Daddy by December (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (8 page)

She’d considered
disappointing them anyway, but when she called Drake and explained the clash he
very graciously offered to postpone his session with her.  If she should admit
it to herself, she had to say that she was a little disappointed that he hadn’t
even tried to convince her to still come in.  It was great that he was flexible
but was she the only one doing the missing?

Holy Moses.  She’d just
admitted to herself that she missed – as in M-I-S-S-E-D – Drake Duncan.  Okay,
now she knew she was really in trouble.  What kind of a crazy woman would be
missing a man who only saw her as a note-taker, scribe, writer of memoirs,
whatever, but not how she wanted to be seen – as an attractive woman he
couldn’t stop thinking about? 
Stop it, Meg.  Stop it this instant.  Missing
Drake is absolutely out of the question.

But it was easier said
than done.  Over the several weeks that she’d been seeing him, although on a
professional level, he’d grown on her, her perverse heart pounding each time
she thought of seeing him again.

By the time the
following Thursday came around she was so jittery that she dropped her pen
twice before she got to Drake’s floor of the building.  She stopped outside his
office door and drew in a deep breath.  How old was she again?  Was it thirty,
twenty or was she a silly teen?  Sadly she was acting like the last of the
three.  And all because she hadn’t seen him in the space of two weeks.

She picked up her
courage from where it had fallen on the floor and tucked it into her pocket. 
There.  Ready to roll.  She tapped on the door.

At the sound of his
voice she pushed the door open and entered the now familiar office with its
wide glass windows and impressive view of the city below, the shimmering blue
lake as its backdrop.  Her eyes quickly scanned the expansive room and then
settled on Drake who had been sitting at his desk but was now rising to greet
her. 

She was pleasantly
surprised to see that today he was more casual than usual, wearing a navy
sports jacket with pale blue shirt open at the collar.  His hair, too, was
different.  He seemed to be growing it longer because today it curled at his
neck in a disturbingly sexy sort of way.  She almost groaned.  Sheer torture.

Torture that she
couldn’t just drop her briefcase on the floor, walk up to him and reach out to
slide her fingers through that glossy blond hair.  Torture that she couldn’t
grip the back of his head and force it down till those lips met hers in a kiss
so hot and hungry that it would make her forget her own name.  Torture that she
couldn’t shove him back into his chair and…

Jesus, Meg, get a hold
of yourself.  You’ve been celibate for too long.

“…feels like it’s been
a month,” he was saying.

Meg blinked.  “Pardon
me?”

Drake smiled, a
delectable smile that had her heart speeding up.  “I was saying that it feels
like I haven’t seen you for a month, not just two weeks.”

A month, he said?  Try
a year.  The way her body was reacting to him it was like she’d been craving
his touch for a long, long time.

And when he did connect
with her, just to shake her hand, she knew what the romance novels meant when
they said the girl melted at his touch.  Heck, she'd even written that into her
own stories.  Now she knew exactly what it felt like.

When he let go she sank
gratefully into the chair he’d pulled out for her then, surreptitiously, she
drew in some breaths to clear her head.

“We’re almost there,”
he said with a smile so warm that it caught her off guard.  So where was the
iceberg that had greeted her those last two meetings?  In its place was a man
so relaxed and cordial and gorgeous that she was having a hard time keeping her
eyes off him.  “After this interview I guess your focus will be on converting
all those notes into a story.”

“Correct,” she said,
glad he’d started a conversation.  She needed the distraction.  “After today
I’ll be spending the next several weeks working on the first draft.”

“A lot of work and
creativity,” he said as he gave her a look of admiration.  “Don’t worry.  I
won’t be calling every few days to ask how far along you are.  I’ll just leave
you to do what you do best.”

Call me, Drake.  Bug
me.  Get on my nerves.  I can deal with anything except your silence.
 
“Thank you,” she said quietly.  “I appreciate your understanding.”

