Page 83 of Body Check

Daisy looked at him, blinking her wide blue eyes. “Uh-oh. Bad word, Unka Dak-Dak.”

“Sorry, Daisykins,” he said contritely. “I’ll do better.”

He handed her over to her father, because no matter how much he loved his niece, he wasn’t quite prepared to handle a willful toddler who had her eyes set on cookies.

He perused the buffet, filling a small plate with bites of food. When he turned to grab a cup from the DIY hot cocoa station, he came face to face with Jesse, who shot him an electric grin.

“Your niece calls you Unka Dak-Dak?” he said gleefully, “oh that’scute.”

He had Connor’s daughter, Maura, in his arms, and she gave Dakota a curious look from under the thick fringe of her dark lashes.

“Hi there, Maura,” he said softly. “I’m Dakota. Do you remember me from Thanksgiving?”

She shook her head, tucking her face into Jesse’s neck. He patted her back. “I think she’s feeling a little overwhelmed by the number of people here.”

“Yeah, it’s packed,” Dakota agreed, glancing around. “I was surprised they invited staff and their families too.”

Jesse nodded. “Yeah, I was too. But Connor explained that because it’s such a young team and there aren’t many guys with kids …”

“Oh, yeah that makes sense,” Dakota agreed. “No complaints here. I know my sister enjoys coming.”

“That’s her, right?” Jesse asked, nodding toward Violet, Jeff, and the kids who were at the end of the line to see Santa. “We’ve never officially met.”

“We can take care of that now,” Dakota offered.

Jesse grinned. “I’d like that. You want to see Santa anyway, right, Maura Moose?”

She giggled, nodding.

Dakota introduced everyone and in no time, Jesse was flirting outrageously with Violet. Dakota might have worried Jeff would be miffed, but then Jesse turned his charm on Jeff, and in no time they were both laughing at his antics. He was fun and harmless, of course. A flirt in the best of ways, charming but unthreatening, and clearly besotted with Connor, if the look he gave him when he sidled up a few moments later was any indication.

“Hey. Is this guy bothering you?” Connor asked, his Boston accent thick as he slid a hand along Jesse’s hip, pressing a kiss to Maura’s head, then Jesse’s temple.

Violet grinned. “Not at all. He’s a delight!”

“Oh, don’t tell him that,” Connor said, sounding disgusted. “He’ll be insufferable after this.”

“After this? Wasn’t healready?” Dakota joked.

Jesse shot him a fake wounded look. “I resent that accusation. Even if it’s all true.”

They chatted about holiday plans while they inched forward in line, but when the kids reached the front of the line, Dakota stepped back to try to figure out where to put his plate and hot chocolate, intending to get a picture.

“There’s the professional photographer here,” Jesse said, nodding in her direction while holding out one hand to grabDakota’s plate. “So you don’t have to take pics if you don’t want. Once they’re edited, they’ll get sent to Violet and Jeff directly.”

“Oh perfect,” Dakota said, relieved, taking his food back. “Thanks.”

So he watched from a distance as Daisy settled onto Santa’s knee and a snoozing Lily was tucked into his crooked arm. Something Santa said made Daisy giggle.

Dakota smiled. Damn, he really liked this organization. He’d been wary about working for the Harriers but something told him he’d definitely come to the right place.

A weight lifted from his shoulders and his smile widened. Six months ago he’d been reeling from Bryce’s betrayal but now … he had a job he loved, he got to spend a lot more time with his sister and her family, and he was having sizzling-hot sex with a gorgeous man.

Wherewasthat man, anyway?

Dakota glanced around. He’d been a little bit nervous about seeing Gavin today, afraid Violet would figure out who he was sleeping with, but he was nowhere in sight. Dakota shrugged, a little relieved. Maybe he was busy with important negotiations. He was trying to get that player from Minnesota.

What was his name again? Rafael Moon or something like that? Dakota had been a little distracted by Gavin at the time.

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