by Sara Orwig
“Thank you for my present,” he said, smiling at Nick. Cody pulled out the last box and ripped away paper to hold up a bug collecting kit that included a net.
“Super,” he said. “Look, I can catch some bugs,” he said, taking the kit to Claire.
“You did well, Nick. These are all perfect little-boy gifts. And he loves them all.”
“Thanks. I had help from a long-time friend who has a three-year-old son.” He’d have to remember to thank his close friend Mike Calhoun for the suggestions the next time he saw him.
“Looks like you asked an expert,” she said, smiling at him.
“Can we build this now?” Cody asked, pulling the Lego box out from beneath his other presents and holding it out to Nick.
“Claire, what’s the schedule? Can we start on this?”
“We’ll go to dinner whenever you two are ready. I’m in no hurry.”
Nick turned to the boy. “Okay, Cody, let’s give it thirty minutes and then I’ll take you and your mother to dinner. How’s that?”
“Super,” Cody said, starting out of the room.
“I guess I’m supposed to follow,” Nick said to Claire, who nodded.
“He’s headed to the kitchen table. He’s used to playing with his grandmother. She doesn’t sit on the floor.”
“Come join us.”
“Oh, no, this is male bonding time,” she said. When he didn’t move right away she added, “If you don’t get in there, he’ll be through.”
Nick stood up to leave, but stopped. “Claire, he’s wonderful. He has to be the cutest kid on the whole Earth.”
“Thanks. I think so too. And I can tell he’s very happy to have a dad,” she said. Despite her fleeting smile, she looked as if there was something worrying her and he wondered if she was unhappy that Cody knew about him. On the other hand, Nick was so overwhelmed with gratitude he wanted to cross the room, hug and reassure her so she wouldn’t worry. But she had thrown up a wall between them, which was what he should also do. They were both in a vulnerable state right now and they had to be careful. With Claire, a simple kiss might lead to falling in love. And that could end in more hurt.
He left her, and when he joined his son in the kitchen, even though she had warned him, it startled him how much Cody had done by himself. He’d followed the diagrams and was working away with success.
As Nick pulled a chair beside him, Cody tossed him a smile and returned to fitting the next block into place.
Nick helped, talking with Cody, finding him easy to be with and as happy as Claire had indicated. She had done a great job raising him. What an incredible woman she was, a woman who—
He pulled the plug on that thought as he felt his heart skip a beat. He couldn’t keep thinking about her as a desirable woman, wanting to touch her, to kiss her. He had to listen to common sense. It warned him to avoid falling in love again because it would be futile, another giant heartbreak he had to avoid.
After almost half an hour, Cody showed Nick his room and other creations he had built. Claire appeared, standing in the doorway. “I hate to interrupt, but before you know it, bedtime will come for Cody. We should go to dinner unless you’d like to eat here.”
“No,” Nick answered. “Cody, let’s go to dinner. We’ll look at this later or next time,” he said.
“Yes, sir,” Cody said as Nick’s phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket to look at it and walked away from them to take a business call.
“You wash your hands before we go,” Claire said to Cody, and he ran out of the room. Nick finished his call, returning to join Claire in the family room. She stood at the window with her back to him and his gaze ran over her again, causing desire to flare. He couldn’t stop his response to her any more than he could stop breathing. She heard him and turned, her dark eyes riveting, making him draw a deep breath. He had to fight the urge to take her into his arms, stopping himself within a few feet of her.
“He’s the happiest kid ever. You’ve done a wonderful job, Claire,” Nick said, feeling another rush of gratitude to her for having Cody, for raising him to be such a polite, happy little boy, for telling him about Cody. It frightened Nick to think that she could have gone home without telling him and he might not have known about his son for years longer, if ever.
“Thank you, but I don’t think I can take credit for his disposition. I think he may have inherited it.” She winked at him. “But who knows?”
