Damaged Billionaire Daddy Bear - Leela Ash Page 0,7

white uniform stepped forward quickly, “May I take your luggage, ma’am?”

Jessica startled as she looked up at him. “My luggage?” she repeated. What kind of animal sanctuary asked if you needed help with your luggage?

He jerked his head in the direction of her trunk. “I imagine, you’re gonna need help lugging those heavy bags to your accommodations.”

She nodded. “I want to speak with Theodore Cooper, first.”

His gaze flicked toward a large oak tree in a corner of the compound and he looked back at her, “I don’t see his car in its usual place. Good luck tracking him down,” he added, before striding off with a grunt, obviously rescinding his offer of assistance.

In the back seat, Arizona erupted into tears. “That’s mine!” she cried.

“Okay, okay, guys. Kal, give her back her doll.” She knew the kids were exhausted and hoped they would be settled in soon.

But, at this rate, she and the kids would be camping out in the car! She had to admit to herself that it wasn’t just the kids who were at the end of their rope. She couldn’t even fathom the idea of getting out of the car to go into the building, even though at this point she did want to have a word with this Theodore character. Instead she whipped out her phone, scrolling furiously until she located the email she had received from Exotic Rescue. She scrolled down, looking for a phone number, and she pressed dial as soon as she located it.

The phone rang and rang and rang.

“Dammit,” she swore.

She had just gotten out of the car when a rich chuckle sounded behind her, and she spun around to where a tall, dark and handsome man stood with his arms folded across his chest, surveying her with wicked amusement gleaming in his vivid green eyes and a friendly welcome on his attractive face. His black hair was almost falling into his eyes, his lips were firm and sensually molded; tough, rugged strength was carved into every brawny male part of him, and his eyebrows had an arrogant slant that hinted at a man accustomed to being obeyed. His shoulders were so broad that they seemed a mile wide. His features were strong and masculine, with an air of authority stamped onto them in stark contrast to the heavy-lidded look in his eyes. He looked like a man who wanted some … well, action in bed. That thought drew her gaze helplessly toward the juncture of his thigh, and she couldn’t help but notice the prominent bulge beneath the soft material of his pants.

Jessica felt an unwelcome stab of desire and then, ruthlessly, squashed it with a disapproving movement.

He smiled at her then, his face lighting up and making him so devastatingly handsome that her breath caught in her throat.

Dear Lord, what was wrong with her? One glance from beneath those heavy-lidded eyes and she was dizzy with desire.

“Do you always swear in front of your kids?” he asked, tilting his head in the direction of the kids arguing in the back seat.

“Do you always poke your nose into someone else’s business?” she countered, her tone a bit more harsh than she had intended. She tried to calm herself. It had been a long day. Picking a fight with the first … well, second person she met was not the way to start her exchange.

He was unfazed however, his grin as friendly as ever, as he observed, “You seem lost. Need some help?”

His eyes were piercing as he stared straight into hers and, for the second time in less than a minute, Jessica’s breath caught in her throat. She stared up at him with wide eyes, surprised at the effect he had on her without even trying. Her nipples beaded into hard points beneath her shirt, a pool of wetness gathered between her legs, and her traitorous thoughts began to imagine his strong masculine hands wrapping around her slender waist.

Jessica drew herself up short, cutting off that enthralling vision as she glared up at him. Was it her imagination or had his gaze dropped briefly to the vicinity of her breasts?

She had caught Patrick, once, with his eyes diving down Kate’s blouse. He had laughed at her for being paranoid when she’d asked about it. Well, recent revelations proved she had been anything but paranoid.

What was wrong with her? Less than two seconds in a completely different state and she managed to attract someone just like Patrick. Was there some invisible stamp on