Page 15 of Curves and Cradles

I don’t know the first thing about being a dad. Hell, I don’t even know how to be part of a family. I’ve been on my own, more or less, since I was seven.

chapternine

Jane

“I’m so fucking angry with him,” I whisper-yell, doing my best not to wake up my daughter.

Dani nods knowingly.

I fold two more shirts and begin my rant again. “How dare he come back into town and seduce me again?”

“Such a jackass,” Dani confirms.

“Exactly. And how dare he come to my house, take one look at his perfect daughter, and walk away again?” I place my head in my hands. “God, I’m such an idiot!”

“You’re not an idiot.”

The doorbell rings again, and I wince.

“I’ll get the door. You check on Stella,” Dani says.

Once my daughter is asleep at night, there’s no waking her up, but nap time is a different story. Any little noise can disturb her, and then there’s no getting her back down. Nap time means letting her fall asleep wherever she is and leaving her there until she wakes up. You do not wake a sleeping baby. Or toddler.

I peek into the living room and find Stella still asleep on the floor. Her favorite blanket is knotted up in her arms, and her pacifier plunges in and out of her little mouth as she breathes. My heart clenches. I had no idea I could love one tiny person so much. I head back to my bedroom to return to my laundry.

“Um, Jane. I want to go on the record saying that you’re so not an idiot. There are some temptations no woman can resist,” Dani says as she enters the bedroom.

“What are you talking about?”

“Hot Navy SEAL guy,” she whispers.

“Here? Again?” I stand from my bed.

Dani winces and moves out of the doorway.

Kevin is right behind her. He rubs his hand on the back of his neck. “Hey, Janie.”

I glare at Dani.

“I’ll go sit with Stella and make sure she doesn’t wake up. You kids be nice.” The traitor turns and leaves me alone with the sexiest man in the universe. But sexy is irrelevant. As are his heated kisses and magic orgasm-inducing penis. I’m angry with him.

“What do you want, Kevin?”

“We obviously need to talk.”

I take a sobering breath, ignoring the rapid pounding of my heart. “Her name is Stella.”

“She’s mine?”

“Obviously.” I blow out a breath. “She has your eyes.”

“Yeah, I noticed that.” He steps further into the room, and it doesn’t escape my notice that his gaze lands on the bed behind me. “Were you planning on telling me?” His tone is edged with anger.

I shake my head. “Oh, no!Youdon’t get the right to be angry.I’mthe one who’s angry.”

“I was inside you yesterday, and you didn’t think to mention that we made a kid? Fuck, Jane.” He scrapes his fingers against his scalp, ruffling his slightly longer blond hair.

“You didn’t exactly give me time yesterday. And I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Screw and go seems to be your MO.”

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