Page 124 of Dangerous Encore
"Sure,sweetie."
She turns so she can look me in the eyes. "Goahead."
"Hey, Mr. Waltz. It's nice to finally speak with you,"Isay.
"It's Malcolm, isn't it?"heasks.
"It is,"Isay.
"Lacey only has great things to say about you. But we have different concerns. When do you think you'll tietheknot?"
"I'm trying to talk her into Vegas," Itease.
Her dad lets out a hearty laugh. "You don't want to give her a chance to changehermind?"
I stare back into my fiancée's eyes. "I know a good thing when Ihaveit."
"Are you going to keep providing for her?"heasks.
"Daddy! Don't." Lacey's cheeks flame red. "I can provide formyself."
"What about when you have kids?"heasks.
"You can work and have kids." She folds her arms. "We're not havingkidssoon."
"But you are having kids." It's a statement, not aquestion.
"Let's talk about this later." She turns to me and mouthssorry. "Can you put Mom on the phone. I want totellher."
"Of course. But she may still be asleep. You should come to dinner Sunday. Surprise her,"hesays.
"Maybe." She stares back into my eyes, searching them for heranswer.
"Give me a sec, sweetheart," her dad says. The phone goes silent.Onhold.
He's checking if her momisup.
"He's ridiculous. Sorry." She sets her cell on her thigh and traces itsoutline.
"I'm just glad your dad answered that question for us,"Isay.
Her blush deepens. "I do want to have kids. One day. Andyoumust."
"I must?"Iask.
She nods. "Don'tyou?"
"Well,Imust…"
"Don't even. You're the most paternal person I'veevermet."
She has a point. And she's right. But I'm not admitting that just yet. It's too much funteasingher.
I run my fingers through her hair. Over her cheek. Along her jaw. "Well, anything Lacey Waltz says Imustdo…"
"You must make me come nine timestoday."
"Done." I play with the hem of her sleep shorts. "Startingnow?"
