Paris or Bust!: Romancing Roxanne?\Daddy Come Lately\Love Is in the Air (5 page)

“And what’s that?” Roxanne asked.

“That it’s time for him to stop running my life and start living his.” He paused. “Now do you want the job?”

“Can I have a few days to think about it?” Roxanne asked.

“Sure,” he replied. “As long as you promise to say yes, you can take as long as you want.”

Roxanne stood, pressing the contract to her chest, then started toward the door. When she got into the hallway, she searched for a quiet spot, a place to absorb everything that had happened. She opened the door to the janitor’s closet and stepped into the dark interior, needing just a moment to reflect.

She had a job, a way to provide at least some measure of security for her family. Though it wasn’t much, if she worked hard, she could make the show a success. After all, she’d wanted to go into television work after she’d gotten her degree. But then she’d married John and they’d started their family and she’d put all thoughts of a career behind her.

Now she had a second chance and a job offer that would leave her plenty of time to be a mother. It was like a dream come true. And on top of it, she’d get to see Kit Lawrence every now and then. Though until Carl set things straight with Kit, Roxanne wasn’t sure she wanted to come within a hundred feet of him. If Carl was determined to prove some point, why did he have to use Roxanne to do it? And why did Kit find it so easy to believe that she had ulterior motives?

In reality, there were probably a lot of divorced mothers who might jump at the chance to find a man like Carl. He was emotionally stable and financially secure. And he wasn’t exactly the type to go running off with a woman wrestler. The prospect of weeding through a world full of frogs in order to find a prince was daunting for any single mom.

And if she were looking for security maybe she might consider the possibility. She had her children to think about and if the radio show didn’t pan out, she’d be back in the same position she was in a few days ago.

But Roxanne wanted more from marriage the second time around. She wanted security, but she also wanted passion and excitement and overwhelming, everlasting desire.

Those fantasies had gotten her through some tough times. After John had walked out, she’d tried to convince herself that divorce was a good thing, that there was another, more perfect husband waiting for her. She had dreamed about meeting a man who would drive her wild with his touch and calm her fears with his smile. A man like—Roxanne cursed softly. A man like Kit Lawrence. One little kiss was all it had taken to wonder about transforming her fantasy into reality.

She turned and pressed her forehead against the door, squeezing her eyes shut. She knew she could make a success of this job, with or without Kit Lawrence’s approval or support. She could take advantage of this opportunity. But what she didn’t know was how she’d continue seeing Kit without falling into vivid speculation about what they might have shared.

She stepped back from the door, confident that she would handle whatever Carl or Kit threw her way. But at that very moment, the door swung open and hit her in the face, the impact with her nose causing stars to dance in front of her eyes. Roxanne cried out and stumbled around in the dark, nearly falling over a mop bucket.

The bare bulb hanging from the ceiling went on and for a moment, she had to cover her eyes, waiting for them to adjust. When she pulled her hands away, she found herself squinting at Kit Lawrence.

“In the closet? Are you waiting for my father or has he already left?”

She sent him a withering glare, even though the effort caused her nose to throb. “You have a very dirty mind.” Roxanne pushed past him and walked out the door.

“Rox, wait a second.”

“No! I don’t need to listen to you anymore.”

He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. Then he gently pulled her fingers away from her nose, examining it carefully. “Does it hurt?”

“Like hell,” she said, trying to keep her eyes from watering.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be inside the closet. I needed a lightbulb. What were you doing in there?”

“I could tell you, but you wouldn’t believe me. You prefer to think the worst of me.”

“Give me a reason not to.”

“I needed a quiet place to think. A moment alone.”

“In the closet?”

She pushed his hands away. “I have to go.” She hurried down the hall, this time finding her way out without a problem. When she reached her minivan, she quickly climbed in. Roxanne rubbed her nose, trying to ease the ache along with the humiliation. Her professional life might be coming together and her family life was getting on track, but her romantic life was a complete shambles.

