Page 18 of Kent's Honor
“I… I… don’t think so.”
His index finger traced her lower lip.
The room spun. Her insides sloshed around like a teenager about to drive a car for the very first time. Her eyelids fluttered closed against her will as he brushed his mouth over hers, drawing her lower lip between his.
Her legs went limp as she leaned into him for support, clutching at his strong shoulders. His warm tongue slid into her mouth, swirling, teasing, tasting.
He cupped her face, gently breaking off the kiss, his thumbs fanning her cheeks. “I have no idea what I’m doing or why I’m doing it.”
“That makes two of us.” She dropped her hands to her sides, hoping he’d take a step back. She needed a little breathing room. “We shouldn’t have done that.”
“Probably not,” he muttered.
“I’m trying to get my life back on track and right now that doesn’t include?—”
He hushed her with his index finger. “We both have other people in our lives who come first. I get it. So, for now, why don’t we enjoy a nice dinner with our kids and friends.”
5
Kent sat in his kitchen, sipping his coffee while going through his checklist. The only people who had ever taken Elle overnight had been his mother and Jackie. Had he known his nanny would need to be gone, he would have made arrangements for his mother to fly down, or he’d have found a way to change shifts.
He flipped to the second page, crossing out a couple of things that were no longer relevant.
“No, Daddy, toss that thing away.” Elle bounced her way into the kitchen from the family room. Her smile had turned to a frown the second she laid eyes on the folder.
“This has emergency numbers if something happens.” He tapped his finger on the paper.
Pursing her lips together, she pointed to the fridge. “And the same information is tacked there.”
“I don’t know why this bothers you so much.”
“Because its sooooo embarrassing. Every new school year, you march yourself down to my new teacher and hand them a piece of paper withinstructionson how to care for me.” Elle held up her hands and made air quotes while she simultaneouslyrolled her eyes. “They are highly trained professionals in the care of children. Like you are dealing with fires.”
“That’s not the?—”
“Dad, I’m not finished.” She planted her hands on her hips.
Kent bit his tongue.
“And anytime I go to a friend’s house, you have to get on the phone with the parents.”
He held up his hand. “Every parent does that.”
She shook her head vehemently. “They don’t tell you how to make their kid’s sandwich, right down to the exact mixture of mayo and mustard I like.” She brushed her hair from the sides of her face. “Which, by the way, it’s fine to slop it on the bread. I’m not two anymore, and I don’t have a cow if it’s not the perfect color.”
“I’ll make sure I add that to the notes,” he said, waffling between frustration over his daughter’s sassy attitude as of late and the sinking feeling in the pit of his gut that perhaps she was right.
Ding-dong.
Elle wiggled her finger.
“Young lady,” he said, lowering his chin. “Don’t take that tone with me.”
“I’m sorry, but if you give that folder to Dixie, she’ll be as angry as I am.”
“I doubt that. Now go get the door for our breakfast guests.”
Last night, after dinner at Rex’s, he’d dropped Dixie off at Jackie’s house, giving her an awkward hug goodbye at the door. The woman turned his brain to mush.
