Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(35)

"Boston. Oh, God. Please."

After moving his attention to her other breast, his fingers found the top button of her slacks. He drew the zipper down.

Tensing with eager expectation, Ellie wanted to thrash her head from side to side and moan out, yes, yes, yes. But all she could do was tighten her grip on his head as he bit down on her nipple. She arched her hips up when he slid his hand over her stomach and into the waistband of her panties.

His fingers grazed her pubic hair until they encountered an old scar. Pausing, he broke free of her breast, looking confused. Then he leaned forward to examine the mark. After frowning at the foreign blemish that hadn't been there the last time he'd breached her panties, his eyes lifted in question.

"C-section," she answered his silent query. "I'd planned on a natural birth, but...there were complications."

Boston's eyes snapped open wide...alert. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, loving his concern. "I'm fine. Now."

"Now?" Latching onto that word, he wrinkled his brow in concern. His gaze fell to her scar, and his fingers traced it again in a gentle, loving caress. "What happened?"

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"Placenta previa. Problems with the placenta," she added at Boston's blank look. "It wanted to come out first, which would've put Cassie in danger. So, they gave me a spinal block and cut her out. It wasn't as bad as it sounds," she was quick to tack on when his face paled. "The doctor handled it beautifully, and Cassie was delivered just fine."

But Boston didn't look reassured. "I wish I could've been there."

Ellie swallowed and closed her eyes. When he pulled his hand from her underwear and zipped her slacks closed, her lashes shot open.

He looked distant and reserved as he took a step in reverse. "I should've been there, Ellie."

"Boston," she started. She wanted to reach for him but didn't dare.

As if he could read her thoughts, he shook his head and turned away, running his hand through his hair as he put distance between them. "This didn't turn out like I thought it would." He sighed and glanced blindly across the kitchen before he sent her a leery, untrusting look. "I guess we're just going to have to get used to my attraction and learn to deal with it. Because I won't ever touch you again."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode from her kitchen.

From her house.

From her life.

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134

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Eight


After hearing the front door open and close, Ellie yanked her top back together, slid off the counter, and hurried toward the living room. The room was dark, so she felt safe in going to the window and lifting a curtain. From the streetlamp's glow, she watched him walk stiffly yet steadily around to the driver's side of his Infiniti.

In the sparse lighting, he looked so much like the boy with whom she'd fallen in love. His hair was still pitch black and his form was that same slim, sleek build. It tore her up to see him like that. Once upon a time, he'd smiled whenever he'd seen her. And now...now he scowled as he sent one last glare up at her house before sliding into his car. It was almost shocking how drastically their relationship had changed.

But the one thing that remained the same and surprised her the most was his physical response to her. She couldn't believe they'd both gotten turned on so easily. It wasn't a good kind of shock, though. His instantaneous attraction to her had been one of the main things that had drawn her to him. The man could've had any girl he wanted back in college. Heck, he still could snag any woman. But he'd wanted Ellie. It'd been so flattering she'd been powerless to deny him anything.

The fact that this hadn't changed in ten years was going to make her struggle that much harder. Ellie closed her eyes and snorted out an ironic laugh. Harder. Oh, yeah, she could say that again.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Outside, his car engine started. Her eyes flew open. As he pulled away from the curb, she rubbed her fingers over the ache in the center of her chest. There was something else that hadn't changed. It still hurt to watch him leave.

Gritting her teeth, Ellie dropped the curtain. As the cloth fell over the window, she backed away and slid her hand down until she clutched her churning stomach. She continued to step in reverse until the backs of her legs bumped the sofa.

Though she wanted to sink into the soft, comforting cushions and cry, she opted to walk down the hall and check on her daughter.

Surprisingly, Cassidy was fast asleep. Though she hadn't done so in years, Ellie slipped into the room and tiptoed to the bed. She pulled back the covers and crawled onto the mattress with her baby. Cassie's sweet little-girl smell enveloped her and she closed her eyes. Instantly, she smiled, thankful she was here, thankful she'd ended up so blessed.

Ellie hadn't lived an easy life. Since the time she was eight and her parents had died in an automobile accident, she had grown up in a home where food came sporadically, if at all.

She'd lived with her deceased grandmother's older sister, and Aunt Eadie didn't have the greatest memory. Ellie had practically raised herself.

From the moment her daughter was born and that tiny little life had been placed in her arms, totally her responsibility, she'd sworn Cassie would never live the way she had. Her daughter would always have a meal on the table, and she'd always have a structured, orderly life where she could take part in as many after-school activities as she 136