Page 27 of The Bad Girl and the Baby

They were all going out today. He’d told her when he called that he wouldn’t go with them in the future, that he’d allow her some alone time with her niece. But this first time, it was better for Lulu if he accompanied them.

The doorbell rang. Lulu looked up. “Wait here, sweetheart.” Did she look anxious? She’d started acting up whenever he left. Diana said it was normal for her age. But that didn’t stop him from feeling guilty. “I’ll be right back,” he said.

Lulu smiled. “Woof.”

She was so sweet when she wasn’t being a total nightmare.

Darcy had her finger raised to ring the bell again when he opened the door. She dropped her hand and gave him a tentative smile. Her face was free of makeup, though she had a black stud in her nose and long black drop-earrings against her slender throat.

She opened her mouth, closed it, and then licked her lips, pulling his gaze to her mouth. He’d been doing his best to banish the memory of that mouth. Now, the taste of her flooded his mind.

Not happening again.

“I’m scared,” she said.

“What?” He’d been focused on getting his wayward thoughts under control.

“I don’t know anything about children. I don’t know what to do.”

He liked her more for the admission. He guessed she wasn’t the sort of woman to admit to shortcomings with ease.

“You’ll be fine,” he said. “When I first met her, she was so small I thought I’d break her if I got too close.”

“I bought her a present.” She shrugged as though uncomfortable. “A couple of presents, actually. I hope that’s all right.”

“I don’t really approve of presents except on designated days.”

That chased the apprehension from her eyes, and they flashed as he’d known they would. “Designated days. Are you serious?”

He was, but decided not to push it. He needed this to go smoothly, and if she called him stuffy again, he might be tempted to prove otherwise. Again. And that was so not happening.

“I’m sure it will be all right this one time.” He thought for a moment. “As long as it doesn’t involve sugar. Lulu and sugar do not mix.”

He led her to the living room and pushed open the door. Lulu scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide as she saw Darcy. Presumably, she remembered her from the other day. “Come and say hello to your Aunt Darcy,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

“Aunt?” she asked. She sounded suspicious.

“She’s your mother’s sister.”

“I has mother?” She blinked up at him.

“Everyone has a mother. Yours just isn’t here any longer. But Darcy is her sister.”

“Lulu want sister.”

This was something new. The nanny had been taking her to a playgroup, and she’d decided that she wanted a sister of her own. He didn’t quite have the heart to tell her it wasn’t on the agenda.

“You wouldn’t want a sister. Not really,” he said. “You’d have to share your toys.”

“Oh.” She thought for a moment. “More toys?”

“Never going to happen, sweetheart.” Her eyes narrowed, and he continued quickly before she could get the bit between her teeth. “Now, say hello to your aunt.”

Darcy crouched down so she was eye level with Lulu. “Hi there. We met the other day.”

Seeing them together like this, the family resemblance was clear. The hair, the distinctive shape of the eyes. There was Asian blood in there somewhere, he was guessing, though Emma had shown no sign of it. She’d been the perfect English rose. Blond, blue-eyed, creamy skin. Both Lulu’s and Darcy’s had a slight ivory tint.

“Hello.” Lulu didn’t sound convinced, and Darcy cast him a worried glance. She really was scared.

---