When Cody returned, they donned their coats, and as they walked to the front door, Nick picked up Cody, carrying him easily. “Have you ever ridden in a limousine?”
“No, sir,” he said, his eyes widening as he glanced toward the front door.
“Well, you’re going to now.”
Cody turned quickly to grin at Claire who had to laugh. “I think that grin means he’s enthused.”
“Good. Let’s go see,” Nick said, opening the front door and swinging Cody down to stand him on his feet.
“Wow,” Cody said, standing stock-still and staring agape at the limo.
Nick was delighted with Cody’s reaction and they took time, before they left Claire’s house, for Cody to look at everything in the interior of the limo. Nick showed him the phone and the bar, the sliding glass divider, and all the hidden gadgets. He introduced the chauffeur and finally they buckled up and left.
From that moment until they reached the restaurant, Cody didn’t say a word. He spent the whole time looking intently at everything Nick had shown him, causing Nick to chuckle. “I’m not sure he knows we’re riding with him,” he told Claire. “I had no idea this would be so fascinating to him.”
“My guess is you’ve been in limos so much of your life, you don’t remember the first time you rode in one.”
“You’re right and if it was with my dad, I wasn’t investigating everything in sight. I promise you that.”
As they smiled at each other, he recalled old times with her when they had shared so much laughter. Nick remembered when he had taken her to the family ranch after his parents had moved to Dallas. He and Claire had gone horseback riding at sunrise and the morning had been one of his happiest memories. They had ridden to one of his favorite places, where he had gone as a boy when he wanted to be alone. When they rode into the small clearing near the creek, a skunk had been stretched on a boulder, enjoying the morning. Nick had laughed with Claire as they rode away and left the skunk to enjoy the hideaway.
* * *
As the limo slowed to a stop at the restaurant and the valet opened their door, Nick’s attention returned to the present.
They entered the restaurant that had a jungle ambience, thunder rumbling and lightning flashing, the staged animals roaring. Cody seemed lost in his own world through dinner.
As soon as they finished, they returned to the limo, and an overexcited Cody snuggled up to Claire and in minutes he crashed, falling into a deep sleep.
When the limo wound up her drive, Nick took a moment to look at the large home that he hadn’t really noticed when he’d arrived earlier. The rambling two-story house was set back on a perfectly landscaped lawn with tall trees that now twinkled with Christmas lights. “You have a beautiful home, Claire. You’ve done well.”
“Thanks. I’ve had a lot of luck in business, I guess. I started as a kid helping at Grandpa’s office so when I finished college and came into the business, I had all sorts of wonderful contacts through him.”
“You had to do a lot yourself. Wonderful contacts from your grandfather are a fine background, but you’ve gone way beyond what success he had.”
“Fortunately, people who’ve been happy working with me tell their friends, so my network builds. I love my work and in spite of a 24/7 business, I get a lot of hours with Cody.”
“That’s good,” Nick said.
When the limo stop
ped, Claire looked down at her sleeping son. “It’s past his bedtime and he has been so excited all day. Give me a minute to wake him and he’ll walk in.”
“No. He’s a featherweight. I’ll carry him.” Nick picked him up easily, and in his sleep Cody wrapped his arm around Nick’s neck.
Nick paused to make arrangements with the driver to come back Saturday night in time to take them to dinner. Then he entered the front door Claire held open and carried Cody up to his room and placed him on the bed.
Claire stepped forward to get him ready for bed. “Want some help?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No, but thanks. I’ll just get his shoes and socks off and leave him alone. I’m sure he’s worn out.”
Nick stepped away, strolling around Cody’s room, looking at shelves of family pictures of the boy with his great-grandparents, with his grandmother and with Claire. Through one doorway Nick could see an attached bathroom, but he went through the other door into an adjoining playroom filled with toys, bookshelves and a large fish tank that seemed to take center stage. Cody had a large rocking horse, plastic superheroes on the shelves and a life-size mural of Winnie-the-Pooh characters on one wall.
