Daddy Undercover (Crescent Cove 9)

“Not all men think of sex first.”

“Hmm.”

“Really. Guys come in all varieties, just as women do.”

“Hmm,” I repeated.

“Moose,” he said simply. “He was in love with Vee from the beginning. I guarantee sex wasn’t his primary objective.”

“I never said it was always the primary, but c’mon, man. You gotta give me top three.”

“Not with my dad. My mom was the only woman he ever loved.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “He tried to date a few times after she left, but it never stuck. Eventually, he opened up his flower shop, and I think that was a way for him to still feel connected to her.”

I was quiet for a moment, picturing Mr. Brooks tending to his flowers as I’d seen him do so many times. Not only did he have his store, his garden at home was one of the best around.

To think he might’ve cultivated that love because of one he’d lost tugged at my chest.

“He asked me if I was okay. If he could do anything for me.” I tugged my skirt into place before putting on my seatbelt. “He told me he was going to send me a bouquet with Amaryllis. He didn’t say why. I know they’re a Christmas flower—what?” I asked when Jared’s gaze cut to mine.

His shoulders drooped as if he’d been carrying a heavy weight for far too long. “That was the flower he always gave my mom. Pink and showy. They’re more for the holidays, but that Greek word means to sparkle, and he said she glowed brighter than any bloom. He put them all over the house. It’s one of the things I remember most about that last Christmas with her.”

I reached across the front seat and covered his hand with my own on his thigh.

“Sorry. I’m not exactly setting a mood here, huh?” He released a dry laugh. “Can you tell that I’m out of practice?”

At once, his past tried to intrude. I tried to push it away, but he knew.

“Someday, I hope you won’t think of her as much. I promise that you think of her way more than I do.”

I glanced into the backseat. Samantha’s little head slumped to the side as she dozed. We were lucky she seemed not to mind talking around her while she slept.

Hopefully, I wouldn’t disturb her peace with this revelation.

“I have a date with Caleb for the tree lighting,” I blurted.

With the craziness of the day, I hadn’t even given it a thought. Guess that proved exactly how much it mattered to me. No offense to Caleb, but I was already involved with someone else.

Finally.

Jared stared at me. “What?”

“He asked me the other night when I w

as working before you called and wanted me to come over. Why I asked if you had spies in the diner. You always seem to know if a guy’s showing me some interest, even when you’re not there.”

Jared tightened his fingers around the steering wheel. “Yeah, and that isn’t fair.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s not even a real date. I just knew playing house was dangerous, and he asked when I thought a little distance would be better for us both. We were crossing lines, and I didn’t know if you really wanted to cross them, or just wanted a babysitter. And hey, I look decent in a tight T-shirt, so bonus.”

“While I’m not disputing that at all,” his heated gaze lowered to my top, hidden mostly by the lapels of his coat, “I wouldn’t do that to you. Having you there has always felt good. Right. I wanted to tell you that after you decorated the house, but you insisted we needed distance.”

“I thought it was best.”

“It’s not best.” His hand coasted up my bare thigh, his blunt-tipped fingers slipping under the hem of my skirt so seductively I shuddered. “I like having you with me, Bee. But I have no right to beat my chest where you’re concerned. As much as you’ve always felt like mine, I have no hold on you that way.”

“You don’t?” My voice came out much softer than I intended.

It wasn’t as if I wanted him to rage. But I didn’t know what to make of this new calmer, gentler Jared. Some twisted part of my brain had enjoyed when he went all caveman, even as the rest of me protested.