“This is all just so sweet, Lane,” she said as she slipped the last button through its hole. “You’re an amazing father.”

“Well, I figured if I wanted her to know how to be treated, I had to teach her. Taking her on dates will show her to never expect anything less or else I’ll have to kick her date’s ass.”

“I have no doubt about that, babe.” She lifted up on her toes and kissed my cheek.

With extreme stealth, I snuck back outside and pushed the button to ring the doorbell. I stood on the front porch and heard Raegan call out to Kate. A few moments later, the wooden door slowly slid open and Kate’s little blonde head peered around.

“Hello, beautiful. Are you still available to go on a date with your dad tonight?”

“Daddy!” she exclaimed. “You sent me flowers. They were pink and purple and red and white!” She stepped away from the door and into the porch light. For the first time, I saw that Raegan had curled her hair in long ringlets that bounced playfully around her face. She wore a soft pink dress that fell past her knees, and she spun around to show me how it billowed out around her.

I felt the damn emotions bubbling up in my throat. There had been a time when I didn’t know if I would get these moments with her. I tried to clear my throat before I said, “Wow, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”

“You look handsome, daddy,” she chuckled.

I took her hand and escorted her to my waiting car. As she crawled into the backseat, an unwelcome thought occurred that her dates with me better be the only times she ever crawls into a backseat. Damn, I really am going to need that shotgun.

When we arrived, I tossed the valet the keys and helped Kate out of the car. At first, we were given strange looks, but as Kate quietly made her way through the entrance with a wide, ecstatic smile gracing her face, they all began to smile with her. We rode the elevator five hundred feet above the ground and Kate held my hand eagerly the entire journey.

She’d known exactly where we were when I pulled up. Every time we drove past downtown Dallas, she’d asked me about the big building that looked like it had a ball on top. I told her it was called Reunion Tower and that it had a fancy restaurant for adults way up there. That never persuaded her from asking if she could go up there one day.

Out of pure dumb luck, we recently contracted a job with the head chef and owner of that fancy restaurant. He actually ended up being this really cool Austrian man that told me he would be more than happy to accommodate Kate and me when he was in town at the restaurant.

So, while everyone here would be savoring their extravagant, seven-course meals, Kate will have chicken nuggets made by a famous chef and I’ll be devouring one of his legendary steaks with French fries.

Kate gasped when the elevator doors slid open and she took in her first glance at the view. There were floor-to-ceiling windows that perfectly displayed a fully illuminated downtown Dallas—it really was spectacular.

When the hostess greeted us, I immediately knew she had been informed of our arrival. She smiled brightly at Kate and guided us to a small table set up alongside the tall glass windows. Kate pressed her hands and face up against them and took in the vast city surrounding us.

“This is awesome,” she stated, her voice filled with awe. “I think I see our house!”

“It is impressive,” I chuckled. Not long after we were served our waters, the food was placed before us. A huge thank-you note would be necessary after this night was done. They were treating my four-year old perfectly.

“Kit Kat, do you like living in Texas?” I asked before she bit into a piece of chicken.

“It’s my favorite. I don’t want to move anymore,” she stated.

“Would it be alright if one day we moved to a different house but still stayed in Texas?”

“Would I still see Auntie Audrey and Uncle Jace?” she asked.

“Of course.”

“What about Uncle Jaxon?” I nodded, and she proceeded to list off the rest of my friends, all of which she considered family members. I continued nodding and she finally said, “Yeah, that would be okay.”

“I would do anything for you, you know that, right? No matter what, you’ll always be my number one girl.”

“Daddy, would you beat up a boy that pulled my hair?” she asked.

“I don’t think I’m allowed to beat up little boys, but if there’s someone doing something to you, I might need to have a very serious talk with him.”

“Bubba punched a boy at the park today.” The way she stated it as if it were no big deal almost made me chuckle.

“Why would he do that?”