Carl pretended to lust after Roxanne. Roxanne secretly lusted after his son, Kit. Kit hated Roxanne, even though he’d kissed her once. “My life has turned into a soap opera,” she murmured. “And I can’t find the damn remote to turn it off.”

R
OXANNE GRABBED
the box of cereal and poured a bowl of Frosted Flakes for Danny. Car pool was due to arrive in fifteen minutes and her son still wasn’t dressed. “Danny,” she shouted. “Come down right now. You’ll be late for school.”

“I can’t find my basketball shoes,” he shouted from the top of the stairs.

“Wear your hiking boots.”

“No, I have to wear my basketball shoes.”

Roxanne put Jenna in her high chair, then spread some graham crackers onto the tray. “Good morning, my little sweetie.”

“Mama,” she said. She stuck her finger out and touched Roxanne’s nose. “Dirty.”

Roxanne giggled and captured her daughter’s finger in her mouth. “Mmm, tastes good.”

Danny came racing into the kitchen followed by Rachel and Michael, who were still dressed in their pajamas. “Tell them to quit following me,” he shouted.

“Quit following your brother,” Roxanne said.

“When can I go to school?” Rachel asked.

“Next year.”

Danny slid into his spot at the kitchen table, then glanced up at his mother. His spoon froze halfway to his mouth. “What happened to you?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You have a black eye,” Danny said. “Cool.”

Roxanne turned to look at her reflection in the stainless steel refrigerator. When she didn’t like what she saw, she ran to the powder room tucked beneath the stairs and flipped on the light. “Oh, no!” she cried.

The thunder of running feet on the hardwood floors followed her to the bathroom and Michael crawled up on the toilet and peered at her reflection in the mirror. “Wow,” he said, clearly in awe of the swirl of color around her right eye.

“It’s purple,” Rachel said. “Purple is my favorite color.”

The doorbell rang, but the kids were so fascinated by her black eye that none of them ran to answer it. When it rang again, Roxanne cursed silently and told Danny to get his shoes and coat. Before she opened the door, she peeked through the curtains, expecting to find Janelle Verrick, one of the car pool mothers. Another moan slipped from her throat. Kit Lawrence stood on her front porch, holding a huge bouquet of flowers.

Danny ran up with his school bag and his jacket. “Why don’t you let Mrs. Verrick in?”

“It’s not Mrs. Verrick,” she said. “I want you to wait a few seconds while Mommy hides in the bathroom, then I want you to open the door.”

“But you said I should never open the door.”

“You know who is on the other side. Mr. Lawrence is out there.”

“Does he have some puppies and candy?”

“No. Just tell Mr. Lawrence that I’m in the bathroom and I can’t be disturbed. Then close the door and come back and tell me when he goes away. Got that?”

“Does he have balloons?”

“Not that Mr. Lawrence. The other Mr. Lawrence.”

“With the swimming pool?” Danny asked.

“Honey, just answer the door and tell him what I said.”

Roxanne rushed to the powder room then left the door open a crack. Rachel, Michael and Jenna were still inside, playing with the toilet paper. She shushed them, then she tried to hear what was going on at the front door. She heard the familiar squeak of the hinges, then held her breath.

“Hi, Danny.”

“Hi, Mr. Lawrence. My mom says she can’t see you because she’s disturbed. And she has to go to the bathroom. You’re supposed to go away.”

“Is she sick?” Kit asked.

“No. When can we come swimming again?”

“Whenever you want. Would you like to come tonight?”

“Sure. What time?”

Roxanne groaned. This was not going well. She raked her fingers through her tangled hair, then tightened the belt on her tattered chenille robe. The robe made her look like a pink sausage tied in the middle and there was a huge coffee stain on the lapel. Maybe if she stayed far enough away, he wouldn’t notice the black eye.

She stepped out of the bathroom and the kids scooted out around her, running to the door. Rachel leapt into Kit’s arms and gave him a hug, then stuck her face into the flowers he held. Michael clung to his leg.

“Are those flowers for me?” Rachel asked.

“They’re for your mom,” Kit replied. “But reach in my jacket pocket. There’s something in there for you.”

