Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(19)

Reaching down, he scooped Cassie up, making her eyes go big.

"Cool!" she said. "Mom can't lift me like this anymore."

Boston grinned and gave her an encompassing hug. Cassie wrapped her arms and legs around him, hugging him back.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"When will I see you again?" she asked.

"Whenever you want."

"Tomorrow," she decided.

He nodded. "I could do that."

"Could we go to Chuck E. Cheese's?"

"If you'd like," he answered on a chuckle as he smoothed his hand over her hair again, still amazed he had a daughter.

He was touching his daughter.

"Then I want to go to Chuck E. Cheese's," she said.

So it was set.

He was whipped.

Boston could already tell he was going to be one of those soft fathers who spoiled their little princess rotten. And he was going to love every second of it.

After tucking her under the sheets and kissing her forehead, he slipped out of Cassie's darkened room and saw a shadow of movement down the hall, coming from the kitchen.

Ellie.

His mouth went dry, but he started that way, wondering what he was going to say to her. Instinctively, he wanted to thank her. He wanted to show her his appreciation for her help in easing his way into Cassie's life tonight. He was glad she'd given him some time alone with their child. But then he figured she damn well better have...since it was her fault he didn't know Cassie in the first place.

He also wanted to yell at her, cuss her out for keeping him from that adorable, smart, remarkable little girl. He had a daughter, and he'd been absent from nine years of her life...because of Ellie. He wanted to hate her as much as he 76

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

wanted to share this magical moment with her. He had this strange urge to go into the kitchen, sit down and tell her about all these amazing feelings surging through him.

Boston didn't give into any of his urges, however. Instead, he stopped in the opening of the kitchen and paused.

She sat at the table where it looked like she was paying bills. Though he was curious just how well—or not so well—

she was doing financially, he stayed rooted in the doorway.

Ellie slipped off a pair of reading glasses that made her look sexily astute. The wary gaze she sent him, however, reminded him how they weren't friends and how he shouldn't be thinking of her cute button nose or large brown eyes.

He didn't want to be attracted. He was still mad at her.

Yet, unable to forget the physical relationship they'd once shared, he ached with hungry nostalgia.

"I'm heading out," he said.

She nodded and rested her elbows on the tabletop.

He couldn't seem to move and just stood there, staring at her for another moment.

"Some time," he started, "we're going to have to get together and talk about custody."

Ellie's face drained of color. But she didn't say anything.

She merely turned back to her work, ignoring him.

Realizing he'd outstayed his welcome—not that there'd been one from her anyway—he tipped his head in farewell and backed away from the room.

Well...he was a father now. He had a little girl who was absolutely perfect. He hadn't realized he'd been nervous over 77

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

what she'd be like until the relief over having a smart, cute, well-behaved daughter swamped him.

Ellie had done an excellent job raising her.

Ellie.

Boston lifted a hand and pressed his palm to the side of his aching head. God, he didn't want to think about her too.

There was too much other stuff going on right now, though he had to admit the last ten years had been kind to her in the looks department. Very kind. She'd been pretty at nineteen, but at...what would she be now...twenty-nine? Thirty?

Whatever. The fact remained, she was gorgeous.

Catching her stripping in the kitchen hadn't deterred that conclusion either. Ten years...and his body had still reacted like the horny twenty-two-year-old he'd been so long ago when he'd stepped into the doorway and found her with her shirt off and her arms over her head.

Oh yeah, she'd definitely aged nicely. Her breasts specifically.

Boston had accidentally overheard two of his sisters discussing their breasts after having children. One had complained that hers had shrunk and another was bemoaning the fact that she'd only gotten bigger. Though Boston had booked it out of the room as soon as he'd stumbled across such a conversation—hell no, he didn't want to hear about his sisters' breasts—their words had left a distinct, lasting memory.

And when he'd seen Ellie all shirtless and inviting, he thought, oh yeah, she'd gotten bigger after having Cassie. He would definitely know, too. Once upon a time, he'd imprinted 78

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

every inch of her body into his brain. And her boobs had not been that full ten years ago. These days they'd probably fill his hands to overflowing.

Boston let out an aggravated groan. He'd wanted to test his theory. He'd wanted to stroll over to her, tug that shirt right back off, and cover her with his hungry fingers. He missed her body more than he'd ever missed anything, no matter how much he denied it.