“Because that boy pulled my hair!” Her immediate defense of her brother didn’t surprise me. Those two were always on each other’s side. “It’s not fair. Mama made him sit in time-out and he’s not allowed to have dessert tonight, but daddy, he said that he’s supposed to protect me. I didn’t want him to get in trouble though.”

I knew there was a right way to approach this subject, but damn, I sure wanted to go find that little guy and hug him tightly—and then take him out for a triple scoop of ice cream. “Kit Kat, mama was right. It’s not okay to just hit people, but I will tell Braden that he’s doing a good job of watching out for his sister.”

“Okay,” she replied, only half satisfied with my answer.

I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “How about we sneak some dessert back to him?” Raegan was going to kill me.

She lit up like the Fourth of July and practically bounced out of her seat. “Yes! Please, can we?”

“You better not tell your mom.” I smirked at her.

“I super love you, daddy.” She went back to her French fries and guzzled down some more water.

“I love you like crazy, little girl.”

~~~~~~~

Just as I thought it would be, living with Raegan was as easy as breathing. I told her two weeks ago that she and I just worked and it was as simple as that. Those words couldn't have been truer, because we seemed to mesh so easily. It didn't hurt that Kate and Braden were as happy as two kids could be.

Although I returned to work—albeit reluctantly—I was shocked to realize how much I looked forward to returning home every afternoon. Raegan made my house a home and a place I wanted to be as much as I possibly could. Kate greeted me every afternoon as if she hadn't seen me in four years and it pulled on my heartstrings, not knowing if that was a good or bad thing. I continually tried to make a big deal out of coming home to her so she would know I would never go anywhere. I also had to tell Jace that I couldn’t travel anymore, but he seemed to be prepared for that so we began working toward moving me to a more permanent, finance-only position.

Quinn’s mom came into town this week, and tonight she asked if she and Jace’s mother could watch all the grandkids. Raegan was fluttering around the house nervously when I returned from dropping off Kate and Braden. Those two couldn't have been more excited to hang out with their cousins, as they called them. In fact, I’d barely gotten any hugs when I was saying goodbye. They were too preoccupied “helping” with the babies.

The reason I’d taken them solo was that Raegan was supposed to be getting ready for our night out with everyone. When I arrived back at the house, her long hair was curled in loose mahogany waves, which I loved, and she had taken off the t-shirt and cotton shorts she’d worn all day. As I stood in the kitchen, she sauntered in wearing her bra and panties and reached into the cabinet for a glass. I watched her calves flex as she stood up on her tiptoes and then continued staring as she moved toward the dispenser on the refrigerator. When some of the water splashed her stomach, her ass pushed back and I became instantly hard. God, literally everything she did turned me on.

“House is empty,” I stated, hoping she would catch on—fast.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” she responded, while leaning her bare hip against the counter and sipping her water. “It’s too quiet.”

“Yeah, but we’re all alone. We’ve never been alone. I hear that when you’re a parent and you find yourself alone, you should definitely take advantage.” I smirked at her.

“Is that what they say, huh?” She smiled coyly and sat her glass down. I stalked across the kitchen toward her and grabbed her h*ps in my hands.

“I don’t make the rules,” I whispered into her ear and started to nibble slowly.

I growled when her hands ran up the side of my face and into my hair. She knew that drove me crazy when she did that— it made me feel so f**king wanted. Her lips met mine before I could move them further down her jaw. I pushed her against the counter and pressed my hands to her back soothingly so I could unsnap her bra.

“Right here, in the kitchen?” she laughed. “The blinds are open.”

“Right here in the kitchen,” I hummed against her lips. My fingers tweaked her ni**les and she moaned while pushing them closer to me. I picked her up effortlessly, sat her on the edge of the counter, and moved between her thighs.

“Damn, I want you so bad,” I couldn’t stop myself from admitting.

