Mom for the CEO's Daughter Read Online Free Page B

her smokin’ hot bod at a bar?
    â€œSo you’re here for privacy to negotiate some big deal?”
    Gabe looked up to find Wyatt handing him a beer. He took it. “I’m buying a struggling construction company. It will fit nicely into my real estate arm.”
    â€œSounds good.”
    Or maybe she’d worn one of her ugly skirts, with her hair in a bun and those glasses? She’d stand out in a beach bar and every man with a librarian fantasy would race after her. She’d probably be too naïve to notice…
    Who was he kidding? She’d reminded him she was a twenty-seven-year-old single woman. At home in Rhode Island, she probably had boyfriends. She was fine…she probably wanted to be hit on.
    His heart twisted. He glanced up to see Missy and Wyatt staring at him expectantly. Apparently, he’d been asked a question that he’d missed.
    â€œI’m sorry. I was off on another planet.”
    Wyatt laughed. “We noticed. That’s why we offered to keep Stacy tonight. You can go home and get back to work.”
    Stacy’s eyes widened with joy. “Can I stay, Daddy?”
    He sucked in a breath. “That’s such an imposition—”
    â€œAre you kidding! The kids love her. And she’s about the same size as the girls. We can fix her up with pajamas and a swimsuit.” Missy rose. “We’ll bring her home around four tomorrow afternoon.”
    Taking his cue from Missy, Gabe rose, too. His muscles might have sighed in relief, but his head went crazy.
    Should he go searching for Kara? And if he did, what would he say if he found her?
    Or should he just go to the beach house? And if he did, how would he stay sane knowing she was “out there” somewhere?
    He kissed Stacy goodbye, but she couldn’t wiggle out of his hug fast enough. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow at four.”
    â€œAnd don’t worry about Stacy. You just take care of your deal.”
    He smiled, not bothering to correct their misconception that his deal had stolen his concentration all night.
    He jogged down the steps of their deck. Just a sliver in the sky, the moon didn’t shed much light. The black ocean was nothing but sound. Deck lights lit little squares in front of houses, but otherwise the world was dark.
    Which perfectly reflected his mood. He hadn’t been in a beach bar in years. He wasn’t twenty-seven. He was a thirty-six-year-old divorced father who hid from life by making money.
    Why was he even considering going after her? People depended on him for their livelihoods. He had a child. He didn’t do bars.
    Still, he couldn’t suppress the urge to find her. Halfway to his beach house, he convinced himself it was to protect her. But by the time he got to the deck steps he knew that wasn’t true. He wanted to find her for himself.
    And then what?
    He had absolutely no idea, but the ache in his belly wouldn’t go away.
    Suddenly, there she was, walking along the beach. His eyes narrowed. No. She was dancing on the beach. A scarf wrapped around her shoulders. Her red hair floated in the breeze from the surf.
    She looked amazing.
    And tempting.
    He licked his lips.
    Now what?

Chapter Six
    Kara glanced up, noticed Gabe approaching and stopped dancing. If he was close enough on the dark beach that she could see him, he’d undoubtedly seen her. And, again undoubtedly, she’d made a fool of herself.
    Something inside nudged her to find a way to avoid him, but she cursed that stupid, fearful girl. Let him tease her. Then she could sass him and maybe they’d return to their normal way of getting along.
    The wind whipped his loose beige linen trousers and the wild-print beach shirt he’d worn to dinner. When he got close enough, he said, “You were dancing.”
    She shrugged. “So? Gonna sue me?”
    He shook his head. “No. I liked it.”
    She sniffed a laugh. “Right.”
    â€œYou know,