Just One Dare (The Kingston Family 5)

Her top, however, was another story. It was short and tight, allowing a strip of skin to show above the drawstring of the pants.

“Mommy, pancakes please!”

Nick got his first real look at her daughter. Blonde hair like Aurora’s, a little curlier and more out of control, framed her tiny face. Her features were delicate and she was adorable. And her eyes—

His breath left him in a rush as he took in those indigo orbs so common in every branch of the Dare family. “How…how old is she?” he managed to ask.

Aurora had gone pale. “She’s five,” she whispered.

Nick didn’t need to do the math. No wonder Harrison had asked him how long it had been since that summer in Miami Beach. His brother worked with the Kingstons. No doubt he’d met Aurora and her daughter. But without the knowledge that she’d been with Nick, the color of the little girl’s eyes could be chalked up to coincidence. Until Nick’s reveal last night.

“Why’d you let the stranger inside, Mommy? Didn’t you tell me about stranger danger?” Leah asked.

Nick bit the inside of his cheek. The kid was a spitfire.

“He’s not a stranger, honey. Mommy knows him from when I used to live in Florida.” Aurora held his gaze as she spoke, until he felt the child staring at him and he dropped his eyes to look at her.

“What’s your name?” she asked him.

“I’m Nick. What’s yours?” He was surprised he could speak, considering how dry his mouth had become.

“I’m Leah. Do you want pancakes? Mommy, please, you promised and the batter’s ready.”

He glanced over and Aurora gave him a little nod.

“I’d love to have pancakes,” Nick said to his daughter.

His daughter. Holy shit. He’d spent plenty of time regretting the ‘no last name agreement’ he and Aurora had made that night. They’d thought it was fun, even smart at the time. But he’d never wanted to kick his own ass more than he did at this moment.

He followed them through the house—a gorgeous, decorated, home that was obviously lived in. What appeared to be a box with little girl dresses hanging from the sides sat in one corner of the family room, and a plastic karaoke set-up with a large plastic microphone in the other. Nick searched for signs that a man lived there—not that he knew what he was looking for—and came up empty.

Once in the kitchen, a mess greeted him. Pancake batter was dripping over the bowl with a spoon in it and the other ingredients sat on the counter. He felt like he’d walked into the Twilight Zone.

“Have a seat and I’ll get you some coffee,” Aurora said, then went about taking a mug from a cabinet and pouring him a cup.

In silence, she took out a frying pan and he spaced out as she poured the batter into it. While the pancakes sizzled, Aurora expertly cleaned the counter, juggled flipping the pancakes, and grabbed dishes for their meal.

“Do you have kids, mister?” Leah pulled a chair closer to him and sat down, leaning into his personal space.

She was so damned cute with her outgoing personality and spunk. “I…”

“Leah, let’s not be nosey. Nick is an old friend. He and I have a lot of catching up to do later,” Aurora said.

And if that wasn’t an understatement, Nick didn’t know what was.

“Do you like butter or syrup on your pancakes? That’s not nosey, right Mommy?”

He laughed and answered before Aurora could reply. “Syrup. How about you?”

“Me too. I like chocolate chips in mine but Mommy said no, cuz I had ice cream with Samantha last night.” She put her hands under her chin and let out an exaggerated sigh of disappointment.

His lips twitched and he met Aurora’s amused gaze. God, what he’d missed out on. He couldn’t be angry at anyone but fate but damn, it hurt.

Just as Aurora placed three plates with pancakes on the table for them, the doorbell rang.

She immediately put a hand on Leah’s shoulder. “Do not move. I’ve got the door. I’ll be right back.”

She strode out of the room and his gaze followed the movement of her hips, her sweet ass in those sweats, and the strip of skin that teased him.

He heard two beeps, then the low hum of conversation. Soon after, Aurora strode back into the kitchen, a man about Nick’s age behind her.

“Hi, Mr. Wheeler. Where’s Mimi?” Leah asked, her fork in a pancake as she tried to lift it all at once.

The man glanced her way. “Mimi is with her mom. I saw a strange car in the driveaway and came by to check on you two.”

Nick narrowed his gaze. Was this a boyfriend?

“We’re fine,” Aurora said. “But thanks anyway.”

“Who’s this?” The man in the Polo short-sleeved shirt had turned his gaze on Nick. “I assume it’s your Porsche out front?”