Doorstep Daddy

Doorstep Daddy
Shirley Jump

Stand-in dad for the day! Maverick writer Dalton Scott demands solitude – not a baby on his doorstep! But he can hardly shut the door… He’s clearly out of his depth, but is amazed when he finally gets the little girl to stop crying! Then beautiful single mum Ellie arrives, distraught that the babysitter left her precious child on Dalton’s doorstep, and his heart goes out to her…The last thing Dalton thought he needed was disruption. But this chaotic pair makes him realise that too much of his life has been stored in fiction. With Ellie he could start a whole new chapter…

For a long time Dalton stood rightwhere he was, holding the baby, notsure whether to move or breathe.Then the coffeepot finished its cyclewith a final gurgle, popping Daltonout of his stupor. “Hey, kid,” he said,thinking that would get the baby tomove.

But she only snuggled closer.

He turned to talk to her again, to tell her he was no one she wanted to get comfy on, but when he did he caught a whiff of her shampoo. A sweet, fresh scent, with a touch of something he thought was called chamomile.

Beneath his nose, her hair was as soft as feathers, tickling lightly against his skin. He paused, inhaling the baby-light scent, allowing himself that one second of pretending.

Pretending she was his. That he was Sabrina’s father. He trailed a finger along the peachy soft skin of her cheek, the fantasy of this being his family, his life, continuing. He nuzzled Sabrina’s soft head and imagined carrying her upstairs, putting his daughter to bed and then shutting the door. To cross the hall and join Ellie…

Praise for Shirley Jump:

‘BOARDROOM BRIDE AND GROOM is well plotted,

and all of the characters are beautifully realised. While

it’s often humorous, keep some tissues handy too.’

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

About SWEETHEART LOST AND FOUND

‘This tale of rekindled love is right on target:

a delightful start to this uplifting, marriage-orientated

series [The Wedding Planners].’ —Library Journal.com

About NYT bestselling anthology SUGAR AND SPICE

‘Jump’s office romance gives the collection a kick,

with fiery writing.’

—PublishersWeekly.com

New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump didn’t have the will-power to diet, nor the talent to master under-eye concealer, so she bowed out of a career in television and opted instead for a career where she could be paid to eat at her desk—writing. At first, seeking revenge on her children for their grocery store tantrums, she sold embarrassing essays about them to anthologies. However, it wasn’t enough to feed her growing addiction to writing funny. So she turned to the world of romance novels, where messes are (usually) cleaned up before The End. In the worlds Shirley gets to create and control, the children listen to their parents, the husbands always remember holidays, and the housework is magically done by elves. Though she’s thrilled to see her books in stores around the world, Shirley mostly writes because it gives her an excuse to avoid cleaning the toilets and helps feed her shoe habit. To learn more, visit her website at www.shirleyjump.com

Dear Reader

I had such fun writing DOORSTEP DADDY! It brought back all those memories of having my children, of those early days when they were babies. Both the difficulties and the joys of raising little ones— and especially those sleepless nights!

Like all new mums, I made lots of mistakes and had tons of joyous days. My favourite moments of all, though, were the quiet ones. The naps on the sofa, when the baby fell asleep on my chest and I could just watch her sleep, or feel the rise and fall of that little chest. The laughter of my son, who had this deep chortle that got me every time and made it impossible to stay mad at him for more than a split second, no matter what he’d spilled or painted or ‘fixed’.

Every age has had its challenges and rewards. There were the bedtime stories and the kisses, the drawings and the basketball games, the road trips and the endless questions. My children have enriched life for my husband and I, and I can’t imagine life without them. They make every day an adventure, and bring a dash of excitement to everything we do.

But most of all they are my heart, and though they’re now way past the age of preschool and kindergarten, and closer to the age of sleepover camp and learning to drive, I still get teary on that first day of school and have a hard time saying goodbye. If I could, I’d keep them close for ever.

Until then, I’ll just keep on trying to preserve every moment I can, and look forward to grandchildren!

Shirley

DOORSTEP DADDY

BY

SHIRLEY JUMP

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

To my children. Every day with you is a precious gift,

and I thank God for blessing me with

two of the most wonderful children in the world.

CHAPTER ONE

HE CREPT silently into the bedroom, his footstepsmuffled by the hearty drumbeat of a summerthunderstorm.

He raised the knife, pausing only long enoughto delight in the quick flash of lightning that illuminatedhis victim’s terrified face, before—

“Dalton, I need your help!”

Dalton Scott let out a curse. Then another one. His neighbor. Viola Winterberry, one of those people who needed favors like trick-or-treaters needed another chocolate bar, was somewhere downstairs.

Interrupting. Again.

“I’m working, Mrs. Winterberry. On the book,” he called down.

“I know,” she said, her voice rising in volume as she climbed the stairs toward his office, “but I have—”

“I’m on a deadline.” He shouted the words, heavy on the hint-hint.

Actually, he was way past his deadline.

“But you have to—”

“And if I get disturbed, I lose my concentration.” He’d told her that a hundred times, yet she still walked in uninvited. It was his own fault. He’d forgotten to lock the door after he retrieved the paper this morning.

He needed a guard dog. A big one.

Aw, hell. It wouldn’t matter. His writing stunk, dog or not. Concentration or not. He’d already missed his deadline, ticked off his editor, nearly destroyed his career.

What else could go wrong?