“Mmm,” she let slip from her lips. Her nails grazed my scalp and then she pulled my face closer to hers. “Can we do that new thing from last night?”

Straight to my cock. That’s where her words struck me. “Tell me exactly which part was your favorite. I want to hear your saucy mouth,” I murmured, moving my hands toward her lace panties.

Before she could respond, three sharp knocks pounded the front door. I leaned my forehead against her shoulder and pretended that I hadn’t heard anything. Her hands began shoving at mine before I could finish my current task.

“Lane, the door!” she whispered, as if whatever as**ole was at our door could actually hear us.

“Dammit, who the hell is that?” I groaned. Stepping away from her delectable body, I clenched my fists open and shut.

As I was moving away from her, she reached out to grab my shoulder. I looked up at her in question, and she cleared her throat while pointedly looking down at my crotch. I had a huge situation between my legs that my gym shorts were not concealing. Of course I f**king did! I was seconds away from thrusting inside of my girl. Sorry, buddy. I regrettably adjusted myself up into my waistband and concealed the bulge as much as I could with my t-shirt.

“Do not get dressed. I’ll get rid of whoever this is,” I seethed.

She hopped off the counter as I dragged my feet toward the front door. I took a deep breath and tried to reel in my temper before I bit off our visitor’s head. When I opened the door, some dude a few years younger than me stood on my porch, appearing way too damn impatient. As soon as he saw me, he started to peer around my shoulder, trying to look in my house.

“Yeah?” That was as nice I could get. My dick was in the waistband of my shorts and my girl was probably na**d on my bed. This guy had better beat feet.

“Raegan Hayes here?” he asked. At the mention of her name, I immediately started to take him in. Who the hell was this?

“Can I help you?” I bit out.

“Yeah, by getting Raegan for me.”

“Not your servant. Tell me who you are and I’ll think about getting my girl.”

“Your girl?” He faltered backward and I immediately locked up.

“You’re on my porch, man. I think you can show some respect and let me know who the hell you are.”

“Name’s Adam,” he spouted off, while continuing to look around my body. He had an accent that sounded like he was from Jersey, or at least he was trying to sound like he was from there. My inner New York cop wanted to come out and interrogate this douchebag. I already didn’t like where this was going. “Ree Ree!” he shouted past me.

“Get off my porch, asshole,” I growled. From behind me I heard a gasp and the shuffling of feet. I stepped inside and shut the door on my foot, letting it stay open only a crack. Raegan was barreling toward me and her eyes were as wide as a deer about to be struck by an oncoming eighteen-wheeler.

“Whoa, baby.” I held my hands out to stop her. “If you think for one second I’m about to let your fine, NAKED ass out this door, you’re sadly mistaken.”

She looked down at her body and gasped, apparently realizing she was almost completely exposed. She dashed down the hall and returned with a cotton dress thrown haphazardly over her head. I didn't like how quickly she was trying to get out there to see this guy.

“Ree Ree?” I asked her in a hoarse whisper, as she ran on bare feet back toward me.

“You’re mad?” she breathed. She lifted her hands up to my chest and I loved the warmth that poured out through my thin shirt.

“Never at you, babe.”

“I just need to know why he’s here. Please, just let me talk to him. Alone.” Her voice was small, but it was also final. There was that word again… alone. Except this time it didn't include me.

“I don’t like this,” I admitted. Maybe to anyone else this would seem as if I was being a possessive caveman, but our situation wasn’t normal. She had been kidnapped, for Christ’s sake. I think my feelings were justified. Now someone from her past life was here—in Texas—and all of my protective instincts were lighting up. I wanted to grab Raegan, go get our kids, and keep them all within my sight.

“I don’t either, but he’s harmless…” She waved it off as if she really believed her words.

“I’ll be on the other side of this door. That’s as alone as I can let you be. Please, don’t push it, Rae.” I straightened her dress for her, pulled it up higher to cover her cleavage, and looked into her blazing green eyes—the very eyes that I had come to enjoy seeing open every morning and close every night. No one was going to take that away from me.