Page 4 of Kent's Honor
He looped his arm around her shoulders. Her mother had only been five-five, but Elle was already five-two, so hesuspected she would take after him. He hoped she stopped somewhere around five-ten, not six-three.
“I can see if someone can cover my shift today.”
“Miss Jackie wouldn’t send someone she wouldn’t trust with her own children.” Elle scrunched her nose and glared, as if mentally tossing daggers. “Besides, it’s not like I’m two and need constant attention. You heard Aunt Maren. I was a big help last night and in a year, I can take the babysitting course and?—”
“Stop trying to grow up on me,” he said as he smoothed down her shoulder-length brown hair. “And you won’t be babysitting until you’re sixteen.”
“I’ll be too busy with my boyfriend by then, Dad.”
He clutched his chest. “You’re going to give your old man a heart attack.”
She slapped her knee and burst out laughing.
“I don’t see what’s so funny.”
He glanced at his watch, then down the street, lined with houses much like his—small, modest, affordable. There were big wheels, bicycles, and other toys in the front yards. He loved that about the area. Plenty of kids, when Elle decided she wanted to play with them, which lately wasn’t often.
“You’re like fifteen years younger than Heidi’s dad. I think you’re the youngest dad on the block.”
“Actually, eighteen years younger, but who’s counting…” His words trailed off as a young woman he’d never seen before turned the corner, pushing a little boy in a stroller. He swallowed. Hard. “Do you know that girl and her child?” he asked his daughter.
“No.”
“Did you notice if anyone moved into Riley’s place in the last couple of days?” The house had been empty for the past three months. Unfortunately, the neighborhood had a high turnover since these were considered starter homes. Someday,Kent hoped to be able to afford a bigger home, but right now, he needed to save for Elle’s college education.
“It looked empty when I walked by there the other day with Miss Jackie.”
“Maybe she just moved in,” he said, unable to tear his gaze from the beautiful creature strolling in his direction. His lungs burned for the oxygen he couldn’t suck in.
The woman tucked a piece of blond hair that had fallen out of her long ponytail behind her ear in such a seductive manner that left him breathless. She held a piece of paper in her hand, and her gaze landed on the set of mailboxes as she padded by. The closer she got, the more his palms sweated and his pulse raced. He’d seen beautiful women before, but no one looked like the angel walking down the sidewalk, her long, bare legs striding behind the buggy. The way her muscles flexed every time her feet hit the pavement told him she had to be a runner.
He was a runner.
Maybe they could run together.
He should toss his libido out with the trash.
He’d date when Elle was in college. That would make him just shy of forty. Hell, lots of men started having kids at forty. Not that he wanted to, but his life would be far from being on the downhill side of things.
“Look, Mommy! A butterfly,” the little boy in the stroller squealed as they passed his neighbor’s driveway, getting closer to where he and his daughter sat.
“It’s so pretty,” the woman said with enthusiasm as she glanced at the paper.
“I want to get out.” The boy twisted his body, looking over his shoulder. “Out, Mommy! Please!”
“When we find Mr. Carter’s house, then you can get out. But you must be a good boy and stay next to Mommy, okay?”
Hearing his name snapped him back into reality. He blinked.
“I promise,” the little boy yelled.
“She’s pretty,” Elle whispered.
His daughter certainly was perceptive.
“Stunning,” he said softly. If he’d seen her in a bar, or anywhere, he’d want to ask her name. And it wasn’t just about how incredibly sexy she was but also how she carried herself with a sense of confidence that Kent didn’t see very often that made him contemplate tossing his rules out the window.
The woman’s complexion bronzed under the kiss of the sun. Her blue eyes twinkled, and she had the most adorable dimple on her right cheek when she smiled.
