Jack Harrison said. “Lily, this is Daisy Sorensen. Remember how Payton got married last year? This is her sister-in-law and her kids—which reminds me.” He turned back to her. “Maybe you should go find your husband and let him know about this…mix-up. I wouldn’t want him to come swinging at me with a bat or anything.”

  “My dad is with his girlfriend in England,” Natalie offered so helpfully.

  “Yes, thanks, Natalie,” Daisy said, wondering if this could get any more humiliating as Jack looked almost sympathetically at her. She cleared her throat. “It’s just us—oh, and my aunt who is asleep in one of the guest rooms upstairs.” And who, fortunately, slept like the dead.

  “Why are they here, Dad?” his daughter repeated.

  “There seems to be some kind of mix-up and Payton offered Daisy and her family the place for the week, while her mother did the same for us.”

  “So we’re all staying here together?” Jenna asked, looking pensive as she glanced at the strangers.

  Daisy met Jack’s gaze and bit her bottom lip. What were they going to do?

  “Well, one thing’s for certain, it’s too late to try and decide anything tonight.” Jack smiled warmly at the kids. “Why don’t we all bunker down and get some rest. We can figure everything out in the morning.”

  “You’re right.” Daisy placed an arm around Jenna’s frail shoulders and forced a smile. “What with the storm earlier, the kids and I decided to campout together in the master suite upstairs. My aunt’s in the room next door. If it’s okay, we’ll just stay there for now.”

  “Of course. I usually prefer the guest room on this floor, near the back of the house, and Lily’s in the room at the other end of the hall of the master suite, so she and Ollie shouldn’t disturb you.”

  “You heard him, kids. We’ll get this figured out in the morning, but in the meantime, let’s all get back to bed. Come on,” she said, pulling a reluctant Paul away from the adorable, if slobbery, puppy.

  She paused, turning to meet Jack Harrison’s gaze again for the briefest moment. He smiled reassuringly. The effect on her body, however, was anything but.

  Dios Mio. Give me strength.

  Daisy pulled her gaze from his and herded the kids back upstairs, knowing she could kiss any chance of finding sleep good-bye. And not just because of the mess they found themselves in.

  No. This reason had to do with a pair of twinkling blue eyes and the awakening of feelings she’d begun to think she was incapable of.

  Until now.

  …

  Jack kept a steady, yet slower pace as he made his way back to the house with Ollie at his side the next morning. Sleep had been almost impossible under the circumstances and as soon as dawn broke, he rescued Ollie and the two of them had headed to the beach for a run.

  He’d needed to clear his head. Get some perspective.

  It wasn’t every day he found himself face-to-face with a beautiful woman who made him feel such a range of emotions—shock, curiosity, undeniable lust, and a surge of protectiveness—in such a short amount of time.

  All of which in ordinary circumstances might have been a welcome intrusion in his life. But when he was at the precipice of being named the governor of his state, entrusted with the duties necessary in representing the interest of three million constituents—not to mention the duties and responsibilities of raising a bright, headstrong teenage daughter—he didn’t have the time for anything or anyone else.

  Not when he’d be spending the next year mounting an active campaign to retain his position as governor in a special election. With contenders climbing out of every hole and burrow to vie for the role, he needed to present a strong, scandal-free first year. The last thing he needed was a charge that he’d acted in any way not befitting a governor.

  Which meant, innocent or not, remaining under the same roof as the very single and very attractive Daisy Sorensen might create more problems than he was prepared to handle.

  Jack stopped as they reached the bottom of the steps that led up to the Vaughns’ deck, checking his pulse. As he counted, he turned and looked around at the view, impressed as always by its unadorned beauty.

  Much like the woman he’d had the pleasure of meeting last night.

  It was a shame that the only reasonable move would be for him to leave.

  “Come on, Ollie,” he called and started up the stairs. Opening the door, he was met with the delectable aroma of fresh coffee and…something sweeter with a hint of lemon. Muffins?

  Ollie seemed to be of the same opinion and he practically dragged Jack into the kitchen where Daisy was elbow deep in a mixing bowl. Her hair pinned a little tidier to the top of her head, a touch of red on those lips, she was a vision.

  “Good morning,” he offered, bending down to unclasp Ollie’s leash.

  She barely paused her whisking as she met his gaze. “Morning. There’s coffee,” she said, motioning toward the coffeemaker behind her.

  “Thanks. Wow. It smells really good in here. You must have woken up just after I left.”

  “I’m afraid I didn’t sleep much, not wedged between three sets of knobby knees and elbows,” she said and winced, taking a second to crook her neck to the right. “I made enough for you and Lily to join us, if you’d like.”

  “That’s generous of you. If it won’t put you out, then that would be perfect.”

  “Not at all. This is kind of what I do best.”

  That’s right. The loan application had mentioned something about starting a bakery. He headed to the coffeepot and poured himself a generous mug before returning to the other side of the counter. He took a sip.

  “Mm. This is great. To tell you the truth, I almost expected to wake up and find you had packed up and slipped away in the middle of the night.”

  She grinned a little sheepishly, her brown eyes revealing that he might not have been far from the truth. “To be honest, I probably would have but we ran into some other unexpected problems last night. My car died about twenty minutes out from here, so it’s at some garage hopefully being looked at soon.”

  “Ah. No wonder I didn’t notice anyone
was here when Lily and I arrived last night.”

  Behind her, the timer went off and she set her bowl down and went to the oven to peek inside. Satisfied with the progress, she grabbed a hot pad and pulled two trays of muffins—lemon scented and sprinkled with poppy seeds, it looked like—from the oven and set them on the counter.

  While she flipped the muffins out of the pan and onto a towel, he continued. “Sounds like you have enough to worry about, so let me assure you that Lily and I will clear out and leave you and the kids by this afternoon.”

  She frowned. “That hardly seems fair to you guys.”

  “It’s not a problem. I’ll call my office and have them look into finding some other house or hotel where we can stay.”

  She bit her bottom lip, appearing conflicted. “I don’t know. Coming in, everything seemed pretty booked thanks to the holiday…”

  “Don’t worry, if nothing turns up, Lily will be more than ecstatic to return home. She wasn’t that excited about the whole trip in the first place.” The sound of a door opening upstairs told him they were probably going to have a visitor soon. “If it’s okay, I’m going to go take a quick shower. Lily’s got at least another hour of sleep before she heads down but if she does, just let her know I’ll be only a few minutes.”

  “Of course. Go. The eggs should be ready by then anyway.”

  With his mug in hand and Ollie comfortable near Daisy’s feet, he headed across the room to the hall leading to his room.

  It was hard not to feel a sense of disappointment at knowing that no matter how much he might be intrigued enough to want to stay longer, he and his daughter would have to leave this place sometime today.

  …

  Daisy watched Jack Harrison walk away a little longer than she should, something she blamed on his shorts. Or rather, how he filled out said shorts.

  Not that he was wearing eighties-style short shorts that left little to the imagination. His shorts reached the respectable mid-thigh level, just enough to give her a tantalizing glimpse of strong well-muscled thighs and well-toned calves.