Roarke's Kingdom

His eyes met hers. Then he leaned in for another quick kiss, gathered his daughter into his arms and headed out the door.

Jennifer showered, then dressed quickly. Jeans. T-shirt. Sandals. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, dabbed on lip gloss and hurried downstairs.

Roarke, Susanna and Constancia were in the kitchen, Roarke standing at the counter with a mug of coffee in his hand, Susu in her chair at the table spooning oatmeal into her mouth with childish gusto.

“Good morning,” Roarke said, as if he hadn’t already greeted her, but the warmth in his eyes and in his voice said far more than that.

Jennifer smiled. “Good morning,” she said softly.

Constancia poured her a mug of coffee. Roarke kept looking at her and looking at her and finally—she could almost hear him thinking To hell with decorum—he strode over to her, cupped the back of her head in the palm of his hand. and said good morning all over again, this time with a kiss.

Susu clapped her hands.

Constancia grinned.

Jennifer blushed and when he kissed her again, she kissed him back.

“I have a surprise,” he whispered.

She smiled up at him. “Having you home is all the surprise I need.”

He laughed. “I’m happy to hear it—but I have the feeling you’re going to like my real surprise even more.”

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you.”

He finished his coffee, took her half-empty mug from her hand and put both in the sink. Then he went to Susanna, kissed the top of her head and reminded her that she’d promised to be a very good girl with Constancia.

“Good girl,” Susanna said solemnly.

Everyone laughed. Then Roarke reached for Jennifer’s hand.

“Time to go,” he said.

“Go where?”

“Tell Susu you’ll see her tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? But—”

“T’morrow,” the little girl said, and giggled.

Constancia giggled too. Obviously, everybody was in on the secret except Jennifer.

“Roarke,” Jennifer said, trying to sound indignant.

“Jennifer,” he said in that same tone of voice.

She tried not to laugh, but keeping a straight face just wasn’t possible.

He led her out the door, down to the docks and to his boat. When she started to ask more questions, he put his finger over her lips.

“Trust me,” he said, and it was all she could do not to tell him she would trust him with anything…

Anything, except maybe her secrets.

The thought made her smile dim.