Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(74)

Boston set Cassie on her feet so she could walk out the door herself. Hooking his daughter's overnight bag over his shoulder, he took her hand and started her out.

They'd just cleared the doorway when Cassie's voice echoed back inside.

"I don't like that guy; he always talks to me like I'm four."

Ellie's face heated with color, and she was too afraid to glance toward Ted. Instead, she met Boston's cocky smirk as he glanced over his shoulder at her.

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274

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Eighteen


The date was a total bomb.

Ellie blamed it entirely on Boston.

I'll wait as long as I have to until you're ready. Those stupid words repeated through her head a hundred times over during the course of her meal.

It was bad enough she'd had to see her old lover, the still prime Boston Kincaid, next to her date for the evening. That had ruined Ted's chances right there. There was no way Ted Barnaby would ever be able to make her feel what Boston had.

But then Boston had to go and say all that... crap to her right before Ted showed up. If only he'd kept his big mouth shut.

I'll wait as long as I have to until you're ready.

As Ted talked on about himself, regaling her with a story about his pet collie, Ellie saw Boston in her mind's eye the moment after he'd told her he loved her. He'd looked so shocked. The man had to be a star actor to fake that. Which led her to assume he hadn't meant to say it. But the true question was, did he mean it?

And did it matter if he did?

She wanted to say no. His feelings for her should have no bearing on the fact that she didn't want them to start any kind of relationship. But, God, it did. If he loved her, she...she what? She'd probably fall down at his feet and make the same claim.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Ellie groaned aloud and caught Ted's attention. He stopped talking to give her a questioning look.

She blushed. "Um...I think I'm ready to go home...if you are?"

He blinked a few times and then grinned knowingly. She almost groaned again. Great. Now Ted thought she was inviting him back to her place. How he'd gotten that idea when she'd been ignoring him all night, she had no clue. But, hell...she didn't bother to correct him. He'd find out the truth soon enough when they reached her place.

"I had a great time," he said huskily in her ear as he followed her from his truck up her front walk.

"Hmm," Ellie murmured, casting him an edgy look over her shoulder. Once they made it to her porch, she stood by the closed entrance and toyed with her keys, not about to unlock the house until he was safely on his way back to his truck.

Thinking she was waiting for a kiss, however, Ted leaned in toward her. "God, you smell good."

His lips touched hers, and Ellie felt herself hold still to allow it. The poor guy had taken her to a really nice restaurant. The least he deserved was a goodnight peck.

But then he pushed his tongue into her mouth. It in no way resembled the mind-blowing kiss Boston had given her on Thanksgiving. Ellie tried to pull away, because it wasn't doing anything for her. At all.

Ted held her fast, burying a hand in her hair and holding her skull steady as he continued to plunder. Ellie frowned and made a noise of rejection in the back of her throat. She tried 276

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

to jerk away again, with a little more effort this time. But Ted was one persistent man.

"God, you are so hot," he panted out when he tore his mouth away from hers to nibble on the side of her neck and grope at her breast with a big, clumsy hand.

"Ted," she hissed and started to wiggle herself free.

"Stop!" She pushed at his hand.

"Oh, come on." He laughed huskily and tightened his grip as if playfully denying her. "You know you want it."

"No. I don't." She started to panic a little when he only got more aggressive. Finally, she gave up trying to be polite. "I told you to stop," she growled and hiked up her dress in order to free her leg long enough to kick him between the legs.

Honestly, she hadn't meant to be so rough. She'd intended a light jab to let him know she wasn't playing around. But right before she moved, he pushed her against the door and pinned her there. The fear had her adrenaline pumping through her veins; when her knee came up, it did so with plenty of enthusiasm...dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

Curling into himself, Ted fell to his knees, grabbed his crotch with both hands, and cursed loudly. With her back still plastered to the door, Ellie glanced down at him and winced.

He looked pathetic down there, whimpering and cradling himself.

"You...bitch."

"I told you to stop," she explained in a placating tone.

When he lifted his face and glared, she had no idea he was going to lunge at her half a second later. Surprised when he 277

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

did, roughly grabbing for her legs as if to tackle her, she yelped and brought up her knee again.

This time she caught him square in the face and felt cartilage crunch against her kneecap. It was sickening.

"My nose!" he bellowed, falling back on his butt to remove one hand from his crotch and cover his face.