Page 26 of Off Limits Daddy

“I don’t see you looking at me like that.”

I flashed her a smile. “But I’m thinking it.”

She pulled open the door and walked out. She got to the edge of the stoop and looked back over her shoulder. “Who says I’m not thinking it too?”

7

Veronica

As I drove away from Duncan's home, I chastised myself for the parting comment I gave to him.

“Who says I’m not thinking it too?”

Why did I let him know that I thought of that night in the gym with him as well? Up until that point, I’d done so well at keeping my visit professional. That crazy idea of his to be fake married was now an undercover operation, so I needed to be serious and professional if I was going to protect Aiden and take down Wally Creighton.

At first, I was pretty certain that Duncan thought I was a coldhearted bitch. I didn't like him thinking that about me, but I determined it was a benefit. It would help maintain the lines of professionalism between us. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I could totally see myself giving in to him again. And it wasn't just because he was handsome, with those beautiful pale eyes and sexy smile. Or that he was a perfect specimen of a man. Oh, sure, all that made me want to jump him, but seeing him with Aiden, being so gentle and supportive, it added an extra elementof attraction. I suppose in some ways, I envied Aiden because I didn’t have a father figure and my mother had been too busy to show me or my siblings the type of care that he showed Aiden.

So it wasn't that I worried Duncan thought badly of me that had me revealing more than I wanted to him. It was that he seemed to be bothered by the fact that I appeared indifferent to him along with his revealing that he still thought of that night in the sauna. I tried to tell myself that I did it to protect his ego, but the truth was that his words reverberated through my body like every cell was saying, “don’t just think it, do it.” My dumb hormones had me admitting that I was thinking about him too.

By the time I reached my office, I decided that it wouldn't matter. This was my job and I needed to stay professional. And besides, there was a six-year-old boy in the house. It wouldn't be any sex when there was a child down the hall.

I went directly to my desk and typed up my notes from my visit with Duncan, including Aiden's behavior of hiding in the car and how that hinted at how he could've been in Wally's car during Donovan and Patrick's murders. I wrote up my plan to pretend to be with Duncan as an undercover operation to find out more from Aiden and to protect them. I left out the part where Aiden’s social worker had wanted to remove him and place him with a two-parent family. It wouldn’t change my goals, anyway. Aiden was a witness who needed protection. I’d do that no matter where he lived. However, I recognized that the situation with Duncan made being around Aiden much easier. Pretending to be engaged to Duncan was the perfect cover to spend time with the boy and keep him safe. The fact that my playing fiancée meant the boy could stay with Duncan, I suppose, was a benefit for Duncan until the case was over. Since I wasn't really going to marry Duncan, Social Services could still take Aiden away once our fake relationship ended.

I told myself that wasn't my concern, but my heart squeezed tight at the idea of Duncan and Aiden losing each other. While Aiden was a quiet and withdrawn little boy, there was no doubt that he trusted Duncan. Breaking that bond now could quite possibly break Aiden's ability to bond again in the future.

Once I'd written up my report and my plan, I took it to my supervisor's office to present it to him. He reviewed it and asked questions, all of which I was prepared for and answered easily.

"This case overlaps with Organized Crime. And of course, the murder investigation is with the Boston Police."

I nodded. "I figured we could work together on this."

On television, the FBI and local law enforcement were always depicted as being at odds. Granted, it wasn't always an easy relationship, but for the most part, we all wanted the same thing.

He studied me for a moment. "This fake engagement thing. It sounds a little crazy."

I shrugged like it was nothing, even though I knew that the entire time, I'd be battling against my hormones. "It's not that much different from a honeypot."

"But Mr. Ashworth is aware of all this, right? I mean, it isn't a honeypot."

I shook my head. "He's in agreement with this plan because it will help protect the boy. Everything will be professional."

He nodded and picked up his pen, signing off on my plan. "Just be sure to keep the Organized Crime unit apprised of anything you learn that could help them. I'll let you figure out how you're going to work with Boston Police."

"Thank you, sir." I took the papers and returned to my desk. At first, I was excited at the prospect of finally solving this case. But then it occurred to me that I needed to go home to pack and move in with Duncan.Who says I’m not thinking it too?Why did I tell him that I thought of him as well?

I packed up my things to head home, making a stop by the head of Organized Crime to let him know what I was doing. He agreed to let me know anything that his men found out about Wally that could be helpful in my case, and of course, I did the same.

I started to head home but then changed my mind and made a beeline over to Lindsay McKinnon's home. Since my visit at Christmas, I'd learned that she and Oliver were now engaged. It turned out that her triplets were Oliver’s and not his brother Liam's. It all sounded like a soap opera to me, but who was I to judge?

My purpose in going there was to talk to Oliver again about the day he'd gone to save his daughter who’d been kidnapped by Darcy Patrick and Detective Donovan. I also hoped that perhaps I could talk to his daughter. Maybe she’d overheard something that Donovan or Patrick said that could help me in this case.

When I arrived at the house, Oliver answered the door and immediately, his expression turned alarmed. "Is something wrong?"

"There hasn't been an incident, if that's what you're asking. But I'm still investigating Wally Creighton and I was hoping for a chance to talk to you again." I decided not to mention anything about his daughter.

He opened the door for me to come in.

"Hey, you're that lady from Christmas," one of Oliver's little girls said to me.

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