Page 52 of Disavowed

Gray loved Alex’s son, Nicky, as if the kid were his own flesh and blood, but Dom also knew Gray wanted a child of his own. With Alex.

He shook his head, still amazed at how Gray and Alex had overcome some major issues before hooking up. The love Gray had for his wife was the forever kind. The guy was tough as nails, but when he looked at his wife he turned to mush.

“I’m so happy for you,” she went on. “You’ve made my day.” After ending the call she put her phone on the desk. She was still angled mostly away from where Dom stood. She picked up a framed photo from her desk that Dom hadn’t gotten a good look at earlier. Even at this distance, he could tell the man and woman in the photo were her parents. The family resemblance was obvious.

The smile on her face slowly disappeared, and she took a deep, shuddering breath. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

What the hell?

One minute she’d been smiling and joyful, and the next…

When she let out a soft sob, the sound went straight to his heart. Even in profile, there was undeniable sadness in her eyes, and he had the urge to take her in his arms and hold her until whatever was bothering her passed. But that would completely violate his vow to maintain distance. Don’t get personally involved. Still, he’d have to be a coldhearted sonofabitch to stand there and do nothing.

“Daisy?” She jerked her head around as he entered her office. “You okay?” He knew she wasn’t. She turned quickly away and wiped her face with a tissue, but not before he’d gotten a close-up look at her eyes shimmering with more tears.

“I’m fine.” She forced a smile, but even a cop straight out of the academy could tell she was faking it.

“Bullshit.” He sat on the edge of the desk. “I know you better than you think I do, and I know damned well you’re upset.” He grabbed the framed photo. “It has something to do with your parents. Talk to me.”

“Why?” She yanked the photo from his grip and set it down on the desk as far away from him as possible. “And don’t you dare bring my parents into this.” Her beautiful eyes blazed with anger hot enough to burn a hole in his chest.

“I’m only trying to help.”

“The only help you can give me,” she said, her lower lip trembling, “is by the hour. So get back to work. And don’t forget to lock up. You’ll be the last one out tonight because I’m leaving early to get ready. For my date.” She began shoving things into her bag.

He rose from the desk, clenching his teeth at the way she’d emphasized her last word. He left her office and headed back to the storeroom. Needing something to do with his hands, he grabbed the broom and began sweeping up more piles of spilled dirt. He heard the toilet flush, then Jack poked his head into the storeroom.

“Heading home to get ready for my date. I’m tellin’ you, man. This is the woman who’s going to bear my children.” When he bobbed his eyebrows Dom suppressed the urge to snarl and tell him to fuck off. “Marjie’s already left and Daisy’s heading out, too. Catch ya tomorrow.”

“Later.” Dom stood rooted where he was until he heard the bell over the front door jangle as Jack and Daisy left. An indecipherable feeling gripped him, and he didn’t know what it was. Jealousy? Somewhat, but there was also a heavy dose of anger jam-packed in there, too.

He’d wanted distance, and that was exactly what he’d gotten, so why was he so goddamn angry? Then it hit him. If he hadn’t been so fucked up in the head a year ago, that could have been him going on a date with her.

Twelve months ago, he’d liked her. Really liked her. Seeing her again had only intensified the feeling. But he’d been unprepared for her then, and still was. He’d give his left nut to have done things differently, but this train was barreling down the track without a brake and there was no stopping it. He had a job to do, and do it he would.

He threw down the broom, picked up a small terra cotta pot, and hurled it against the wall.

Chapter Fourteen

Daisy fastened large gold hoops in her ears, then ran a brush through her hair. With a critical eye, she gave herself a once-over in the bathroom mirror, hoping the dress she’d decided on wasn’t too over the top for a first date.

The full-length, black halter-top dress didn’t reveal a whole lot of cleavage, but it hugged her body like a second skin, and she was going braless, something she hadn’t done in a very long time.

Slowly, she ran her hands down the front of her dress, smoothing out the slinky black fabric. She closed her eyes, imagining what it would be like to have Jack’s hands running over her body.

Her breathing came faster as she moved her fingers over her breasts, trying to summon forth the image of Jack doing the same. Almost immediately, her nipples tightened and hardened, but in her mind it wasn’t Jack’s hands slipping inside her dress to caress her bare skin. And it wasn’t Jack’s tongue driving into her mouth, tangling with hers. It was Dom’s.

Dom’s large, rough hands massaged her breasts while his tongue swirled around first one nipple then the other, before plucking at the hardened buds with his teeth, sucking them into his mouth and—

The doorbell rang and Daisy gasped, snapping her eyes open. She gripped the edge of the vanity, cursing her stupid brain for going where it had. “I have got to stop thinking about that man.” How could she ever give Jack, or any other man, a chance if she didn’t?

When the doorbell rang again, she yelled over her shoulder, “Be right there.” She uncapped a tube of scarlet lipstick and ran it over her lips. She took a deep breath and let out a frustrated groan. Dammit. “Great way to start a first date.”

She grabbed a black shawl from her bedroom closet and tied it around her shoulders. She hadn’t intended to wear anything over the dress, but she sure as hell couldn’t answer the door looking all turned-on and sexed-up.

When she opened the door, Jack’s gaze swept over her with obvious appreciation. “Wow, you look incredible.”

“Thank you.” She opened the door wider, and he stepped inside. “And you don’t look so bad yourself.” He didn’t.