drdaddy

by Sullivan, Piper

  I stared at the phone in disbelief. Why the hell was she sounding like a suspicious lover? “Where is this coming from Rory? I thought we had an understanding here.” I should have known taking a virgin to bed would bite me in the ass. “What we had was fun but-,”

  “Oh my god are you kidding me right now? Ugh, you jackass! In case you give a damn, your daughter is in the ER. She had some type of allergic reaction.” With those damning words, she hung up before I could ask for details.

  Sydney! I quickly removed my protective gear, washed my hands and ran down five flights of stairs and didn’t stop until I reached the ER. “Sydney Royal, where is she?” The nurse didn’t seem fazed by my harsh words, simply typed into the keyboard and pointed down the hall. Halfway down the packed corridor I found my little girl, pale and tiny in the oversized bed. “Hey sweetie, how are you doing?”

  “I’m fine Daddy.” She accepted my hug, wrapping her tiny arms around my neck and squeezing tight. She pulled back and smiled. “Rory came to help ‘cause Margaret freaked out. She drove here like a racecar driver and said she would apologize when I was okay. I thought I was dead for sure Daddy but Rory saved me!” She seemed more excited about the trip to the hospital than what had put her here in the first place.

  “That’s good sweetheart.” I felt like a jackass—again—for the way I treated Rory. Rubbing Sydney’s hair gently I scanned the room, noticing it was empty. “She left you alone?” My anger boiled right back up again.

  Her smile dimmed at my harsh words. “No. She heard you yelling at the nurse and she gave me a kiss then left before you got here.”

  Shit. I would just have to find a way to thank her properly when I got my daughter home. “I’ll thank her later.”

  “But Daddy you can’t, she’s-,”

  “Don’t worry about it Sydney, just lie back and take it easy. We’ll have you out of here soon enough.” Soon enough turned out to be two long hours to make sure all the inflammation had gone down and her breathing was completely normal. We made it home quickly thanks to the lack of late night traffic, but I still needed to find Margaret who had disappeared at some point without a word. Particularly words about why she’d given my daughter nuts.

  And there was the fact that without Margaret I had no childcare for Sydney because asking Rory was probably out of the question given how I had reacted to her call.

  * * *

  She wasn’t at home. Again. For the past three days I had tried to stop by to thank Rory for her quick thinking and for helping Sydney. But she was never at around.

  “Dammit.”

  “She’s gone,” a familiar old voice sounded from behind me. I knew I was too preoccupied when an elderly woman could sneak up on me.

  “Where have you been Margaret? Gone where?”

  She shrugged her ample shoulders and patted her neat bun. “Don’t know. I stopped by two days ago to talk to you but you weren’t here and the teenager you hired wouldn’t let me see Sydney.” I couldn’t blame the girl after Margaret had all but abandoned her post. “I caught them around back in the yard, close together and whispering like always. She shoved a slip of paper into the girl’s hands, hugged her and walked back inside. I can’t be sure but she looked to be crying. Both of’em.”

  Rory had run off and the only person she told was my seven-year-old daughter? That didn’t sound right. Or safe. Then again who else would she tell, Syd was the only person she gave a damn about.

  “Thanks Margaret. Why did you stop by?”

  She looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “That excitement the other night was too much and I had a mild cardiac episode. I’m sorry Dr. Royal but I have to think about my health now.”

  “Fine,” I bit out because losing the woman who often slept on the sofa leaving Sydney without supervision and who fed her the only thing she was allergic to, was no real lost. “Thank you for stopping by and please take care of yourself.” I was still a doctor after all, my bedside manners extended to all parts of my life. And cardiac issues were no joke. I saw Margaret out before I headed back inside my house.

  There was a little girl upstairs who owed me an explanation. “Hey honey.”

  “Hi Daddy.” Her inability to meet my gaze told me Margaret had told me the truth.

  “You know where Rory is?” She only nodded with an exaggerated bob of her head. “Where?”

  “It’s our secret and I don’t have to tell you.” I recognized that defiant tilt of her head because it was the same as Tracy’s.

