Mom for the CEO's Daughter by Susan Meier Page B

how to melt it completely.

Chapter Two
    â€œWhat do you want for supper, sweetie?”
    Kara walked into the kitchen of her boss’s beach house just in time to see Gabe coax his daughter into eating. After they’d returned from three hours of playing in the sand and a quick rinse under the outdoor shower, she’d toweled off and slipped a T-shirt over her bikini.
    Stacy giggled. “Cocoa cereal.”
    Kara held back a laugh. It was fun watching ruthless billionaire playboy Gabe Fulton being tested by a tiny, blue-eyed, blonde-haired four-year-old.
    â€œWe don’t do cereal for supper.”
    His stern voice caused Kara to face him as he continued.
    â€œI can make hamburgers, hot dogs, steak or chicken on the grill. Plus veggies. Or I can heat a can of soup. Or you can go to bed hungry. Your choice.”
    The little girl’s lips fell into a pout, but she didn’t argue. “Hamburger, please.”
    Intrigued, Kara strolled to the center island where Stacy sat with her elbows on the yellow granite and her little chin on her closed fists.
    â€œThat’s better. Now go wash your hands.”
    Stacy sniffed out a long breath, but again did what her daddy had told her to do.
    When she was gone, Kara said, “Wow. That was amazing.”
    â€œIf I had to face a boardroom full of four-year-olds instead of arrogant executives, I wouldn’t have half the money I have.”
    She laughed. “So what’s up with your ex-wife’s sudden trip to Europe? Is it business?”
    â€œNope. Pleasure. The trip is a vacation.”
    Kara narrowed her eyes, considering that. “But Sunday is Mother’s Day.”
    â€œShe doesn’t care.”
    â€œStacy will.”
    ***
    Relief rippled through Gabe. He’d been so bedazzled by the sight of Kara in a bikini that he’d forgotten what a nice person she was. Of course she understood. She might be attractive and it might have shocked him to see her in a bikini…but she was still Kara. Perfect assistant.
    â€œThat’s why we’re not going to even mention it while she’s around.”
    â€œGot it.”
    He took a mug from the cupboard to pour himself a cup of coffee. Before he did, though, he waved the mug at her. “Can I get you one?”
    â€œYes, I’d love a cup.”
    He froze. That was one of about a hundred things they had in common. Even on the hottest days, they loved coffee. They also loved horror movies. And Mexican food and margaritas. If he ever found her counterpart in the dating scene he might have to rethink his vow to never remarry.
    He shook his head to clear it. That was ridiculous. After the bitter divorce war that followed his short marriage, he now only dated. What the hell had put the idea of marriage into his head?
    He nodded at the eReader Kara had in her hands. “By the way, I bought you that business book you said you wanted to read. It should have downloaded by now.”
    She clicked on the eReader. “
Closing the Deal?
”
    She scrolled through her titles, found it and peeked up at him with a radiant smile. “I’ve wanted to read this for weeks. Thanks.”
    His chest puffed with pride, and that confused him, too. He wasn’t someone who usually needed credit for doing nice things. He certainly didn’t need to impress Kara.
    All this weirdness with her had to be the fault of their out-of-the-ordinary workplace. Not his fault or Kara’s, but the beach’s. Being together only half dressed had to be what had him thinking such strange thoughts. The book could help fix that.
    â€œYou’ll have a chance to read it when I take Stacy to the beach.”
    â€œOh… Um, okay. I
have
been dying to read it.”
    The disappointment in her voice sent waves of self-recrimination through him. He had just deliberately cut her out of his next break with Stacy. And she knew it. And it had hurt her.
    Hurt her?
Usually on trips, she loved