LITMIR.BIZ

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around Charlie, too. He scooped the boy up for a fierce hug, burying his face in the crook of Charlie’s neck. Then slowly he drew back and lowered the boy to the pillows again. “G’night, sport.” His voice was rough. He straightened and stood looking down at the little boy for a long moment.

      Then his gaze turned to Daisy. Their eyes met. She shut off the light and headed down to the kitchen.

      If he wanted to talk, he could do it while she washed the dinner dishes. But frankly, she didn’t know what else there was to say. She began to run water in the sink, all the while aware of exactly where he was, hip propped against the counter beside the refrigerator, watching her.

      “Sorry I didn’t get here earlier,” he said over the running water.

      “You didn’t need to come at all.” Daisy set the plates in the soapy water.

      “Of course I needed to come. But I had to get hold of Caroline. I needed to tell her first.”

      Daisy did turn then. “That you had a son? How did she take that after your ‘no children ever’ edict?”

      Alex’s mouth twisted wryly. “She was … surprised.”

      “I’ll bet.” Daisy turned away again, picking up a mug and scrubbing it so furiously that the tiny sprays of yellow primroses on it threatened to disappear.

      “But she understands.”

      Daisy’s teeth came together as she swallowed half a dozen remarks that were far snarkier than the previous one. “I don’t want her understanding. If she’s like you, she doesn’t want kids around!”

      “She won’t have them. We’ve broken it off.”

      Daisy stared at him. “What?”

      Alex lifted his shoulders. “Circumstances changed. I called Amalie, too. Told her I was cancelling the rest of our agreement. My matchmaker,” Alex said when Daisy stared at him blankly.

      She was still processing Caroline’s departure. “Why?”

      “Because I don’t need one now. Obviously. She gets her money anyway, so she doesn’t care. She wished me all the best.” He paused, then exhaled slowly and said, “So, the decks are clear.”

      There was a moment’s stark silence as the implication of his words set in. Daisy felt a sudden chill but it started inside her, not out.

      “Clear,” she echoed. “Clear for what?”

      But as soon as she asked, she knew she couldn’t let him answer. She already knew—and she didn’t want to hear it. “For you to be noble? For you to do something stupid like ask me to marry you?”

      Alex stared at her, taken aback. “Damned right I want to marry you. Why the hell not? It makes perfect sense.”

      Exactly what she wanted to hear. Daisy wasn’t cold any longer, she was burning up. She wouldn’t have been surprised if steam was coming out of her ears.

      “You’re just like Cal! What is it with men, anyway? Why do you always think you can make the world act the way you want it to?”

      “Daisy—”

      “It’s all control with you, isn’t it?”

      “Daisy, stop it! Stop being stupid. And this has nothing to do with your ex or anyone else.” He shoved away from where he was leaning against the countertop and came toward her. “Be sensible, Daisy. I want to—”

      “No. Don’t do it, Alex,” she said fiercely. “Don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it.” She flung the sponge away and put her hands over her ears. “I won’t!”

      Of all the bloody-minded females!

      Alex couldn’t believe it! But Daisy was glaring at him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes flashing. She’d flung the sponge into the sink and put her hands over her ears, defying him to … what?

       Propose?

      Of course he was damned well going to propose. It was the right thing to do. If he had fathered a child—and he quite obviously had—it was his duty to marry his child’s mother, be her husband, a father to their child and … and then what?

      Live happily ever after?

      He wouldn’t let himself think about that.

      Because in his experience, people didn’t get to. Well, maybe some did. But how did you know? How could you ever be sure?

      You couldn’t. But the decision was no longer his. He’d made it five years ago when he’d made love to Daisy. He’d spent all night coming to terms with what that meant, and he was ready to do it. Determined to do it.

      And now …

      Now he didn’t have to.

      Just like that, Daisy had popped his balloon of self-righteous nobility before he’d even had a chance to let it fly.

      He should be relieved, Alex told himself. Somewhere deep down, he supposed he was relieved. But at the same time, he was madder than hell. He didn’t like being dismissed, being told his presence wasn’t needed, wasn’t valued.

      And if she expected he would just turn around and walk away, she was bloody well out of her mind. At least she’d taken her hands off her ears now and had turned back to the pots and pans with which she was making an almighty racket.

      Alex scowled at her back. “I seem to recall,” he pointed out, “that you wanted marriage.”

      The pots continued to clatter. She shot him a quick furious glance over her shoulder. “Five years ago, yes. When I was besotted, yes. When I thought you loved me, too. Not now! I don’t want you now!”

      It surprised him that her words actually hurt. They made him stiffen as if he could defend himself against them, against her. His jaw felt as tight as a steel trap. “Fine,” he said tersely. “You don’t have to ‘have’ me.”

      Daisy turned, a look of consternation flicked across her features, followed by a faint sheepish smile of relief. “Well, um, good. Thank you,” she said gruffly.

      “But that doesn’t mean you’re getting rid of me.”

      She blinked. “But—”

      “For God’s sake, Daisy. You have my son! You might not have seen fit to tell me, but I know it now. And I’m not going to walk out of his life. I want to be part of it. I want him to be part of mine.”

      “For how long? Are you going to be buddies like you were today? For as long as it suits you? Are you going to be here when he needs you or are you going to walk when the going gets tough? Do you imagine you can be here and not care, Alex? You said—you told me plainly—brutally—that you didn’t want to care—about anyone!” Her eyes flashed with accusation.

      “You never let me care,” he pointed out, trying to sound calmer than he felt. “You didn’t even tell me he existed!”

      “To protect him! To protect him from the knowledge that for you love is a one-way street!”

      Stung, for a moment Alex didn’t reply. Deliberately he swallowed his discomfort at the truth of her words. But at the same time, he lashed back. “Is that what it is?” he challenged her. “Or maybe—” he flung at her because, damn it, he wasn’t the only one in the wrong “—it’s all about protecting yourself!”

      “I don’t need to protect myself from you anymore. I know the score now. But Charlie doesn’t. He’ll give his love, wholly and completely, to you! To a man who can’t let himself care—to a man who thinks love is worth nothing! And how do you think that’s going to make him feel? I know what that’s like, remember? And I wasn’t four! I know what’s right for my son!”

      “And you’re the arbiter of all things ‘right’ in Charlie’s life?”

      “I

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