Page 15 of Baby For The Billionaire Silver Fox

“You look so serious,” Dan said, searching my face. Did his eyes just stop at my lips? I licked them self-consciously. Shit, this was torture. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Nope. Time to go, I think. Busy work day again for me tomorrow.”

We drove the short way back in silence. He walked me up to the front door, and I felt like an awkward teenager on a first date wondering if she had food stuck in her braces. This was just stupid. I was an adult. I turned to give him a light kiss on the cheek before heading in.

But as I leaned in to deliver the chaste kiss, his arm caught me around my waist and pulled me in. And then he kissed me in the most un-chaste-like way. His lips were warm and soft and intoxicating. My lips parted, and his tongue slipped in and tangled with mine. Time felt suspended as everything around me became unimportant. An exquisite shiver skipped down my spine, and a rush of longing for more hit me hard.

He cupped the back of my head and pulled me closer. I melted into him, feeling his rock-hard chest and abs. His lips grew more demanding, and I was drenched with desire, wanting him to devour me. He walked me backward until I hit the door frame.

This startled me like my alarm ringing on my day off. Panting for air, I pushed him back to make space between us. I could see the naked desire in his eyes, and my body ached to respond.

I tried to get it together, but all I could do for a long second was touch my lips in shock.

I finally found my voice. “No, no, no. This can’t happen.”

I hated the pleading I heard in my voice. “We’re just friends, and friends don’t kiss. This won’t happen again.”

Dan looked at me, bewildered at my switch from hot to not. He took a deep breath and blew it out in a rush.

Gathering himself, he backed away and bowed. “As you wish. Good night. I had a good time,” he said evenly.

He turned, but I thought I heard him say under his breath, “And I don’t regret a single thing.”

As if on autopilot, because I wasn’t currently flying my own plane, I called out, “I did too. That was the best Italian food I’ve ever had. Thank you.”

I stood for a second, watching him walk away, until suddenly, my stomach started rolling. I made a mad dash for the bathroom. I thought I might puke, so I concentrated onnotdoing that. Nana might hear, which would lead to questions. And what was up with feeling queasy at night? Didn’t they call it morning sickness for a reason?

Anyway, I didn’t have time to ponder that. I had another huge problem, and that was how to stop throwing myself at Dan Adler. Fuck. Why couldn’t I have met him before I got myself pregnant? I imagined how different my life could be and felt a few hot tears prickle behind my eyes.

I swiped at them angrily. I was going to have to totally steer clear of him. No more not-dates. No more tour guide. No more anything. I could do that. I had to do that.

That kiss, though. It made my heart skip a beat when I thought of it. I would keep that memory close because I could not go there again.

I groaned in anguish. It was time to talk to Lexi. I suddenly needed to tell my best friend what was happening and get her support. Hopefully, she wouldn’t hate me for not spilling it sooner.

I climbed into bed with Big Teddy and fell asleep, exhausted. Tomorrow night Lexi and I would have our girl time.

- 6 -

Dan

Despitebeingfunnyandoh-so-cool, there was much more to Nicole. Even with my semi-attempt to keep things casual, she had gotten lodged under my skin. She wasn’t one-night-stand material, not for me, and I wasn’t the long-term deep relationship type, not with my history. So there was the dilemma.

I was awake most of the night, trying not to think about her but failing miserably. She deserved better, and that wasn’t going to be me. Besides, she’d made it clear she wasn’t interested, even though her body told me otherwise. Maybe she didn’t want a relationship as much as I didn’t. And, I couldn’t forget, she was moving on in a few months.

I looked at the clock for the millionth time, realizing it was finally morning, and I could quit this farce of sleeping. I was determined to take this day at face value and enjoy it. The customers deserved no less.

Pretending I’d never met her might work for today. I’d try that and see how far it got me. I whistled on my way to the storeroom. Lots of vegetables needed to go out on the floor, and I was the man to do it.

I didn’t need to have a job, but I liked to work. It kept me from turning into a couch potato or dying of boredom. I enjoyed the banter with customers and liked being a part of this town. I realized I was probably an oddity, but I enjoyed volunteering on the different committees. I was interested in helping this town keep its roots while it grew. That thought made me sound like a boy scout, and I snorted.

I just preferred to look at my current life from a different lens than my old life and maybe try to make up for what had gone wrong. Actually, I felt like I’d had two past lives. Neither one had gone as desired. But I was doing just fine with this one.

“There’s the guy I was looking for!” said John Harris loudly as he popped around the corner and scared the crap out of me.

“Here’s a $5000 cashier’s check!”

“What? Why?”

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