Daddy's Double Duty by Stella Bagwell Page A

what’s going through your mind, Conall. But I think you should understand that I’m not a woman who plays around.”
    For a fraction of a second, he looked astounded and then a grimace tightened his features. “Do you think I’m a man who plays around?”
    Her eyes searched his. “I’ve never thought so. But you’re starting to make me wonder.”
    He let out a mocking snort. “I haven’t touched another woman in a long, long time. Does that sound like a man that’s on the prowl?”
    It sounded like a man who was still in love with his ex-wife, or one that had been wounded so badly he’d turned away from love altogether. Either way, Vanessa thought, the notion was a bleak one.
    Sighing heavily, she stepped around him and crossed over to a small gas range. Giving one of the knobs a savage twist, she ignited a flame beneath a blue granite pot.
    After a moment, she answered his question. “No. It sounds to me like a man that’s confused.”
    â€œConfused, hell,” he muttered.
    She glanced over her shoulder to see him striding toward her and before she could stop it, desire washedthrough her like a hot wave, knocking down her defenses before she could even get them erected.
    â€œWell, if you’re not mixed up, I am,” she admitted.
    He stopped within a few inches of her and though he didn’t touch her, Vanessa could almost feel his hands, his gaze, roaming her face, her body.
    â€œExplain that, would you?”
    A war exploded inside her and she was trying to decide if she wanted to throw herself in his arms or scurry out of the room, when he shifted closer.
    She tried to swallow but her throat was so dry she nearly choked in the process. Finally, she managed to say, “I don’t understand any of this, Conall.”
    He was looking at her with that same stony expression she’d seen on him in the office when things weren’t going his way.
    â€œIt would help if I knew what this was,” he stated.
    The fact that he was deliberately being ignorant made her clench her jaw tight and suddenly all the doubts and emotions that had been swirling around in her for the past two weeks boiled to the surface. “You know what I’m talking about, Conall!” she burst out. “I’ve worked for you every day for more than two months and you hardly took a moment to look at me, much less touch me. Now all of a sudden you behave as though I’m irresistible. It’s—it’s ridiculous! That’s what it is.”
    Behind her the stewed beef began to boil rapidly and the sound matched the blood pounding in her ears. Twisting around to the stove, she automatically lowered the flame as she sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm herself. But the effort failed completely as soon as his hands settled upon her shoulders.
    â€œVanessa, I don’t understand why you’re so workedup over a kiss,” he murmured. “I’m not asking you to jump into bed with me.”
    The mere idea of making intimate love to this man was enough to make her face flame and her body burn. And she suddenly felt terribly, terribly embarrassed. Maybe she was acting foolish and naive. Maybe she was making a mountain out of a molehill.
    Forcing herself to turn and face him, she said, “I’m sorry, Conall, but this change in our relationship has caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting any of this and—”
    â€œDo you think I was? Hell, Vanessa, like I said before I’ve not even looked in a woman’s direction in years. And even after you came to work for me I wasn’t thinking of you in this way, but…”
    She waited for him to finish, but he appeared to be lost for words.
    â€œBut what, Conall? I receive word about the babies and suddenly you’re looking at me as though you’ve never seen me before.”
    â€œThat’s true,” he admitted.
    Incredulous, Vanessa stared at