Rachel did as she was told and came back with big red lollipop. She found three more and passed them out to the other kids, then wriggled out of Kit’s arms. “Mommy, look what Mr. Lawrence brought!”

“Sugar,” Roxanne said. “And artificial coloring. And a sharp stick. Very nice.”

“My ride’s here, Mom,” Danny called.

“Leave the lollie. You can save it until after school.” He set the sucker down on the hall table and ran out. Then Michael grabbed it and raced out of the room, the girls hot on his heels. “Don’t you dare eat that,” she shouted. “That’s Danny’s.”

Kit took a step into the house. “Sorry. I probably should have brought them something a little more healthy, like alfalfa sprouts or yogurt.” He took another step closer, then frowned. “What happened to your eye?”

“A closet door,” she said. “And you looking for a lightbulb.”

Kit tossed the flowers aside, crossed the hall in a few long strides, then gently took her face in his hands. He carefully examined her eye, probing at it with his thumb. “Does that hurt?”

Roxanne shook her head. “I put ice on it last night. I don’t think anything is broken. Just a little bruised.”

“Maybe you should see a doctor.”

“That wouldn’t be a great idea. I don’t have health insurance. The kids are covered by a policy I bought, but since the divorce, I let my coverage lapse.”

“You were hurt in the workplace. The station’s insurance would probably cover it.”

“I’m fine,” she said, touched by his concern and warmed by his touch. “What are you doing here?”

He picked up the flowers from the floor and handed them to her. “I wanted to say I was sorry. About the argument we had. About the black eye. And I wanted to take you and the kids out to breakfast.”

Her first impulse was to accept. But then she shook her head. She had vowed not to get caught in the middle again. Carl and Kit were going to have to work out this misunderstanding first. “Have you ever been out to eat with three children under the age of five? I’m telling you, you’ll never be the same again. The jelly, the juice, the syrup. It’s not for amateurs.”

Kit laughed. “I’ve put together multimillion dollar deals. I’ve run a few triathlons. I’ve sailed across the ocean in a forty-foot sailboat. I think I can handle breakfast. Why don’t you and the kids get dressed? I’ll put these flowers in water.”

She nodded. Breakfast with Kit did sound intriguing. And maybe it would give her a chance to improve his opinion of her. “All right. I’ll just be a minute.”

She ran into the living room and retrieved the lollipops from the kids, then herded them upstairs. When she got to Rachel’s room, she pulled out a shirt and pants and laid them on her daughter’s bed. “I want you to go find something for Michael and Jenna to wear and then get them dressed. Then I want you to get dressed. Can you do that for Mommy?”

“I don’t like these,” she said, pointing to the outfit. “I hate that shirt. It makes me scratch. And those pants are green. I hate green.”

“Just pick out anything and get dressed. When I get out of the bathroom, I want to see all of you ready to go. Mr. Lawrence is going to take us out for breakfast.”

Rachel sighed dramatically, then began to rummage through her closet. Satisfied that her daughter could handle the task, Roxanne hurried into the bedroom. She quickly brushed her hair and pulled it back, tying it with a pale blue scarf. Then she found a sweater set that matched and wasn’t stained with spaghetti sauce or colored marker. Corduroy pants and boots finished off the look, along with a quick bit of makeup to cover the black eye.

By the time she got out into the hall, her three children were waiting. Rachel had dressed them in a wild assortment of patterns and colors. “You look—” Like little clowns, she wanted to say. But Rachel was smiling up at her with such pride in her accomplishment. “Fantastic. Good job, Rachel.”

“Thanks, Mommy.”

“Now, I want everyone to be on their best behavior. No crying, no whining and no crawling underneath the table. And if you drop food on the floor, it stays there.” She reached down and picked up Jenna. “Let’s go.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“I
FEEL AS IF
I’ve been through a war,” Kit said.

They slowly strolled through one of the small garden squares that surrounded the Washington Monument, a tall white column that served as one of Baltimore’s more impressive landmarks. Kit carried Jenna on his shoulders while Roxanne held on to Michael and Rachel.

