Dating a Single Dad by Kris Fletcher - Comeback Cove 01 - Dating a Single Dad

the most provocative words he’d heard in years.
    “I know you’re insanely busy, mostly because of me. I meant it when I said I’d like to help. Since I’m right here, and Millie seems to like me—which is totally mutual, by the way—well, instead of repeating this scenario, why don’t we set up something official. Have scheduled times when she can hang here with me so you can work without interruption.”
    Her words worked the miracle he’d thought impossible as his interest went from sixty to zero in no time flat.
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    He would have barked out something about not needing help, being fine, coping on his own—but she wasn’t accusing, he could see. She was genuinely curious.
    That was a new one. His family brushed off his need to do things himself as Youngest Child Syndrome. To have someone actually want to know his reasons—well, it made a difference. Almost as much as the fact that she had crossed her arms and now her breasts were pushed higher and there was more cleavage visible at the opening of her robe and if he didn’t look away in the next three seconds he was going to do something really insane instead of merely stupid.
    “When I said that you’re our test case, I wasn’t kidding. Millie needs to learn boundaries. That won’t happen if she’s visiting you all the time. You might have no problem with it, but the next person to stay here might not be as understanding.”
    “I get that. I do, and I think it’s very wise of you to take it into consideration. But—”
    “Brynn, this setup is awkward enough already, what with you living here and working for my family.” Not to mention the fact that I have now seen you far closer to naked than I ever should have, or that my mother would be delighted if she knew about it. “I think we need to keep the lines as clear as we can. No more dinners or unexpected visits. If she wants to pop in once a week or so, that’s great, but she needs to set it up first. Otherwise I’m never going to be able to keep her away from the cabins. You can imagine the problems that could create.”
    “But I’m right here, and it’s really no bother, and it makes so much—”
    “Brynn.” It came out a little harder than he intended, but maybe that way she would listen. It wasn’t like she was used to people refusing her. “I’ll manage.”
    She seemed ready to argue, but after a moment she bit her lip and nodded. “Of course. You’re right.”
    Yep. He was right, and he was doing the right thing. No need to feel like he’d just taken slippers from a helpful puppy and tossed them across the room.
    He shoved his hands in his pockets. “For the record, I understand why you want to have the festival here. I’m not thrilled, but I’ll live. And...yeah, I guess it will be a good kickoff for the place.”
    Her smile looked only 50 percent fake instead of the 90 or so he probably deserved. “Okay.”
    “Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll take my kid and get out of your way.”
    She nodded. He gathered up Millie, who stared at the floor while offering the world’s least sincere apology, and a minute later they were headed back to the job—though he detoured to grab his laptop and a Disney movie. He didn’t want to reward Millie, but neither could he really blame her.
    Just the same, it was probably very wise for both him and his daughter to stay as far from Brynn as was humanly possible.

CHAPTER FIVE
    B RYNN CLOSED THE DOOR behind Hank and Millie, stomped to the bedroom and let loose with a Tae Bo kick that would put the guy on the DVD to shame. Then she fell to the bed, grabbed the pillow and shrieked out a string of words that made no sense whatsoever, but absolutely fit her mood.
    “Mother-loving candy maggot freakomatic numskull!”
    Where the hell was her brain? She knew he’d been checking her out again. Actually, she’d sensed that more than seen it, because she had been too busy scoping him out herself. She’d been damp and flushed