That day, the last of
the interview days – at least for a while – the session went for over an hour
and a half and when she was done Meg closed her notebook and gave Drake a
triumphant smile.  It was mostly triumphant at having completed phase I of the
project but a little wobbly when she recalled that she wouldn’t see Drake that
often anymore…if at all…unless they had to tie up some loose ends.

She started packing her
papers and books back into the briefcase, wondering how she would say goodbye,
when Drake’s voice stopped her.

“So what are you and
Jessie doing this weekend?”

She paused, her papers
halfway into the bag on her lap, and looked up at him.  The question caught her
off guard and she had to stop and think for a moment.  “We were planning to go
to the aquarium on Sunday and maybe the museum.  It’s still too cold to do much
outside.”

He nodded.  “True.  But
I see that despite the temperature you’ve found ways to keep Jessie occupied. 
I like that.”

She smiled.  “Thanks.”

“And,” he continued, “if
you don’t think I’m being too presumptuous, I would love to tag along.”

“Really?’  She stared
at him, incredulous.  As much as the idea appealed to her she just couldn’t
picture this suave tycoon trudging behind a five year old and her
not-so-young-anymore mother.  She chuckled inwardly at that thought. 

“Really,” he said with
a laugh.  “And you don’t need to look so shocked.  I’m human, you know.”

“I know,” she said,
smiling back.  “After all the information I gathered on you I know you like
you’re my brother.”

“Or lover,” he said and
gave her a look so full of promise that her heart jerked in her chest.

“What time should I
pick you up?”  he asked.

No backing out now. 
“Ten-thirty should be fine,” she said, accepting defeat.

But it was a defeat
that sent a thrill running through her entire body.  Drake Duncan was going to
spend Sunday with her.  Oh, and Jessica, of course.  Mainly Jessica.  But no
matter if his focus was not on her, just being with him was going to make
Sunday a heck of a great day.

******

“Why do you do this to
me, man?  I told you, I don’t like dressing up to go to rub shoulders with the
rich and famous.”  Tyson James glared at Drake as he loosened his cuffs and
began to roll back his sleeves.

Unconcerned that his
friend looked ready to throw a hissy fit, Drake chuckled.  “Talking about the rich
and famous, you’re not so shabby yourself.”

“That’s beside the
point.  You know I hate it when you invite me to your parent’s house.  You guys
are old money.  I’m new money.  Old and new don’t mix very well.” 

At that Drake laughed
out loud.  “That’s a ten-ton load of bull and you know it.   Mom and Dad love
you.  Too much, if you ask me.   I’m beginning to get a bit jealous.”  He fell
silent as the server approached their table with two mugs of beer then, drinks
served, he turned his attention back to Tyson.  “It’s my birthday so suck it
up.  Tomorrow.  Four-thirty.”

It was Friday night
and, as they did every now and then, Drake and Tyson swung by Simpson’s, an
exclusive sports bar not far from Navy Pier.  It was the perfect place to
unwind after a long and hectic week.

“Tyson grinned. 
“You’re getting old, man, real old.”

“Thirty-four?  Perfect
age.  Young enough to be called young, old enough to not make too many stupid
mistakes.”  Drake shrugged.  “And it’s not like you’re any younger. 
Thirty-five in August, right?”

Tyson laughed.  “You
got me.”  Then as his chuckle died away he turned curious eyes on Drake.  “So
how are things with the love of your life?”

Drake leaned forward
and picked up the frothing mug.  He took a sip of his beer.  “Going good, I’m
guessing.”

“You’re guessing?”

“It’s early days yet so
I don’t want to make any premature calls but she looks like she’s coming
around.”  Drake shrugged.  “At least she hasn’t slammed the door in my face. 
I’ll be spending Sunday with her.”

“Sweet.”  Tyson gave
him a look of triumph.  “I told you – back off, give the lady some breathing
room, and slowly work your way back in.  It worked, didn’t it?”

“So far so good.”