Kit playfully placed his hand on Jenna’s knee, then didn’t pull it away. “Jelly,” he said. “I’m stuck.”

“I warned you.” Roxanne laughed. “And they were really well behaved. They didn’t spill anything, which has to be some kind of record.”

Pedestrians passed, greeting them with smiles, and Kit wondered at the impression they created. Did the five of them look like a happy family, a father, a mother and three children? A few weeks ago, he would have cringed at the notion. He’d barely given marriage a thought and children hadn’t even crossed his mind. He’d been happily single and determined to stay that way.

But now, he wanted people to assume that this was his family, that the woman at his side had chosen to spend her life with him, that the children loved him and depended on him. It was a life he suddenly wanted to experience.

Kit turned to stare at the fountain, now drained for the winter. This was crazy. He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Roxanne Perry. Hell, he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with anyone.

He had always taken a pragmatic approach to passion. Work came first and women, though an enjoyable part of his life, ranked a little further down the list. But today, he’d cancelled four meetings and a trip to New York in the hopes that she’d accept the flowers and an invitation to spend the day with him.

When they reached an open area, Kit set Jenna down and Roxanne let the kids go, allowing them to scamper ahead. “Stay on the sidewalk,” she called. “And no climbing on the fountain. Rachel, you watch Jenna. Don’t let her get all muddy.”

Kit was tempted to return his hands to his jacket pockets, but instead he let his palm slide down her arm until he wove her cold fingers into his. Winters in Baltimore were pretty mild, but the cold was damp and seemed to cut right to the bone. The children didn’t seem to be bothered, but Roxanne’s nose and cheeks were a pretty shade of pink.

They watched as Rachel and Michael jumped across a small puddle, Jenna screaming in delight when the water splashed. From what he could tell, Roxanne was the best of mothers. She was patient and firm, yet she let her kids experience the world. She rarely scolded and when she did, it was with a gentle voice.

“It smells like spring,” Kit commented.

“The weather is supposed to warm up later this week.” She glanced around the park. “It feels good to get out. Sometimes that house just presses down on me.”

“It looks like you’re in the middle of a renovation,” he commented.

“We’ve been stalled at that stage for two years, ever since my husband walked out. John was determined to live in that neighborhood. Mount Vernon was close to downtown, it had the proper mix of culture and social life for him. I wanted to look in Roland Park or Guilford and find something a little more practical for children. But that’s the house we bought. Looking back on it, I think that was the first sign of trouble.”

“How is that?”

“John put his wants and needs above those of his family.” She sighed. “I’ve been thinking of selling it, but who wants to buy it as it is now?”

“Where would you go?”

“Someplace cheaper. My parents live in upstate New York in a pretty little town near Saratoga Springs. It would be nice for the kids.”

Kit forced a smile, but the notion that she could just move out of his life without a second thought bothered him. He groaned inwardly. They’d known each other for three days and suddenly he was certain he loved her. Either he was going crazy or—or— Kit paused. No, there was no other alternative. He
was
losing his mind.

He’d been forced to admit that perhaps her motives weren’t what he’d first believed. In the time they’d spent together, he found no trace of greed or selfishness in her. Roxanne Perry wasn’t a schemer or a gold digger or anything but a sweet, sexy woman.

She’d bewitched him the same way that she’d bewitched his father. His thoughts had been consumed with the way she moved, the sound of her voice, the color of her eyes. And now, when presented with the possibility that she might walk away from them both, he suddenly didn’t want her to leave.

Hell, he should feel guilty about kissing her, but he didn’t. She’d insisted there was nothing between her and Carl. And Carl refused to admit his feelings for her. For now, that left the door open for Kit, a door he planned to open even wider. “My dad told me he offered you a job. It’s a long commute from upstate New York to Baltimore.”

“Can we not talk about your father?” Roxanne asked. “Every time we do, we get in an argument. You two have some issues you need to discuss. Let’s just enjoy the morning.”

