Just for Fun (27 page)

Pouring dishwashing liquid into the sink she got the bubbles going and started scrubbing dishes.

So, she wanted it all. That was nothing new. She’d managed to have it all so far. She had stability and fun, security and extravagance. She would do anything to have Doug and her promotion.

She was drying the last plate when he came in.

“Glad you got those done. The laundry’s in the laundry room already.” Doug slid his arms around her, his hands flat on her stomach, rubbing in little hot circles. “The vacuum is in the hall closet.” His lips met the side of her neck.

Heat shot through her instantly and she arched against his hands, resting her head back on his shoulder. “I told you about how I intended to touch your underwear.”

He chuckled, the sound rumbling through her body too. “Wish I had time for that.”

“Me too.” For the first time, the need to connect with him wasn’t out-of-control-heat-and-need.

She wanted to do something for him, the way he did for all the people in his life. Even her. He’d dropped all of this to come to Chicago. They’d been near strangers then, so it wasn’t like he’d done it because he cared or was trying to take care of her, but still… Doug made other people’s lives better. She wanted to make his better too. She was trying to figure out what all that meant. What did he need? What could she give him?

But sex wasn’t a bad start. She knew it was great for him too. They could start there and something would come to her, she was sure.

His hands kept rubbing, the circles getting bigger. She reached a hand up to the back of his head which pulled her shirt up away from her waistband. His palm met bare skin and he groaned softly. Slipping his hand under her shirt, he stroked her stomach.

“Come to Jeni’s house tomorrow with me?” he asked in her ear.

“Josie’s birthday?” she asked.

“The big number five,” he said.

He nipped at her neck causing shivers to dance down her spine. “I’d love to,” she said breathlessly. “What time?”

“Four thirty all the kids show up and then dinner at five so I can get to work.”

“The whole family, right?” Her heart tripped as she realized he was introducing her to his sisters and their husbands.

“Right. And about twenty five-year-olds. So bring your ear plugs and Ativan.”

She laughed. “How about wine instead?”

“Wine might work,” he agreed, pressing into her.

She felt his erection against her butt and pushed back, desire spreading through her. He could just take her pants down and take care of this right now. “Doug,” she moaned.

“I know. I shouldn’t have started this,” he said gruffly. His hand slid higher to tease her nipple. “But I can’t help it.”

“When do you have to leave?” She could make do with ten minutes. She needed him.

“Two minutes ago,” he said regretfully. He let his hand fall away and he stepped back, sucking in a deep breath. “Damn, you’re addicting.”

She turned with a smile. “I know the feeling.”

“Now that you’ve cooked for me I’m not sure there’s a cure.”

He was watching her closely and Morgan wondered what he was looking for. A reaction, apparently. But was he trying to scare her? Or tempt her?

“Wait until you see how well I vacuum,” she said. Also not sure if she was trying to scare or tempt him. She would love to help him out. If vacuuming and dishes and casseroles were what he needed, then she’d do it.

“Do
not
vacuum this house, Morgan,” he said, stepping close.

“I don’t mind,” she said quickly. “I may have a cleaning lady now but housework isn’t completely foreign to me.”

Doug chuckled and shook his head. “I was protesting only because it’s Molly’s job and she’ll be mad because then she won’t get her allowance.”

“Molly is another niece?” Morgan guessed.

He grinned. “Her job is to help clean Grandpa’s house.”

“How old is she?”

“Molly is going to be eight, Josie is five and Kaitlyn is seven. Molly and Josie are sisters. They’re Jeni’s girls. Kaitlyn is Lisa’s. But they all act like sisters.”

She sighed. She loved his family already.

“Okay, no vacuuming. Break my heart.”

“But if you want to dust, knock yourself out. Molly’s not so good at that.”

She smiled. “Noted.”

He just studied her for a heartbeat, then leaned in and kissed her. It was hot and sweet and she found herself almost whimpering when he pulled away. “Got to go.”

“I know.” There were people out there—his crew and potential patients—who needed him more than she did. In a way, at least.

Doug grabbed her bag and the clean casserole pan and escorted her to the door. She bent and kissed Senior’s cheek as she passed. “See you soon.”