A door was open to an adjoining bedroom and he realized it was Claire’s suite. She had a four-poster bed with a canopy, and as his gaze ran over the bed and mound of pillows, he could picture her sprawled there. He remembered how she had looked in bed, recalling her black hair spread over the pillow beside him. His insides tightened as the memories ignited desire.
Nick turned to look at her as she leaned over Cody and his gaze ran down her backside, the straight skirt of her dress fitting her hips snugly and the long legs that peeked from under her dress as she leaned over. He could feel his body heat up as he looked at her. She could still cause a reaction in him on a physical level, something no other women he had dated had done since his loss of Karen. And he’d bet Claire still had a physical response to him, too.
Logically, he could enumerate each and every reason to avoid her, but nothing could stop his body from responding to her, from desiring her. She was a sexy, beautiful woman who took his breath away. He turned abruptly, knowing he had to get her out of his thoughts. That wouldn’t happen as long as he stood there staring at her long legs and remembering how they felt wrapped around his waist as they made love.
When he looked back, she had stepped away from Cody’s bed. His gaze shifted to Cody, who was sleeping soundly, his dark hair falling over his forehead. Nick wanted his son in his life. He would try to cooperate with Claire, but he had to be part of Cody’s life. He’d loved Cody from the first moment he saw him this afternoon.
Claire stepped toward him. “Let’s go downstairs,” she said softly.
When they walked into the hall, she touched his sleeve lightly to get his attention. “You can have the suite across the hall from us for the weekend,” she said, stopping to switch on the lights in the room she pointed out. He poked his head in and saw a large living area done in deep blues with hardwood floors and area rugs.
“There’s an adjoining bath and bedroom, giving you your own suite,” she explained. “Down the hall are two more bedroom suites and I have an office on this floor, too.”
“Claire, this is a splendid house. Very luxurious, but comfortable and practical at the same time.”
“I know a lot of builders, so I tried to get the best.”
He smiled and ran his finger along her smooth cheek. “Good businesswoman.”
“I try to be.”
For whatever reason, seeing her there, backlit by the lamp in the suite, in her element in her own home that she’d built with her successful career, he was more drawn to her than ever. More than anything he wanted to lean down and kiss her. He stepped closer, unable to resist her allure, but before he could make his move, Claire stepped back. She was keeping a wall between them. She was polite, friendly, cooperative in a lot of ways about Cody, but Nick felt that, beneath the surface, she wished he would pack and go back to Dallas and get out of her life.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go downstairs. I have a monitor for Cody so I can hear if he wakes. I have an alarm that lets me know if he gets out of his bed and walks around his room. I also can see him on my iPad, so I know when he’s sleeping peacefully.”
“You’ve covered all your bases to keep him safe, I see.” He followed her down the hall.
“You were very good with Cody,” she said as they reached the ground floor.
“He’s an easy, wonderful kid. I’m in awe, Claire. He’s perfect. I know I’ve got a prejudiced view, but I can’t think of one thing about him that isn’t really great.”
She laughed. “You sound just like a new dad. But you’re right—he’s easy, likeable and a smart little boy. And he’s glad to have his dad in his life,” she said. “You had the perfect gifts and the limo was the crowning touch.”
“Mike suggested the limo.”
“Mike sounds like a good dad. Would you like a drink?”
“It’s time to break out the champagne so we can celebrate.” His fingers closed on her arm to stop her and she turned to look up at him. His heart beat faster as he looked down at her. “I want you to celebrate, Claire. I don’t want this to be an unhappy or difficult event to bring me into Cody’s life. I know it means you have to share him, but I’ll try every way I can to make that a plus for you and for Cody.” Her brown eyes were wide and dark and mysterious. He couldn’t read them. Nor could he keep from letting his gaze drift to her mouth that was enticing, bow-shaped with full lips that were so soft, yet fiery. He felt caught in her gaze and she must have felt the same because her eyes widened slightly and then her gaze lowered to his mouth and his heart pounded.