“All right,” he said. Without thinking, he lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss below her wrist. “So what would you like to do today? We can go anywhere. How about the zoo? Or the aquarium? At least it would be warm there. When does Danny get off school?”

“He’s done at three.”

“That will give us plenty of time.”

“Why are you being so nice to us?” Roxanne asked, her tone suspicious.

“Because it’s so easy,” he replied.

“Are you sure
you
don’t have any ulterior motives?”

“Just one,” he said.

“And what’s that?”

Kit glanced around, then grabbed her and pulled her behind a tree, pressing her back against the trunk. He bent close and kissed her. But this time the kiss wasn’t soft and fleeting and tentative. She opened beneath his assault and the taste of her went right to his head.

Slowly, he explored her mouth, instantly addicted to the sweet warmth. A flood of desire raced through his veins and suddenly he wished they were alone, all alone, in some quiet, dark spot—like the janitor’s closet.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, knowing that he only had a short time to enjoy the experience. Then, certain that he’d satisfied his craving for the moment, he let her go. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out from behind the tree and they continued their walk.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “I just had to do that.” He glanced at her and watched as a tiny smile curled her damp lips.

“The aquarium would be nice,” she said, acting as if nothing had happened. “And after that, maybe I can make you dinner? I promise, no jelly on the menu.”

Kit didn’t even bother to hide his delight. “It’s a deal.”

He jogged up to the puddle that Rachel and Michael had found, grabbed Jenna and jumped into the middle of the water. The kids laughed and screamed and before long, Roxanne had joined them. Kit reached out to her and pulled her against him. She looked up into his eyes and smiled, as if there were no other place in the world she’d rather be.

And Kit had to admit he felt the same way.

“I
LIKED THE BABY SEAHORSES
,” Danny said. “Did you ever think there would be horses that swim?”

“Seahorses aren’t really horses,” Kit said, reaching for the milk to refill Michael’s cup. “They’re
syngnathids.
That means ‘bony fish.’ They just look like horses. Did you see how they swim? They have two dorsal fins that they flap together.”

“Like butterfly wings,” Danny said.

“Yeah, like butterfly wings.” Kit looked over the table at Roxanne. She felt her heart skip a beat, as it had so many times over the course of their day together.

There was a time when she wondered if she’d ever completely forget her troubles, or if she’d feel normal again. But today had been a good day—a great day. She was ready to move on, to make a life for herself and her children. And maybe, if she was lucky, Kit would be a part of that life.

“How about you, Mommy?” Kit asked. “What was your favorite thing at the aquarium?”

“Mommy?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Sorry. What was your favorite thing, Roxanne?”

“The parrot fish,” she said. “I thought they were the prettiest.”

“I liked the birds,” Rachel said. “The puffies.”

“Puffins,” Kit corrected. “What about you, Michael?”

“Frogs,” he replied.

This is what Roxanne had always dreamed family life would be—sitting around the dinner table, talking to the children, enjoying one another’s company. John had never wanted to eat with the kids. He’d always insisted that Roxanne feed them first, then put them to bed so he could have a “quiet” dinner with his wife. In truth, John rarely spent any time with the children.

“Yeah, that poison frog. He was cool,” Danny said.

“You know there’s a difference between poison and venom,” Kit said.

“How do you know so much?” Danny asked, staring up at him in awe. “You’re really smart.”

“I used to spend a lot of time at the aquarium when I was younger,” he said. “I was there on the day it opened up and after that, I used to visit whenever I could.”

“What was your favorite?”

“I always liked the stingrays.”

“Danny, why don’t you take your brother and sisters into the living room,” Roxanne suggested, “and clean up your toys. I’ll wash the dishes and then maybe we’ll watch a movie together.”

“What movie do you want?” Danny asked, turning to Kit.

“Oh, honey, I don’t know if Mr. Lawrence wants to stay for—”

“I do,” Kit interrupted. “I’d love to stay for a movie.”

