Page 34 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

She was fine. She was safe.

At the edge of the driveway, I stopped running and closed my eyes, willing my tears back. My jagged emotions that I was losing control of my precariously balanced house of cards were spilling out all over.

And fear. Couldn’t forget the bone-crushing fear.

“Mama? Why you crying?”

I opened my eyes and stared into my baby’s worried hazel eyes. Dropping to my knees in front of her, I cuddled her close, burying my face in her hair so I could inhale the sweetness of her smell. Lavender and soap and maybe a bit of dog.

A dog who was now nosing between my legs in true embarrassing canine fashion.

“Bob, have some damn manners.” Dex hauled him back by his pink sparkly collar and flashed me a grin as I peeked up from Berry’s hair. “You okay?” he mouthed, concern etched in the lines in his forehead and in his eye crinkles.

Sexy eye crinkles.

My daughter could have been seriously injured—or so much worse—and I was noticing his eye crinkles. Something was seriously wrong with me.

Berry gave me a halfhearted pat and started to run toward our postage stamp backyard with Bob in tow.

“Alice Anne Wilde, you wait. You are not to ever run toward the road like that again. You know we’ve talked about that.”

“But the ball—”

“There are millions of balls in the world. There’s only one you.” I made my voice as authoritative as possible, considering my internal organs were still quivering. “Promise me.”

“I promise. I’m sorry, Mama.” She glanced at Dex. “I’m sorry. Please can he stay for a while?”

“Bob? Sure. He’s got nothing but time.” Dex glanced at me. “As long as it’s okay with your mom.”

There were a million reasons it shouldn’t have been okay. But then there was the fact that this man who barely knew me—barely knew us—had charged after my daughter and would have run into the street in front of a truck barreling down on her, just to ensure her safety.

More than her own father would have done. By far.

“It’s okay. Just stay in the fenced backyard, please.”

“Okay.” Head down, Berry nudged Bob in front of her and the two of them headed into the back, real and metaphorical tails between their legs.

I let out a half laugh, half sob as I finally rose. I’d kneeled in a damn puddle from the rain last night, and I was sure the hem of my sundress was all muddy. I looked downward and sighed. Dirty knees, dirty dress. “Awesome.”

“I’m sorry that happened. I should’ve stopped them with that ball.”

“What?” My head jerked up. “She’s not your responsibility. I should’ve stopped them. But they were just having fun—”

“Yeah, until they weren’t. I forgot how fast kids are. But I know I have to keep a better eye on Bob. My fault for being distracted.”

I didn’t want to ask. I knew I shouldn’t. And yet…

“Why were you distracted?”

“The slant of the sunlight on the porch is just perfect to observe the Monarchs in your bush.”

The laugh burst out of me. “You are such an asshole.”

“Thanks. It’s one of my finest qualities.” He held out his arm to me. When I linked mine with his, he led me toward the backyard. “You haven’t yelled at me for being here yet.”

“I don’t think I’m ever going to yell at you again.” I frowned. “Not that I ever yelled at you.”

“No, you didn’t. But why not?”

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