They were only a foot apart and it would be easy to close that gap and give into the temptation that clawed at him. So easy to touch his lips to hers and taste the sweetness that was Claire. If only...
No, he couldn’t. He had to fight the temptation. It was for his own good. Reluctantly he stepped away. “Where’s the champagne?” he asked, his voice far deeper and hoarse.
She gave him a searching look and finally spoke. “In the bar,” she whispered, turning abruptly. “I’ll get it.” She went behind the bar in the far corner of the family room. He trailed behind her and stood in the entrance, watching her. She looked lost, as if she had never been in the place before, as she glanced around. Shaking her shoulders, she reached for a glass and her hand trembled.
Grasping her slender wrist lightly, Nick steadied her hand and reached beyond her to get two crystal flutes. He turned her to face him. He ached to kiss her and he fought an inner battle, wondering if her own inner battle was causing her to look upset and shaky.
“Go sit and I’ll pour the champagne,” he said, starting to open the bottle while trying to resist reaching for her. She nodded and stepped away, moving out of the bar to sit on a high stool.
He let out his breath. How was he going to keep from falling in love again? Usually he recalled their parting, the anger and hurt that always cooled his desire for her, but it wasn’t working tonight. He set two empty flutes in front of her, popped the cork and poured the pale, bubbly champagne.
He walked around to face her, leaving a yard of space between them so he wouldn’t be tempted. He raised his flute. “Here’s to you, Claire, a beautiful woman.”
She gave him a tight smile. “Thank you. That isn’t what I thought you’d say.”
He touched her flute with his. Watching her, he sipped his champagne. He wanted to set his flute down, take hers from her and pull her into his arms. That was the way to pain and he wasn’t going to do it, but his inner battle was tearing him up.
“Here’s to our son, a beautiful child.”
“I’ll drink to that one,” she said, smiling broadly and looking as if she’d relaxed slightly.
“That’s better.”
Only one lamp was on in the large room, spilling a soft glow, and she had switched on classical music in the background.
“This next toast is to celebrate the night I met my son.” He held out his glass again.
“Whatever happens, Nick, I know you’ll be a good dad.”
They tapped glasses and then he sipped the bubbly champagne. Too bad he couldn’t cool his desire or his reactions to her as easily as the champagne quenched his thirst. She sat on the barstool, her fabulous legs crossed. He ought to stop looking, but she was too beautiful, too easy to look at.
Nick set aside his glass and crossed the room to the briefcase that he’d brought with him. He opened it and removed two small boxes.
He returned to hand her a long, flat box and place the smaller box on a table. “This is for you. I wasn’t with you when you had Cody. I should have been, but we can’t undo the past. I wish I could have given you this when he was born. It’s a small token of gratitude.”
“Nick, you didn’t need to get me something,” she said, shaking her head.
“Go ahead. It’s your gift for being Cody’s mother. Cody got his presents. Now I want you to have your gifts—what I would have given you if I had been present at his birth.”
“That’s sweet, Nick.” She carefully untied the ribbon and paper, opening the box with a gasp. “Oh, Nick, this is beautiful,” she said. He moved closer to take out the gold chain with a diamond heart pendant made with three heart-shaped rows of diamonds and a larger diamond in the center. The pendant glittered in the subdued light.
“Can I put it on you?”
“Of course,” she said, smiling at him. “It’s stunning.”
“You’re stunning, Claire,” he said quietly. “More now than four years ago.” As she lifted her hair out of his way, Nick stepped behind her to fasten the necklace.
She turned to face him. Her big, dark eyes held him and memories hit him with almost physical force as he recalled how much he had loved her once. “Claire, my heart has been broken twice—first with you and then when I lost my baby and my wife. I can’t go through heartbreak again.”