Danny jumped up from the table, then helped Jenna down from her high chair. They raced off to the living room, Danny insisting that they choose
Aladdin
and Rachel countering with
Beauty and the Beast.

Kit pushed away from the table and picked up his plate and glass. When Roxanne made a move to do the same, he gently pushed her back into her chair. “I’ll clean up. You made dinner. It’s the least I can do.” He glanced around. “Where is the dishwasher?”

“It’s in a box in the basement,” Roxanne said, her face warming with embarrassment. “That’s one of the renovations we never got around to. Actually, it goes pretty fast if one person washes and the other one dries. Rachel and Danny often help me. That’s why we usually use plastic.” She slowly stood and joined him at the sink. “I’m glad you stayed for dinner.”

“So am I. You’re a good cook.”

Roxanne looked up at him, then let her impulses take control. She pushed up on her toes and kissed him, their lips meeting for an instant before she pulled away. But when she did, he moaned softly and caught her mouth again.

The kiss was slow and lazy, warm and deep. Roxanne’s knees went weak, but she didn’t need to worry about falling, since Kit had slipped his hands around her hips and held her tight. But they didn’t stay there. As they kissed, he smoothed his palms along her waist, pushing her sweater up until he met bare skin.

Her breath caught in her throat, then came out in a sigh. It had been so long since she’d been touched, since a man had made her feel this much desire. His hands were gentle, sliding around to the small of her back, then up to the nape of her neck.

She’d never experienced such intense longing, for every sensation. The taste of his tongue and the heat of his hand and just the smell of his cologne was enough to send every rational thought from her head. She wasn’t a mother of four kids or John’s ex-wife anymore. She was the woman Kit Lawrence desired, the woman he couldn’t keep from kissing.

Roxanne liked to believe that she held some kind of power over him, but she knew the opposite was true. With anyone else, she might have been more hesitant, more circumspect. But since that first time he’d kissed her, all Kit had to do was turn his gaze in her direction and a rush of unbidden thoughts would fill her mind, wild, crazy, sexual images. Roxanne had already fantasized about how it would be between them. And now she wanted those fantasies to come to life.

Kit grabbed her waist, then gently lifted her up onto the edge of the counter, setting her down next to the sink. He stepped between her legs and gave her one long kiss, then pressed his forehead to hers. “I’d better get to work.”

“Yes,” she said, breathlessly.

He finished clearing the table, then filled the sink with soapy water. Every few minutes, he’d steal another kiss and Roxanne would oblige. With the kids in the house, she knew it could go no further, but she didn’t care. For now, kissing him was enough.

“So, what’s going on with the contest?” he asked. “Have you heard anything?”

Roxanne shrugged and took a wet plate from his hand. “My sister entered me. She wrote an essay and I guess they judge me on the essay. I don’t know if I have to do anything else, except be a good mother.”

“You’d love Paris,” he murmured.

“Have you been there?”

Kit nodded.

“John always promised we’d go, but we never did. It sounds wonderful, though when it comes right down to it, I’d miss the children. I’ve never been away from them. Your dad has some other prizes set up with the radio station. Those would be nice to win.” She took another plate from him. “But I’m not counting on winning. I’m not even sure why I’m a finalist. Renee must be a better writer than I thought.”

“You’re a great mother,” Kit said. “And this is coming from a guy who grew up with the greatest mother in the world.”

“My mom was great, too. If it weren’t for her, I’m not sure I would have made it through all this. After John left, she lived with us for a couple of months. And my parents are always here for the holidays, so that makes things easier.” She sent him a sideways glance. “You’d make a good father,” she said.

“You think so?”

“You’re really good with my kids. I mean, not that I expect you to be
their
father.” She fumbled to cover her mistake. “I don’t expect anyone to be their father. I—I don’t know if I’ll ever get married again.”

He seemed surprised by her revelation. “Don’t you think your kids will need a father someday?”

Roxanne frowned. “No father is better than a bad father. One that might walk out on them again. Marriage is a risky proposition as it is. But if I fail at it a second time, it’s not just me who gets hurt.”