“You damned near scared
her away for good, dropping the marriage bombshell on the table like that.”  He
shook his head.  “Glad you took my advice and stepped back and gave her a
chance to miss you, let her see you in a different light. So…Sunday, huh?”

“No need to look so
smug.”  Drake shook his head at Tyson.  “It will be three of us.  Her little
girl will be there and we’re going to the aquarium.”

“Oh.”  Tyson looked a
little deflated but then his face cleared.  “That’s okay.  It’s a start.  And I
have the perfect plan-”

“Whoa, hold up, buddy. 
No more plans.  I took your advice when I was desperate but from here on it's
my call.”

CHAPTER
SEVEN

“Drake!”

Drake heard a yell and was
just in time to catch the tiny body dressed in pink that had hurled itself at
him.  Jessie flew into his arms and, laughing at her excitement, he lifted her
high into the air, making her squeal with delight.

As he gently placed her
to stand on the ground he looked up and saw Meg, rosy-cheeked and smiling, as
she walked down the driveway toward them.  She’d pulled her hair up in a
ponytail, which made her look all of sixteen.  Gone was the sophisticated lady
he’d come to know in her smart business suits and immaculate make-up.  Today
her face looked fresh and bare, her skin glowing in the bright spring sunshine.

“Good morning.”  She
greeted him with an infectious smile.

“Morning yourself,” he
said as he smiled down at her.  “Ready to roll?”

“Yup.”  She nodded. 
“Just as soon as I get Jessie’s booster seat from my car.”

In less than two
minutes they had Jessie buckled up in Drake’s SUV and he was backing out of
their driveway.  Then they were on their way.  He and Meg didn’t do much in the
way of conversation but they didn’t have to.  Jessica kept up a running
commentary, telling them about her week at Kids’ Camp, all the drawing she’d
done and the friends she’d made.  She didn’t stop talking until they pulled
into the parking lot of the aquarium.

“Yay,” the little girl
yelled, almost bouncing out of her booster seat in her excitement.  “We’re
here, Mommy, we’re here.”

“I know, honey.”  Meg
looked back and smiled at her daughter.  “Now just stay calm and we’ll have you
out of the car in a jiffy.”

They got out of the car
and as they walked toward the building with Jessie holding Meg’s hand he almost
laughed out loud as he watched them.

Jessie, in her
eagerness, had dragged her mother forward, making her almost have to break into
a trot to keep up.  Meg raised her voice in protest but Jessie refused to slow
down.  Finally, Drake had to come to her rescue. 

“Okay, Jessie, let’s be
good now.  You need to listen to your mother.”

Jessie stopped immediately
and turned to look back at him with big, blue eyes that were full of reproach. 
Maybe it was because this was only her third time meeting him or maybe it was
the sound of a male voice, Drake couldn’t tell which, but after that Jessie
calmed right down and began walking sedately by her mother’s side.

He smiled to himself as
he followed behind.  It felt good to be out on a sunny day for a family
excursion.  And that was what it felt like – family.  Was this what he’d been
missing all this time?  Tyson had often teased him about being a loner and he’d
never let it bother him too much.  It wasn’t as if he was short of women to go
out with.  But this, he’d never had before.  And he wanted more.

“Hey guys, wait up,” he
called out.  He caught up with them and together they began their sightseeing
journey, exploring the mysteries of the ocean deep.

From stingrays to
sharks to belugas, they saw them all.  They had to pull Jessie away from the
dolphins she loved so much.  Then they explored the Caribbean reefs with their
strange and sometimes scary-looking inhabitants – sea turtles, spiny lobsters
and the ominous-looking moray eels. 

After Jessie had had
her fill of jellyfish and octopuses they took a lunch break then set off for
the children’s museum.  There, Jessie had a ball conducting science
experiments, building architectural structures and her favorite, drawing.  When
the presenter announced that they’d be showing a movie about how the earth was
formed Jessie was the first among the children to jump up and raise her hand. 
Drake smiled as he watched her, so bold and confident.  There was not an ounce
of shyness about her.