Who's the Daddy (Crescent Cove 3)

I tried not to shiver at the shortened version of my name. I was usually called Kelsey or Kels by most people. But the way his voice rumbled around that one syllable was just…guh.

I dug my keys out of my pocket and waved them over the security panel. Dare juggled me enough to open the door and took the stairs two at a time. With me. I was tall and my weight was evenly distributed, but did I mention the tall part?

I wasn’t a petite little thing.

He carried me like I was nothing.

“You’re not going to yak on me, are you?”

And there went the romantic part. “I’m going to try really hard not to.”

When he got to my door, he set me on my feet.

“I can take it from here.”

He pushed open the door without saying another word.

I sighed and followed him inside. “Honestly, I’m good.”

“Yeah. You seem it. Which is why I’m still here.”

And actually, I did feel a lot better. The shakes were gone and I was actually ravenous. Which just didn’t make any sense at all.

I stalked across the apartment to my tiny bathroom. “I really appreciate you helping me out and I’m sorry I ruined the…moment.” I just wanted my toothbrush. Maybe I could wash the taste away and my memory at the same time.

Oral B probably didn’t have this scenario in their marketing repertoire.

I heard the quick pop of bone and tendon and winced as Dare cracked his knuckles outside my door. “Do you want to watch me brush my teeth too?” I rinsed my mouth out with water, then a quick shot of Listerine before I loaded up my electric toothbrush.

When he didn’t answer me, I went ahead and started brushing. He’d already witnessed me in the worst situation ever, so what did it matter if he saw me foaming at the mouth too?

I did the full two minutes that was directed and then attacked my tongue to get the rest of the awful taste out of my mouth. And still, he paced outside. I finally rinsed and patted my face. My color was back and I felt fine.

Weirdest freaking stomach flu of my life.

I shut off the light and frowned when he jammed his fingers into his short hair until it spiked up.

“Honestly, I’m fine. I feel much better.”

“Yeah, I bet you do.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I put my hands on my hips.

He tipped his head back. “You sure you have the stomach flu?”

“I told you it was going around in my class.”

“Most people with the stomach flu are on their ass with a fever and begging to die a merciful death.”

“I guess I’m just lucky.”

He stopped in front of me. “Yeah, or you’re pregnant.”

Ten

The way her face went ashen made me feel a little better. Not the paleness. I stepped forward just in case she did something crazy like pass out on me. But because obviously, she hadn’t thought about her flu possibly being a nine-month affliction.

There wasn’t a calculating bone in her gorgeous body.