On My Own: Book Three in the Who's Your Daddy series by Rhonda Marks Read Free Book Online Page A

booted up her computer when the door opened. Without looking up, she said, “Can it wait, Deb? I need to finish this report.”
    A deep, rumbly voice replied, “It can’t wait.” Her head jerk up and she found Dirk leaning against the door frame, a half smile on his handsome face. She inhaled a lungful of air and willed her heartbeat to slow down. When would she ever be able to look at him without having this reaction?
    “Come on in before anyone sees you,” she said while waving him inside. Once he t ook a seat in the too-small chair across the desk from her, she started. “What brings you here, today?”
    “I just finished my speech at the school. It went well.”
    “That’s great, but you haven’t answered my question. Why are you here in my office?”
    “Can’t I stop by and visit with an old friend?”
    She narrowed her eyes and let out a loud puff of air. “I don’t have time for a visit, Dirk. As you can see, we’re running a bare bones operation here, and I need to do some work on the computer.” She stood and began to walk around her desk. “So if you’ll excuse me.”
    “I need to talk with you about JJ. I mean, I want to start seeing him on a regular basis.”
    Caroline stopped in her tracks put her hands on her hips. “I thought we’d agreed to discuss all this later, after you left town.”
    Dirk stood and walked over to her. He had always been taller than her, but he must have grown at least another four inches since high school. She took a step back so she didn’t have to tilt her head back so far to look into his eyes. She also had to move away to keep herself from reaching out and touching that rock hard body of his.
    “Being around all those children today made me realize that I want to see my son sooner, rather than later, that’s all.” He slowly inched his way closer to her, then reached out to touch her hair. “I’m glad you haven’t cut your hair.”
    Caroline trembled as he fingered her curls. Heat shot through her body from her scalp all the way to her feet. One look into his eyes let her know he’d felt it too. That connection between them was still there, still hot. He leaned down slowly, his gaze zeroed in on her quivering lips. She licked them in preparation for the kiss she’d been craving. When their lips met, she let out a little sigh and melted into his body. Dirk’s tongue wasted no time slipping inside her mouth and sweeping every part, getting acquainted after a long absence.
    They took their time with this kiss, changing the position of their heads and clinging to each other like their lives depended upon it. Eventually, she needed air and broke contact first. They stared at each other, their chests heaving as they sucked in some much needed air. Before he could reach for her once more, she retreated to her side of the desk and slid into her chair. He sat in his chair too, neither one of them saying a word.
    The out of control attraction. The heat. It was if they’d never parted. She wanted him now just as much as when she was a teen. But just as quickly, the memory of when he left town doused the fire building inside. “I can’t, we can’t do this, Dirk.”
    “Why not , Caroline? Don’t even try to deny this. The attraction is still here.”
    “This is not about just us. We have a child to think about. He’s my focus now. And I don’t want him to be hurt.” Like I was. “What if you decide one day to stop seeing him? How do you think that will affect him?”
    “That won’t happen. He’s my son and I’ve missed so much already.”
    Caroline tried to ignore the tendrils of guilt and focused on JJ. “I won’t let JJ get hurt, Dirk.”
    “And I promise you I won’t hurt him.” He pulled out an envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it to her. “Here are some tickets for Sunday’s game. For you and JJ, your folks and some of JJ’s friends.”
    She took it and placed them on the desk. “Thank you. JJ will be thrilled.”
    “How about