The Matchmakers' Daddy. Judy Duarte

four bowls. “Here it is.”

      He found safety in the silence that followed, as Becky and Jessie grabbed their spoons and dug into the frozen concoction of chocolate ice cream, marshmallows and nuts.

      For some reason, he got the feeling that the girls thought he might make a better catch for their mom than the preacher. But that was only because they didn’t have any idea who he was or where he’d been.

      It was almost laughable.

      Still, Zack couldn’t help being glad the preacher wasn’t their mother’s type.

      Nor could he help wondering who was.

      His gaze drifted to Diana, whose red T-shirt revealed the kind of breasts many women paid to have. Hers, he suspected, were real. In fact, everything about her was so womanly, so genuine, that it was hard to keep his eyes off her. And, in spite of himself, he stole another peek.

      She had her eyes closed, a spoon in her mouth, savoring the sweet, creamy taste and wearing an almost-orgasmic expression that nearly knocked the breath right out of him.

      Damn. He’d always thought women got old and frumpy after having kids. But not her.

      In the conservative clothes she’d worn to work, she appeared to be fit and trim. But wearing a pair of white shorts and a T-shirt, there wasn’t much guesswork involved. She had the best pair of legs he’d ever snuck a peek at.

      He figured she was at least thirty and a good five years older than him.

      With sea-green eyes and honey-brown hair a man would love to see splayed on his pillow, she was a beautiful woman.

      When she opened her eyes and saw him looking at her, the rebel in him tossed her a crooked grin.

      She returned his smile, but not before flushing a pretty shade of pink.

      Something told him he wasn’t the only one who suspected a romantic setup.

      Diana had never been so uneasy in her life. Or so embarrassed by her children. Of course, she could understand why the girls were impressed with the handsome construction worker. He was a giant of a man, with a bulky build that suggested he protected what was his. Yet his baby blue eyes boasted a boyish innocence.

      And when he’d shot her an I-walk-on-the-wild-side grin, it was enough to steal her breath away, not to mention her good sense.

      Her daughters wouldn’t understand her reluctance to get involved with a man, especially one with a devilish smile that could tempt a woman to pick a forbidden apple and take a bite. But they’d obviously decided their mother needed another man in her life, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

      “It’s my turn to do the dishes,” Becky said, as she pushed her chair from the table and picked up her empty bowl and spoon. “And Jessie wants to help me.”

      “But I don’t want—”

      Becky cleared her throat. “Yes you do.”

      “Oh, yeah,” the younger girl said. “I do.”

      “Come on.” Becky led her sister through the sliding door and into the kitchen.

      A moment later, Jessie ran back to close the door.

      The girls were usually pretty good about helping out in the house—when prodded. But they never took the initiative on their own. There was only one conclusion to make.

      Her daughters wanted her to be alone with a man they’d dressed in imaginary armor and placed on a white steed.

      But was there any such thing as a real-life hero?

      Diana had her doubts. Women often imagined a man was something he wasn’t, especially if she was attracted to him. But the truth struck a hard blow.

      There was so much more to a man than met the eye.

      Of course, in Zack’s case, what met the eye was very nice, even with—or maybe because of—a five o’clock shadow that lent him a raw, dangerous air, especially under the spell of candlelight.

      Physically, he was the complete opposite of Peter, a man she’d practically handpicked when they were in college because he was so different from the dark-haired hellion who’d nearly ruined her life. She’d also chosen him because he’d been a man she thought her blue-collared, demanding-yet-impossible-to-please father would approve of. So she’d set her sights on the gentle man who hadn’t pointed out her every flaw and shortcoming.