Page 19 of Kent's Honor
“Good morning,” Dixie said as she breezed into the kitchen like the ocean lapping at the shore. “I hear we’re having pancakes for breakfast.”
He stood, holding the folder in his hands. “Do you want some coffee?”
“I do. But I can get it.” Stretching her arms up, her shirt lifted from her miniskirt, showing off her taut stomach.
Cartoons blared from the family room, reminding him of all the reasons he shouldn’t pursue another kiss.
“Here.” He held out the folder. “Just some information about staying with Elle for the night.”
He swallowed, watching Dixie eye him over the mug, the steam from the coffee floating up toward her face.
She set the mug down, taking the folder between her fingers.
He kept telling himself he was just being a good parent. Elle was his world, and all he wanted to do was make sure she was well looked after when he couldn’t be there. So he went overboard with all the tiny details, like how she liked to have her towels warm when she got out of the shower. Of course, she did that herself these days.
“This is six pages long,” Dixie said. “And at the end, you have a little test.”
He’d added that this morning.
“You’re seriously nervous about leaving Elle with me overnight?”
Kent took a small step back. The glare coming off Dixie’s sapphire eyes was more like a raging hurricane than the calming of the ocean.
She shoved the folder with his detailed instructions against his chest.
“I did this for your aunt the first time?—”
Dixie poked his chest. “Would you be insulted if I didn’t trust you to take care of Nicky for one night?” She stormed out of his kitchen and into the backyard, slamming the door shut.
“Come on, Dixie.” Tossing the papers on the counter, he followed her outside, the morning sun already tipping the temperatures well into the eighties. “I can’t help that I’m adetail-oriented person. I make lists. Wouldn’t you make me a list for Nicky?”
“No. Actually, I wouldn’t.” She planted her hands on her hips. “You’ve spent enough time with him for me to feel comfortable knowing you’d take care of him like you would your own.”
“You’d leave instructions if you left Nicky with Elle or say the teenager who lives next to Jackie.”
“I’m not a teenager.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He couldn’t believe his daughter had been right.
“Well, you did.”
“And I’m sorry, but as a single parent, you have to be able to see why I’d be a little skittish.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a ha-ha funny noise. More like ahar-har, right, assholenoise. “The first day I came to babysit, yes. The second day, maybe. But now? Absolutely not.” She folded her arms. “I’m good enough to kiss, but not good enough to make sure your daughter is safe for twenty-four hours.”
He wondered if they’d ever get to the topic of their one kiss yesterday in Rex’s kitchen. He knew Tilly was up to her tricks, trying to push them together. The idea to kiss her hadn’t appeared in his mind until he stepped into the room, and she looked so sweet and sexy with her concerned expression. He loved the way her nose crinkled, and her right eyelid twitched when she was nervous.
“Dad, we’re hungry,” Elle said, standing in the doorway with Nicky on her hip.
“Give us ten minutes.”
“Fine,” Elle said, rolling her eyes before turning and disappearing back into the house.
He swallowed. “Now that is scary,” he whispered.
“What is?”
“My daughter with a kid on her hip.”
