Cowboy Daddy by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online Page A

brief kiss on the cheek, heard the promise to not forget their plans. He saw Anne scrawl her phone number down, Laurel take it and stuff it into her pocket. He saw his daughter approach him, happiness shining so brightly from her face, it almost blinded him. He saw it all and knew that he was close to losing everything to a woman whom he didn’t like, or trust.
    “Wait for me by the elevator,” he told his daughter.
    She waved once, then disappeared out the front door. Anne stared after her.
    “You can be busy,” he said.
    Anne stared at him. “I don’t understand.”
    “When she calls you don’t have to see her if you’re not interested.”
    A spot of color flared on each cheek. “I want to see Laurel again.”
    He shoved his hands into his pockets to make sure he didn’t give in to the temptation to strangle her, then moved forward until he was directly in front of her The kitchen door prevented her from backing up, although she didn’t seem inclined to give any ground. The soft light from the lamps made her freckles stand out. He stared at the random pattern and told himself he’d always hated freckles.
    “Why do you care?” he asked. “If Laurel is so damn important to you, why did you give her up in the first place?”
    He might as well have slapped her. The color drained from her face and her eyes widened with disbelief.
    “That’s none of your business,” she said, her voice low and angry.
    “If it’s about my daughter, it’s my business.”
    “Get out!” She pointed to the door.
    “If I leave now, I’m never coming back.”
    She parted her lips to draw in a breath of air. He didn’t like the man he’d become these past few days. He was beginning to believe that Anne Baker’s pain was as real to her as his was to him. He almost wanted to take it all back. But he couldn’t. Laurel was his responsibility. The bottom line was this woman had once given her child away. Who was to say she wouldn’t get involved with Laurel, only to dump her a second time when the relationship became inconvenient?
    “What do you want to know?” Anne asked, her voice resigned.
    “Why did you give her up, and why do you want anything to do with her now?”
    She seemed to collect herself. The color returned to her face and this time she was the one to step closer. Less than a foot separated them. She had to lean back to look him in the eye.
    “You’re quite a bastard, Jake, aren’t you?” She folded her arms over her chest. “You can threaten me all you want. You’re the one holding all the cards anyway. I can’t make you let Laurel see me. There’s nothing I can say to explain my actions to you. There’s nothing to justify what I did. You’ve already passed judgment on me. If I’d known the name of the family adopting my daughter, I would have gotten in touch with them, with you, right away. I didn’t know. Not a day went by that I didn’t hope and pray Laurel would want to follow the trail I’d left and find me.” She walked to the front door and gripped the knob. “You go ahead and believe what you want. Just don’t be too surprised when you find out you were wrong.”
    With that, she swung the door open. Laurel stood in the doorway. “Dad, the elevator’s come and gone. I thought you said we were in a hurry.”
    He stared at Anne. From the rapid rise and fall of her chest, he could see that she was still furious.
    He brushed past her as he walked through the door. Sparks flew between them, sending liquid need pouring through his blood. He gritted his teeth and kept walking. Behind him, he heard Laurel say goodbye again and promise to call. As the elevator doors opened, he swore Laurel would never have any contact with that woman again.
    * * *
    “T hen we need to see to the executive homes. I think three should be—” Anne put down the papers she was holding and glanced at Heather. Her assistant continued smiling. “Why are you grinning at me like that? Do I have lipstick on my