  “True but if Rory’s in trouble you have to tell me.”

  “She’s not. She’s fine, she told me so herself.” Arms crossed in a challenge I didn’t have the energy to meet.

  “When did she tell you?”

  “Last night before bed. She called to tell me that she was coming back and not to worry.”

  And that just deflated all the righteous anger from me. How could I stay angry at her when she was so careful with my daughter’s heart? More careful than her own mother had been. Hell, more careful than I’d been with Rory’s heart. Not that I had any delusions that she regarded me that way, especially after the way I spoke to her.

  “That was nice of her.”

  She nodded again. “Rory is very nice. I love her.” She beamed that mischievous little smile and I knew trouble was coming. “Do you love Rory Daddy?”

  “I like Rory and I’m glad she’s good to you.” I didn’t love anyone but Sydney and my parents. Not since Tracy, and once she’d vacated our lives to start a new one, I vowed I wouldn’t go there again. Sydney and work were my priorities.

  Messy brown hair framed a frowning face. “Why don’t you love Rory? Is it because her mommy left too?”

  “Of course not! Rory is a friend honey, that’s all.”

  “You kissed her and you look at her like this,” she made what I could only assume was moon eyes. She looked so ridiculous I had to laugh.

  “I do?” She nodded. “Well she is very pretty.” I wasn’t ready to admit more. Mostly because there was no more to admit to, and anything else would only raise Syd’s hopes unfairly.

  “You could love her if you just tried. She loves me Daddy and she looks after me. She cried in the hospital ‘cause she was scared.”

  I sighed and wisely chose to remain silent. Sydney had grown very attached to Rory and I couldn’t let that happen only to have her heartbroken over another abandonment.

  Rory

  A week in Los Angeles had been exactly what I needed to clear my head and reset my brain. All the drama of getting Syd to the hospital terrified me and then the things Kane had said to me, as if I’d been sitting around pining for him. As if! I was relieved to receive the call from Tessa’s assistant the following morning, and I told him to get me there as soon as possible.

  The flight was quick since I worked on my new novel the entire flight, and I spent most of the first day wandering around Hollywood and imagining it was home. On the second day, I spent hours going from building to building in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills in search of an agent. I knew I could probably read the contract and have a good enough understanding to sign it without worry, but an agent would get me the best possible deal. And they would make sure I didn’t get screwed when I finally signed the contract. I found an agent just before the close of business, and the next day Brian Murphy went with me to sign the contract and negotiate the advance I would get.

  The advance check that would make me a professional writer would be cut soon and I could leave my job at the studio and write full time. It was a huge relief. But now that I was back in Portland, I couldn’t get away from the man who had a starring role in my dreams. And my second novel.

  I spent the day unpacking and cleaning, turning the guest room downstairs into an office to accommodate my new profession. It’s not like I’ve ever had any guests stay the night. Now I could have a dedicated space for the books which Kismet was paying me a healthy chunk of change to write.

  “Rory!”

>   I smiled at the sound of my favorite little girl. Her little hand smacked the back door until I opened it up. “Hey Syd, how’s it going?”

  She flung her little body at me, wrapping her strong arms around my legs. “I missed you Rory. You were gone forever!” She pulled back and walked in, chattering a million miles a minute. “Daddy was upset that you were gone too.”

  I doubted that but it was nice of her to say so. “What have you been up to?”

  “I’m in between sitters. Again,” she said, totally exasperated.

  “Jeez kid you go through sitters like underwear.” She frowned at my words and made a gagging sound.

  “Where were you?”

  “I was in Los Angeles. For work.”

  Her eyes brightened. “Your big girl book?” I nodded and she flung herself at me again, filled with excited squeals and high-pitched questions. “Are they making it a movie? Can I can see it? Who’s in it?”

  “I don’t know about all that sweetie, but they are going to put it out so people can buy it in stores.”

  “Cool. You’re famous.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Are you hungry?” I stopped at the store on my way home and bought fixings to make pizza.

