Page 115 of Delinquent Daddy (Banks/Kincaid Family 2)

"And what, pray tell, am I so scared of?"

"You're scared to believe it's the real thing this time between us. You don't want to trust it because last time hurt so bad. Well, let me tell you something, Ellie. I'm scared too.

I'm scared I'm going to do something else wrong, and I'll end up losing you and Cassie all over again. But I'm willing to take that risk.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"You may think history is just going to repeat itself, but I can't believe that. Because I'm not the same person I was ten years ago, and you aren't either. Things change, people grow and mature. But other things stay the same, like the way I've always felt about you. I don't care how much you resist and run from it, it's still going to be there between us. I'm still going to be here. I love you, damn it, and I'll wait as long as I have to until you're ready to come around."

He loved her?

Wait.

"What?"

Totally not expecting that confession, Ellie dropped her mouth open. He seemed to realized what he'd just told her a half a second later when his own face filled with color.

He sucked in a surprised gasp. "Oh, God," he whispered.

He didn't retract his words, but the look on his face made her think he was going to be physically ill for confessing them aloud.

They stared at each other, both clueless as to what to say now.

The ringing of the doorbell had each of them jumping. Ellie yelped and turned in surprise.

Oh, no.

No, no, no.

That couldn't be Ted. He was way too early. She stared hard at the door and then glanced toward Boston. He stared right back at her. At her panicked look, he lifted his eyebrows. "Want me to get that?"

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"No," she said quickly. Too quickly. But God, no. There was no way she wanted him to meet Ted. Hell, there was no way she wanted to see the two men standing next to each other.

It'd be too obvious which one was better looking, better smelling, better everything.

"I got it," she mumbled needlessly. Boston trailed casually behind her. She sent him a brief back-off scowl before she reached for the handle. He didn't budge.

To her horror, it was indeed her date standing on the front porch.

"You're early," she blurted out. After glancing down at her wrist, she nearly groaned aloud. " Really early."

But Ted merely grinned. "I couldn't wait." He thrust a bouquet of bright lilies at her.

"Oh!" she said in surprise, noticing them for the first time.

"Ah...thank you."

"Ready?" he asked.

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