Gentlemen Prefer Curves: A Perfect Fit Novel by Sugar Jamison Page A

Belinda’s had honey and powdered sugar on it and Mrs. Gordon’s had apples and cinnamon on it.”
    Carter’s head spun as he tried to keep up with her story. “Belinda ate with you?”
    “We talked, Daddy. She shared her snack with me because you forgot to give me money and she told me I didn’t have a lard butt and that I was beautiful and if anybody tried to make me feel bad to let them have it.”
    He inhaled, taking all of what she said in. The knot in his stomach was growing larger with every word she spoke.
    “Daddy?”
    “Yes, babe?”
    She looked up at him shyly. “I know I said I wouldn’t like her for you, but is it okay if I do?”
    What could he say to that? How could he tell his daughter not to like her? What kind of man would he be if she said no? “Sure, you can like her. It’s okay with me.”
    She smiled at him, a full bright smile that he hadn’t seen in a very long time. “Can I go color now?”
    “Yes, but make sure you read first.”
    He sat there for a long moment, knowing what he was going to have to do but not liking it. Belinda and he couldn’t be friends. Their lives couldn’t intersect. He had come to New York to divorce her and he would. After that he wanted no part of her. If they were going to live in the same town she was going to have to stay the hell away from his kid.
    *   *   *
    Belinda sat in her den staring at the monitor of her desktop. She had off from work that day but she still liked to get some work done at home. Mother’s Day was less than two months away, and she was trying to stock the store with gift items. It never failed: Every year at Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day, a bunch of hapless men would flock to Size Me Up looking for gifts for their wives and mothers. She was about to place an order for silk robes when she heard her doorbell. Glancing at her clock, she saw that it was almost lunchtime. And that meant it was probably her father. Sometimes he would stop by so he could take her out for burgers and beer. She had wanted to tell her father long ago that she hated beer, but she couldn’t bring herself to. If she had to choke down a Bud once in a while to make her father happy, she would. Her father liked to spend time with her even though she knew he’d rather have a son. He was still a good dad.
    She opened her front door and instead of seeing a man in sweatpants and a Durant U windbreaker she saw a man in dark trousers and a crisp white buttondown shirt. He was the last man she ever expected to see at her door. “Carter? How did you find out where I live?”
    His jaw was tight. He looked no happier since the last time she saw him less than twenty-four hours ago. His hands were empty. She expected to see the heavy packet of divorce papers. It was the only reason he had for coming here. To finally put an end to their marriage.
    “You’re listed in the phone book. Can I come in?”
    He didn’t wait for her answer, instead just brushed by her to get in her house. She couldn’t help but notice how rock-hard his body was as it briefly touched hers. He used to jog every morning when they were together. She could still see him in her mind. Shirtless and sweaty. His body more beautiful than any man she had ever seen. She wondered if that was a habit that he still kept up. She also wondered why instead of her attraction to him diminishing over the years, it was more intense than ever.
    She shut the door behind her and turned to face him. He was staring at her, his hard eyes taking her in, his face nearly expressionless. Immediately she felt self-conscious. The way she always had around him. Her hair was too red, her skin too tawny, her body too thick to pass his inspection. But she wouldn’t let him know that. She lifted her chin and met his gaze. “Why are you here, Carter?”
    “I don’t want you giving my kid money.” He held out a crumpled ten-dollar bill. “She doesn’t need anything from you.”
    She was bewildered for a