  “Yep. Can we make something?”

  “Pizza? I got all the stuff to make it.”

  She jumped up and ran to the bathroom to wash her hands. “All right! Can we invite Daddy, he’s been in his office all day.”

  Hell no. “Sure,” I said anyway because I couldn’t say no to Sydney.

  “Yay!” She darted out the front door screaming her head off to get her father’s attention.

  I needed a moment to myself before I came face to face with Kane again. Not that I had any lingering feelings for him, not much anyway. Sure, he was still in my head and sometimes I thought he’d left a piece of himself in my body. Some nights I woke up in a sweat, panicking because the dreams felt so real. I could swear his body was wrapped around me and his deep voice whispered in my ear. When I woke up alone I felt nothing but disappointed.

  I splashed cold water on my face, patted it dry and came back to find both Royals standing in my kitchen staring at me.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey,” Kane said looking nervous and uncomfortable. “You’re finally back.”

  “Yep. I am. How are you?”

  “Fine,” he smiled. “Where were you?”

  “Los Angeles.” God this was so painful I couldn’t stand it. “Why don’t you guys go watch TV while I get things going.”

  “No I want to help,” Sydney chimed in. “Daddy does too. Don’t you, Daddy?” She glared at him in a much too mature way for her age.

  “Uh, sure.” He looked nervous and I felt a small measure of satisfaction that he was uncomfortable too. “Hey Sydney, do you think you could give me and Rory a moment to talk?”

  Big blue eyes bounced between us and her mouth split into a cheeky grin. “Okay! Can I watch Netflix?” she asked me.

  “Sure. Nothing racy or-,”

  She cut me off with a roll of her eyes, “Or too grown up, I know.”

  We stared at each other for a long moment. It was awkward and quiet, and I hated it. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

  He flashed that sexy little grin that made my heart flutter, but I tamped that down. He rubbed the back of his head nervously and a laugh escaped. “I owe you an apology.”

  “No, you don’t,” I cut him off and started slicing the pepperoni. “And I don’t want it.” I’d thought long and hard about it in LA, and he had a right to wonder why I’d called so much that night. He was a jerk about it, but that’s how men were it seemed. “You want to help or join Sydney in the living room?”

  “I could help,” he said and took several steps closer. “I’d like to help.”

  “You would?”

  He nodded and came closer until his body was scant inches from mine. “Yes. I can chop while I give you the thanks I owe you.” His hands went to my hips and pulled me closer. “You saved my daughter’s life Rory. That means the world to me.”

  “You’re welcome and you know I love Sydney. I’ll always look out for her where I can.” Ignoring the pitter-patter of my heart I tried to take a step back but he held me tight. “Kane.”

  “I’ve missed you.”

  I wanted to believe that. I wanted to, but I didn’t. “No you didn’t. You feel gratitude for what I did, and you think offering yourself up to me is the way to thank me.” It would be nice if he meant it, and until this moment I hadn’t realized that I wanted him to mean it. Shit. This wasn’t good. I took a big step back. “You made your feelings very clear Kane and I’m okay with that. Don’t confuse me.”

  “You think that’s what I’m doing?” I nodded and closed my eyes against the dark desire I saw in his gaze. His breath fanned my face and made it hard to breathe.

  “I do.”

  “Well I’m not trying to confuse you. I know I was a jerk to you that night, but I was exhausted and in a bad mood.” His lips landed just to the side of mine, brushing against the corner and I sucked in a breath. “But I realized that I missed you.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded, wearing that same sexy grin that he did in my dreams and then he kissed me.

  * * *

  “Daddy, Rory’s books are gonna be sold in stores!” Sydney excitedly spilled the beans at dinner. Only the adorable sight of her face smeared with pesto cooled my anger. For some reason, I didn’t want him to know.

  “Oh yeah? What kind of books?”

  “Grown up ones,” my pint-sized publicist answered.

  His silver gaze landed on mine, full of questions. His mouth twisted to one side in amusement but my gaze strayed to his lips, particularly that plump bottom lip that knew how to make me moan.

