Page 8 of This Bitter Sweet Temptation
To raise his kid.
And then to let him cart her around as his daughter.
Holy flaming crap. I might fall over.
Is hemarried? Is he a full-blown family guy?
I scan his finger for any sign of a ring, but I don’t see one.
I have so many questions he won’t like, but I can’t say anything with his little girl standing there, staring at me with soft, curious eyes.
Yeah, no.Badmouthing daddy dearest in front of her probably isn’t a good look, as much as I’d love to let my sarcasm machine gun rip.
“Sorry.” I shrug. “I just… I didn’t know.”
His eyes fix on mine, like a storm trapped in amber. “I keep my personal and professional life separate, Miss Blackthorn. Like any decent person should.”
Hello to you, too, asshat.
That’s almost certainly a reference to the old days. Back when he was babysitting me, he had to tell more than one guy to go home.
Howmanytimes did he catch me trying to sneak out to hook up with a local boy or two during my high school visits here?
“Yeah, but…” My voice trails off. “We all have our secrets, I guess. Even PopPop. Isn’t that why we’re here?”
His frown deepens. “Kit was never a secret.”
“Dad, it’s fine,” the little girl whispers.
I fold my arms as I glare back at his smug face, noting all the wear that seems new.
He must be pushing forty now. There are tiny, faint lines around his eyes and the subtle hint of grey around his temples.
I don’t remember that from the times when I had him tearing his hair out.
Worse, the grey adds something to his appearance, giving him this distinguished look he totally doesn’t deserve. The newer lines highlight the deep darkness in his eyes.
He’s on his way to silver fox. The man could clean up in any big city dating market, and I hate it.
If the little girl is really about ten, I would’ve been around twelve or thirteen when he had her.
It shouldn’t rub me so raw.
It’s not like I expected to know anything about his life, but he basically lived with us. I never even had ahintthat he might havea family, a life beyond serving as PopPop’s intimidating guard dog.
I never once considered it.
His personal life just didn’tmatterin the slightest. He turned up, made my life miserable, and then I went back home to Dad and that was the end of it.
“Hi,” Kit says shyly. She offers me her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Oh? Did this brute actually mention me?
She’s pretty. I noticed before, but as I step forward to shake her hand, I see it more clearly.
She shares her father’s looks, but it’s a friendlier version. She doesn’t look like she was born to frown.
“It’s cool to meet you,” I say. “I’m Cleopatra. Cleo for short.”
