Because of a Boy (Harlequin Super Romance #1449)

"What do you think you're doing?" Kate s asked the man standing beside her patient's hospital bed.The well-dressed stranger stalled in the process of handing the boy something... A miniature sports car. The man raised his deep blue eyes from Dillon, squinting as he locked on to Kate's glare. He gave her a disarming grin.One she had no trouble resisting.Her mission as a child had been not falling prey to her brother's Southern charm. It was either that or be in constant trouble for the mischief Martin could so easily talk her in to. Now that she'd reached the wise age of thirty-two, sophisticated stuffed shirts brandishing easy smiles didn't rate a raised eyebrow."Visitation for minors is limited to immediate family only," she said in her no-nonsense nurse's voice as the tall, dark-haired man gave Dillon the car."But he knows Papa." The ten-year-old, who was usually so withdrawn, flashed a megawatt smile.The bruises mottling Dillon's right cheek and eye kept Kate from sharing his enthusiasm.Dillon's joy was palpable whenever his papa was around. The two of them were inseparable at the homeless shelter where Kate volunteered most of her free time away from the hospital. Dillon's unquestioning love for his only parent was what made this situation even harder to accept."Look what I got!" he exclaimed, his flawless English colored by a heavy South American inflection.He held up the plastic Corvette, but Kate could only see the electric green cast that protected his thin arm. His severe ankle sprain had been wrapped to stabilize the joint, and elevated to reduce swelling. Injuries resulting, supposedly, from Dillon's latest accidental fallthis time, down the Midtown Shelter's basement stairs.An accident Manny Digarro had no better explanation for than his only child was more clumsy than other kids his age. Accident-prone. What's a father to do? "That car rocks, tough guy." She smiled as she walked to the bed."It's the one Papa said we couldn't buy when we saw it in the store Monday night."The same night the little heartbreaker had been rushed to Atlanta Memorial's emergency roomfor the third time in two months, Kate had discovered after reading his chart. Though this was the first time he'd been admitted to Pediatrics."The boy's father asked me to bring the toy by." The man's small talk didn't distract her from his too-observant gaze. "Seems the nurses at the admissions desk refuse to discuss Dillon's condition when Mr. Digarro calls. He wasn't sure of his welcome if he came himself."If the hint of judgment in his voice weren't enough, the worry on Dillon's face was all the motivation Kate needed."I'll speak with you outside, Mr....?" She was polite, but he was definitely leaving.He merely smiled.Was she supposed to swoon or something? As if she hadn't seen dimples and perfectly straight teeth before!Screw polite.She half dragged him toward the hallway. "Play with your car for a minute, Dillon," she said over her shoulder.She kicked at the magnetic device that secured the bottom of the door against the wall. Once the door whooshed shut behind them, she released the man's arm, stopping short of wiping her hand on her cartoon-covered scrubs.Just barely. "You're so out of here." She headed for the nurses' station to page Security, picking up her pace when she heard his footsteps behind her. "I don't know who yDeStefano, Anna is the author of 'Because of a Boy (Harlequin Super Romance #1449)', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373714490 and ISBN 0373714491.