Read Her Dakota Man (Book 1 - Dakota Hearts) for Free Online Page B

slumber. It gave him a moment to get his bearings.
    No bath. It was such a small thing. But Kelly never would have done it. Slow, steady and predictable. That was Kelly. Logan could almost hear her yelling at him about more sheets to wash and dirty feet on the floor.
    Easing himself up off the bed so as not to disturb Keith, Logan brushed his hand over his tired eyes. Already things were changing and Poppy had only been here one day. He thought about the hug his son so willingly offered Poppy. His boy missed having a mother. Try as he may, he couldn’t be both. He wasn’t starved for maternal love. Kate McKinnon gave her grandson love in spades, no matter how busy she was at the restaurant. But it was different and he hadn’t really seen what Keith was missing until his son gravitated so strongly to Poppy that afternoon.
    It was clear that Poppy not only had a hold on him, but on his son as well.
    When he closed the door to Keith’s room, he was surprised to see Poppy standing in the hallway as if she’d been waiting for him.
    “That didn’t take long,” she said.
    “He’ll probably sleep until…”
    “Six?”
    Logan chuckled. “Probably not much longer than that.” He paused a moment, weighing his words while he took in the beauty of her smile and the sparkle of light in her eyes under the overhead hallway lamp. He’d pushed them from his mind a long time ago but now that she was standing in front of him, it was hard to keep those memories at bay. Or the way his body had always reacted to her. Was still reacting…
    “Thank you for today,” Logan said. “We got a lot further than I thought I…that I know I would have gotten alone. Especially with Keith running around.”
    “He’s a great little boy.”
    Logan cleared his throat and averted his gaze for just a moment before looking at Poppy again. “You’re probably heading home tomorrow?”
    Her smile faltered. “I don’t know. I have no definite plans.”
    Logan looked at her and let out a slow breath. “I don’t want you to take this wrong. I really do appreciate everything you did today.”
    “But you don’t want me here.”
    Direct and to the point. That had always been Poppy’s way. When she’d left for New York, she’d told him directly. She didn’t wait for him to find out any other way.
    “It’s been tough on Keith since Kelly died. Routine is very important for him and I don’t think…”
    “Don’t stop there. What?”
    “I don’t want him to be confused.”
    She nodded stiffly. “One night not taking a bedtime bath too much for him?”
    “Kelly had everything—”
    She shook her head. “You don’t have to tell me about Kelly. I knew what she was like. She was as regular as the day was long. She knew from the moment she woke up in the morning exactly what she was going to do for the day and she did it. That was just Kelly. She was happy that way.”
    “You sound like you had a problem with that.”
    “If I did, she wouldn’t have been my best friend, Logan.”
    “That’s something you seemed to have forgotten.”
    “No, Logan. My loyalty to Kelly was real.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    She sighed and looked away. Then turned back to him.
    “Look, if it’s too difficult for you to have me here, I’ll leave right now.”
    “You don’t have to do that.”
    “Why not? Your mother already offered me a bed. It’s not like I’m going to have to sleep in my car.”
    “No one is sleeping in the car. Not tonight or any other night.”
    “Then what do you want, Logan?”
    “I saw the way Keith was with you today. He misses his mother. I don’t want him to get attached and then be heartbroken when you leave.”
    Realization showed on her face. “Are you sure it’s Keith you’re worried about?”
    He cleared his throat. “Of course. He’s always first in my mind.”
    “If it’s too difficult for you both, then I’ll leave in the morning.”
    He looked at her directly, fighting a war of emotions