He gave her a grin and thumbs up.

Her heart felt light as Doug opened her car door, kissed her again and then gently pushed her into the car.

“Tomorrow,” he said.

“Tomorrow,” she answered with a nod.

He was watching from the driveway as she drove off.

On her way home, she called her mom for her lasagna recipe.

Dooley knew glowering and grumbling was not appropriate for a five-year-old’s birthday party. But he was going to have to fake happy and excited.

Josie wouldn’t care that Morgan couldn’t be there. Josie had never met, or even heard of Morgan. But she’d care if her favorite uncle was being an ass.

Still, ever since Morgan’s phone message informing him something had come up at work and she couldn’t make it to the party, he’d been in a pissy mood.

Like it mattered.

It was Josie’s birthday party. Two weeks ago, he’d intended to come alone. Josie would still be thrilled with the real china tea set he’d gotten her. There would still be cake. Why did it bother him that Morgan couldn’t be here?

That was the million dollar question. The one that made his heart pound.

He wanted her here because he wanted her here. He wanted her in his life and little girl birthday parties were part of his life.

It was also bothering him because she was ditching the party for work.

Her work was important. He knew and understood it. And Josie wasn’t
her
niece. But he’d thought she’d be here to see him too and clearly something at work was more important.

He sighed as he stalked up his sister’s driveway. He shouldn’t be so dramatic. It wasn’t
his
birthday, she wasn’t truly letting anyone down, the party could certainly go on without her. No big deal.

Shaking off the irritation, Dooley rounded the corner of Jeni’s house to the backyard.

And froze.

There was a gigantic blow-up bouncy castle in the middle of his sister’s yard.

“Uncle Doug!” Kaitlyn saw him first and came running with Josie and Molly right behind her.

He squatted and was tackled by three of his favorite females. He was laughing within seconds as he gathered them all up in his arms together. “I was told someone here was turning twenty-five today. Do you know who that might be?” he asked, finding ticklish ribs and planting a kiss on the closest cheek.

“Not twenty-five!” Josie said with a grin. “Just five!”

“Five what?” he asked. “Five toes?”

“No!”

“You don’t have five toes?”

“Yes I do!” she said giggled. “But
I’m
five.”

“You are? When did that happen?” he asked with mock surprise.

“Today! I’m five today!” She grabbed his cheeks in her hands. “You’re silly!”

“
I’m
silly?” he asked, stretching to his full height. “I don’t have a big old castle in my backyard.”

Molly bobbed her head up and down. “It’s
so
fun!”

“Thanks for sending it, Uncle Doug!” Josie said. She waved and turned to run back to the castle and her friends.

She thought
he’d
sent it? He looked at his oldest niece. “Where’d your mom get that thing, Molly?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know.” She ran off as well.

Kaitlyn grinned at him and then followed her cousin.

Dooley went in search of his sister. She was just emerging from the sliding glass door to the patio with a tray of cupcakes. “Hey!” she said with a big grin.

“Hey. I knew the theme was princesses but didn’t know you’d get a castle,” he said, plucking a cupcake from the top of the tray.

“Right.” Jeni laughed. “But there’s one here anyway. You know Molly and Kaitlyn will want one for their parties too now, right?”

He frowned. “I didn’t send it, Jen.”

“I didn’t say you sent it,” she told him as she set the tray on the table covered with a sparkly pink tablecloth, pink plates and napkins, pink plastic forks and spoons and a pink crown at each place setting. Even the lemonade was pink.

“Josie thanked me for it.”

“I told her it was here
because
of you. Subtle difference.”

He paused with the cupcake at his mouth. “Because of me?”

“I don’t know a Morgan. Neither does Tim, Lisa or Lance.”

Dooley lowered the cupcake. “Morgan?”

“That’s what the note from the delivery guy says.” Jeni pulled it from her pocket and handed it to him.

Morgan. With trepidation, he unfolded the paper.

Happy Birthday, Josie. Have a great time! Love, Morgan

He looked up to find Jeni watching him with a knowing smile. “Who’s Morgan?” she asked.

