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“I’m not.” Daisy stared at Ginny, her eyes wide, and lips parted, and she looked… “I’m scared.”
Yep. That’s what she looked like.
Fucking terrified.
“Because of my kid?” he whispered, tenseness taking over him. He’d had enough women in his life who’d learned he was a father and split. But she hadn’t. She’d come here tonight. So he’d assumed she was okay with being thrust into his little ready-made family. “Is Ginny a problem for you? You said you liked kids, originally, but is that not true?”
“What? No.” She turned back to him, still in his arms, and he stood frozen just outside his baby girl’s room, uncertainty finally taking hold. “I love kids.”
“But could you love mine someday?” He glanced at Ginny again and whispered. “If you don’t want to be a part of her life, tell me now. It’s best if I know now, as opposed to—”
“Mark?” she whispered, closing her hands on either side of his face and smiling gently. “I want to meet your daughter, and I’m sure I’ll love her. What’s not to love?”
A warmth spread through his chest, taking over his whole body. It felt a hell of a lot like…hope. An emotion he hadn’t felt in three years.
Without another word, he kissed her and headed again toward his bedroom. She slid her hands under his shirt and ran her fingers over his bare skin as he stumbled down the hallway. By the time he locked the bedroom door behind them, he was desperate to show her just how right he was for her. And there was only one way for him to do that.
He lowered her to his bed, running his hands over her curves. She arched into him, begging for more, and he felt more complete than he had in…well, ever.
Because this woman, this amazing woman, had agreed to be his and Ginny’s. For the first time in years, he wasn’t alone. He had Daisy, and she had him, and one way or another, no matter how hard it was, they would make this thing between them work. What they had was real. And nothing would break that. He wouldn’t let it.
As a matter of fact, he’d fight like hell to protect it…
And her.
Chapter Fifteen
What the heck am I doing here?
Daisy sat at the dining room table, staring at the tiny creature across the table from her. She had light blonde hair that cascaded down her back, and bright blue eyes, and Daisy felt…out of place. Like she was intruding on another woman’s territory and she had no right to be here. And yet, at the same time, it felt…right. So frigging right it was terrifying.
It didn’t make any sense at all.
None of this did.
She wasn’t supposed to be doing this—starting a relationship that was doomed to fail. Joining a family that wasn’t hers. Ignoring the million reasons why the two of them made no sense. This wasn’t her plan. It wasn’t her course. And yet…
Mark came up behind her, ran a hand across her back, and placed a mug of coffee in front of her. She smiled gratefully and picked it up, closing her hands around the warmth.
With one touch, everything made sense again.
Go figure.
You’ve got it bad, O’Rourke.
Ginny shoved a mouthful of homemade waffle in her mouth—yeah, apparently Mark cooked…and he didn’t just put a frozen Eggo in a toaster and call it breakfast like she did.
He frigging baked.
With flour and shit.
Ginny chewed with her tiny mouth shut. Clearly, her daddy was instilling manners in her at a young age. She stared at Daisy’s police uniform, her eyes wide.
She pointed, glanced at Mark, and said, “Paw Patrol.”
Mark chuckled and sat down next to her, ruffling her hair with an ease that she wasn’t sure she’d ever feel toward the tiny little human. Her experience with children was extremely limited, and even though she liked them, she didn’t really know how to interact with them. Was Ginny too old for the baby voice people used with kids? Would she look at her like she was crazy if she tried? “Uh…”
“Yes, she’s a cop,” Mark said. “Like on Paw Patrol.”
