Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(67)

When Diane hooked arms with Ellie's, making them a united front, Ellie almost burst out giggling. But the half wary, half worried look on Boston's face was so adorable the ice surrounding her feelings for him thawed even more.

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248

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Fifteen


It was late when Boston finally pulled into Ellie's drive behind her old Toyota. Yawning and stretching, Ellie glanced in the backseat where her daughter was passed out cold.

"Look who wore herself out today," she commented with a small smile, all the while dreading the fact that she was probably going to have to carry seventy-five pounds of dead weight inside by herself.

Boston grinned as he put the car into park and killed the engine. "I'm surprised she lasted this long. If I'd been going full steam the way she did all day, I'd have been down for the count hours ago."

"Oh, to be so young again," Ellie murmured wistfully.

"No doubt," he agreed and let out a long, weary sigh.

"Okay, then," he said, rubbing his hands together. "I'll get the kid if you get the door."

Ellie lifted her face in surprise, her lips parting. "You don't have to do that."

He frowned. "Come on, Ellie. She probably weighs just about as much as you do. There's no way you can carry her."

Then he turned and studied his unconscious daughter. "Or, I guess we could wake her."

Ellie bit her lip. Cassie was an utter monster when woken from a deep sleep. "Are you sure you don't mind carrying her?"

She wasn't used to this. She'd been a single mother, making it on her own, for nearly ten years. She did 249

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

everything herself. It just felt...weird for someone to step in and actually offer assistance.

Boston sent her an odd look, like he was disappointed in her lack of dependence. "I don't mind," he said quietly and opened the door.

Ellie scurried to follow. Hustling ahead of him to the porch, she unlocked the front entrance. Holding it open for Boston, she tried to step out of the way, but the elbow he held jutted out to cradle Cassie still brushed across her chest.

They both lifted their gazes, and when their eyes met in the light of the streetlamps, liquid heat pooled low in Ellie's stomach. Ignoring the way her nipples hardened and her thighs tensed, she followed Boston down the dark hall to Cassie's room and turned on the girl's nightlight so he could see where to lay his sleeping daughter.

Once he had Cassie on the mattress, both adults worked to remove her shoes and socks. Then Boston stepped back while Ellie slipped off Cassie's jeans and shirt. But as soon as she had the child stripped to her underwear and the blankets pulled up to her chin, he returned to kneel beside Cassidy and press a brief kiss to her forehead. The nine-year-old didn't even stir.

Both parents moved toward the door together, but when Ellie noticed that Boston had stopped at the entrance to glance back at Cassidy, she paused as well.

"It gets you right in the chest when she's asleep like this, doesn't it?" he whispered. "I mean, it's pretty amazing when she'd awake and active. But when she's all innocent and 250

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by Linda Kage

unconscious, it's just...it makes this so much more real.

That's truly our daughter right there."

"Yeah," Ellie murmured.

As Boston continued to have his moment, Ellie's chest filled with shame. This was so new and fascinating for him, and it was her fault. If she hadn't kept him from Cassie...if she'd never lied, he'd have thousands of these moments collected in his memory.

The guilt ate at her.

He drew in a breath. "I better go."

Ellie nodded mutely and followed him to the door. As he opened it and stared out into the night, she finally spoke.

"You've got a long drive back. Are you sure you're going to make it okay? It's so late."

When he glanced toward her, her stomach tightened into a million knots. The streetlamp reflected off his hair, giving the black locks a blue-silver gloss. Suddenly, she remembered exactly how those locks felt. Realizing it'd been ten years since she'd truly buried her hands in them, her fingers itched for a mere touch.

It was on the tip of her tongue to invite him to stay...and not on the couch, when he answered, "I'll be fine."

Her hormones rioted, but she ignored them. Even her emotions screamed, wanting him to stay. She wanted to wash the guilt away by taking him to bed and erasing every lie and foul word she'd ever spoken to him. And God, she just wanted to be with him again.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

But she held her trap shut and obediently nodded her head. He stepped outside, and she followed him to the edge of the porch.

"Goodnight," he called when he reached the bottom step.

"Night," she answered and wrapped her arms around her waist to ward off the chilly breeze. "Drive safely."

In the scarce light, she spotted the glimmer of an amused smile crossing his face. "I will," he promised and started away.

"Boston," she whispered, almost hoping he didn't hear her.

But he did and paused, turning back. When she didn't speak, he moved back to the edge porch.