“A girl.” Who had him tied up in knots, slowly going crazy.

“A girl who knew about Josie’s birthday?”

“So?”

“So you never get girls involved with family stuff.”

She was absolutely right. “I was waiting for one who could afford to send a little girl she doesn’t even know a bouncy castle.”

Jeni raised an eyebrow. “I see. I hope you at least invited her for cake.”

“I did. She had to work.” Dammit. She was buying his family’s affections instead of showing up in person.

“You invited her?”

“Yeah.”

“To a five-year-old’s birthday party?”

“Yeah.”

Jeni said nothing for a few seconds, then she asked, “How long have you been in love with her?”

He thought about lying. For about three seconds. Instead he said, “About a week. Give or take.”

Jeni gave him a huge smile. “That’s what Dad said.”

Dooley thought he was surprised for a moment. But no, he wasn’t. “For a guy who can’t talk well, he sure has a big mouth.”

Jeni laughed. “It’s the quiet ones you have to look out for.”

Dooley knew his moments of peace were numbered—his sister Lisa was around here somewhere—so he headed inside and pulled out his phone. He texted Morgan,
I want to see you tonight.

He was going to explain to her that in his life
things
didn’t take the place of
people
. She was going to have to
be
there, not just buy them things.

I should be done in an hour or so
, was her reply.

His heart rate picked up. He’d just seen her last night, but he felt hungry for her. He wanted to see her face, hear her laugh. He had it bad.

Meet you at my place.
He could talk Tim, Jeni’s husband, into bringing his dad home later. He and Morgan needed to have a talk. Among other things.

Bring me some cake
, she replied.

He grinned. He was going to have his cake…and eat it too.

“A bouncy castle?” he said as he opened the door for Morgan an hour and a half later.

“Did she like it?” she asked, her smile big.

“It’s a bouncy castle. She’s five. Of course she liked it.”

“Oh, good. I wanted to be there.”

She moved past him and he took a deep breath of her scent, growing hard immediately.

He grabbed her wrist and she turned to face him. “A bouncy castle?” he asked again.

“What?”

“What about a card? Maybe a balloon bouquet?”

“She’s five,” Morgan said with a smile. “A bouncy castle will always be better than balloons and cards.”

He sighed. “That’s not the point.”

“Her liking it isn’t the point?”

“No, of course her liking it is good.”

“Right.”

“But a bouncy castle is…too much.”

Morgan tipped her head to the side. “In what way?”

“In every way,” he said. “It overshadowed everything else. It was too expensive.”

“Overshadowed what?”

Dooley thought about it. Actually, during the party his sister and her husband sat at the picnic table and chatted with him and Lisa and Lance and seemed very relaxed. More relaxed than he’d ever seen them at one of their kids’ parties. Probably because all the kids were occupied in the fricking bouncy castle.

“It was too expensive,” he repeated.

Finally she propped a hand on her hip and sighed. “Doug, I like to spend money on people. I have the money to do it. And it’s not your business who I write checks to.”

“But…” Okay, she might have a point. “You don’t even know Josie.”

“I don’t need to know Josie. I know you. You love her.” Morgan shrugged. “In my book that means she deserves a bouncy castle on her birthday.”

Something about how matter of fact she was with that statement stopped Dooley’s breath. Knowing him was enough for her to feel an allegiance to the people he cared about? Looking into her eyes he realized yeah, that made sense. Knowing her was enough for him to like anyone she cared about too.

Damn, this love stuff was strange.

“For what it’s worth,” Morgan added. “I would have sent the bouncy castle even if I could be there. That was my gift. Instead of a Barbie or an Easy Bake Oven, I gave her something that made her and her friends laugh and have fun and burn off some of the excess sugar they ingested. The kids and parents were both winners there.” She put her hand against his cheek. “It wasn’t a replacement for me showing up.”

“Okay,” he conceded. That all sounded good. “But if we’re going to do this,” he said, pulling her close. “Then we’re going to really do this. I’m in your life, you’re in mine. If I’m available when you need me, then you need to show up for me and my stuff too.”

She put her lips against his jaw. “It might be easier if I just keep giving you gift baskets.”