Read The Daddy Decision for Free Online

open behind her, and bit her lip in dismay. She really did need a few more moments alone to collect herself. Turning around to reluctantly greet whoever had joined her, she felt her dismay drastically deepen. Her heart paused.
    Cort Dimitri stepped out onto the dimly lit deck and closed the door behind him.

    Like her, he wore no coat—only an expensive forest-green sweater that stretched neatly across his broad shoulders, and a pair of gray gabardine trousers that reminded her of the long, lean, muscular thighs she’d been sitting on so recently. A few snowflakes caught and glittered on his ebony hair and lashes, while his midnight-blue gaze pinned her against the railing.
    â€œLaura, I’m sorry.” His deep, quiet voice filled the night. “I was out of line when I tried to stop you from leaving.” The sincerity on his dark, arresting face kept her still and breathless. One end of his mouth turned up in a slight, wry smile. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
    Something about the soft gruffness and hint of irony in his last statement suffused her with warmth.
    Damn him! Damn him for gazing at her with that intensity, and for daring to corner her alone, and for having the decency to apologize. As much as she wished it weren’t so, she knew his apology was sincere, and found that she couldn’t quite hold on to her anger. Couldn’t he have left her at least her anger?
    She did, of course, have her pride. “Forget it.” She lifted a negligent shoulder. “You surprised me, that’s all.” Leveling him a meaningful stare, she added, “Just don’t let it happen again.”
    He held her stare, looking rather surprised himself. Squinting at her through the snow, he pursed his lips and studied her. “Don’t let what happen again?”
    â€œDon’t . . .” Laura swallowed against a sudden fluttering in her throat. Don’t touch me, or hold me, or make my heart pound . “...manhandle me.”
    Again, she’d clearly surprised him. He gave a small, rueful smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’ve changed.”
    Yes, she had. In many ways. But she knew exactly which
change he referred to. At one time, she wouldn’t have stopped him from touching her or holding her in any way. She wouldn’t have been opposed to his manhandling. “I’m glad you’ve noticed.”
    Thrusting his hands into the deep pockets of his trousers, he sauntered across the deck and leaned against the railing beside her. She wanted to move away, unreasonably daunted by his nearness. Pride kept her staunchly in place. She refused to be intimidated...or affected in any way, for that matter.
    His gaze lingered on her face, filling her again with annoying warmth. He then looked out into the snowy night, where majestic mountains loomed in the distant blackness. “I guess I just wanted to make sure I’d get the chance to talk to you before you...rushed off somewhere.”
    She raised an eyebrow at that. He’d changed, too, if he wanted to talk . “What did you want to talk to me about?”
    His gaze remained fixed on some distant point. “I gathered you were embarrassed by the photos.”
    She stiffened, unsure of how to respond. Unsure of how he would interpret any answer she might give. Faintly, she asked, “Embarrassed? Why should I be embarrassed?”
    As softly as the smattering of snowflakes pelting against their faces, he replied, “Maybe because we made damn fools of ourselves every chance we got?”
    â€œOh. That .”
    He slanted her a glance that sparkled. “Yes, that .”
    She wondered if he knew how much he’d surprised her. Could he possibly be as embarrassed as she was by their past behavior? She didn’t see why he should be. He hadn’t been the one suffering from delusions of love-ever-after. He hadn’t been the one left behind, looking like a