  “Grown up?”

  I nodded slowly. “The first book was part of my thesis and my advisor was so impressed she sent it to a friend at a publishing house. I went down to Los Angeles to meet with her and sign the contract.”

  “Congratulations. That is really cool Rory.”

  “Thank you,” I blushed and pushed a few curls behind my ear.

  “Romance?”

  I nodded. “Of the erotic variety, yes.”

  “That means grown up, Daddy,” Syd offered up helpfully.

  “I know sweetheart,” he choked on his wine but smiled through it. “But thanks for letting me know.”

  They were so cute together, and I realized just how easy it would be for me to fit right in. But I didn’t fit, because they weren’t my family. They were my neighbors and sometimes my friend. I needed to remember that. “Who wants dessert?”

  “I do,” Sydney grinned and clapped excitedly.

  “Sorry kiddo we need to get to bed. You’re going to your new sitter in the morning, remember?”

  With a resigned sigh, she nodded and put her plate in the sink. “Okay fine. I don’t see why she can’t come to our house,” she grumbled.

  “Because that’s not how she does business Sydney. Let’s go.”

  She gave me a drive by hug and ran from the house. “Good night Rory.”

  “Do you think I could get one of those?”

  His deep voice was like a caress over my body and I felt myself weakening. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. You got all weird last time I called you, so I know where your head is at, and I’ve figured out that I’m not a casual sex type of girl.”

  “You did it all right last time.”

  “I know, but that was before. This is now.”

  “So, you want me to take you on a date?” he asked as his hands slid up and down my bare arms.

  “No. You’ve made it perfectly clear that you don’t want anything serious, and that’s okay. Really.”

  “But I want you Rory.” He brushed a kiss to one corner of my mouth and then the other. “Naked and laid out for me.” He kissed my forehead. “For my touch,” he whispered and gently kissed my eyelids. “My taste.”
His lips landed on mine with a ferocity I had never experienced before.

  I clung to him while his mouth made love to mine, his tongue licked my lips and inside my mouth the same way he’d licked my intimate parts when we were together. A moan sounded in the room and I belatedly realized it was me. Shit. Stepping back, I put a hand to his chest.

  “We can’t do this.”

  “Why? We both seemed to be enjoying it.”

  “You know I enjoyed it, but this can’t happen. I can’t sleep with you and be casual about it, and you know that.” The last thing I wanted was for Kane to think I was mooning over him. Even if I was.

  “How about if I come over tomorrow and ask you on a proper date? No kisses and no sex until after the date.” He made it sound so reasonable.

  “You think I’m the kind of girl to have sex on the first date?” I asked jokingly.

  He shrugged. “A man will always hope to sleep with a beautiful woman. And since I’ve already had a taste of you, I’m yearning for more.”

  His whispered words hit me and desire bounced between us. “Yearning?”

  He nodded. “I wake up sometimes at night with the taste of you on my tongue,” he moved closer so I could feel his entire body. “I have to take myself in hand just to get back to sleep Rory.”

  What was he saying? I couldn’t tell if this was part of his seduction game, or if he meant those words. Confusion filled my mind but my body called to him. Wanted him. Needed him. “I wouldn’t mind seeing that.” Where had that come from?

  “Yeah?”

  I nodded. “Yeah.” He pressed his cock into my hip so I could feel how hard he was and a moan escaped. “I would.”

  “Then we have a lot to look forward to after our first date, right?”

  Shit, that date thing again. “Fine, come around and ask and I’ll have an answer for you then.”

  Kane flashed that sexy panty-melting grin, pressed a kiss to that spot behind my ear and then he left.

  I knew I was in more trouble than I could handle, and I had no idea what the hell to do about it.

  Kane

  Rory was unlike any woman I’d ever dated. So figuring out what to do for our first date had me stumped. She wasn’t the sophisticated executive used to fine dining in five star restaurants, and more importantly, I didn’t think she expected it. Rory was young, alive and vibrant, so I opted for something more casual and hoped like hell she didn’t feel short changed.