The Texas Cowboy's Quadruplets

by Cathy Gillen Thacker

  He kissed the back of her wrist, aware it was never too late to make amends. “I wish I had kept stuff from when we first got to know each other, back in high school, and we were trying to figure out how to date each other without actually dating each other.” He flashed a crooked grin at the caution they had exhibited then—and now. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he admitted gruffly, “It would have been nice to add to the memorabilia we’re collecting now.”

  Mitzy did a double take. She twisted around to better see his face. “What memorabilia?”

  He retrieved his cell phone from the nightstand and showed her a dozen photos of her and him and the quads. “You-all are always with me.”

  Her eyes suddenly shimmering, Mitzy reached over and wordlessly showed him her phone, too. The screen saver on hers was the photo of the six of them, taken at the holiday concert. “You’re with me, too,” she admitted thickly.

  Once again they were on the same path.

  Hot damn. Talk about a merry Christmas!

  He put both phones aside and took her in his arms, ready to give her the love she yearned for. “Speaking of memories,” he proposed softly, reveling in the sweet and gentle yearning he saw in her eyes, “what do you say...let’s make some new ones...”

  And because it was the season, they did.

  Chapter Twelve

  Judith called the next morning. And as usual did not mask the faint note of disapproval in her tone. “I understand why you wanted to leave last night, darling, but I wish you had said goodbye.”

  Mitzy cringed, imagining the well-intentioned but misguided lecture sure to follow. She caught Chase’s eye, mouthed the word Judith, and switched her phone to her other ear. “I wanted to, Mother, but you were busy with your guests.”

  Judith huffed. “I would have stepped away, Mitzy!”

  Unfortunately, the situation would not have ended there. At least not the way Mitzy wanted it to be resolved. “And pressured me into staying. Or tried to, and as fussy as the quads were being,” she continued gently, doing her best to make peace with her mother in the holiday season, “it wouldn’t have worked. They needed to be home, in their own beds.”

  Judith paused, with grandmotherly concern. “Did they sleep well once they got back to Laramie?” she asked hopefully at last.

  Mitzy smiled and met Chase’s eyes. He looked incredibly sexy walking around her kitchen, clad in a pair of nice-fitting denim jeans and a white T-shirt.

  He hadn’t shaved, and his short sandy-brown hair was agreeably rumpled.

  “They nodded off at midnight, woke at four, got up briefly to eat and then went back to sleep for another four hours. We just put them back down again a little while ago.”

  “What about the travel issues? Were they sick?”

  “Not a bit,” Mitzy relayed happily. “They slept the entire way home.”

  “Well, that’s wonderful news,” her mother said proudly.

  Mitzy walked over to check on the babies, who were all sleeping soundly in the bassinets in the adjacent family room. She returned to the kitchen, where Chase was making coffee. And thought how much nicer it would be if she were surrounded by her entire family. “I really want you and Walter to come here for Christmas and spend it with us. Especially this year.” With Dad gone. She swallowed around the ache in her throat. “Please tell me you’ll think about it.”

  Judith paused. “Can I bring the nannies and a chef this time?”

  And turn it into an increasingly extravagant, and hence, less personal, event? “No, it will be just the eight of us,” Mitzy said firmly, watching Chase pull a package of bacon, a dozen eggs and a bottle of orange juice from the fridge.

  “Eight?” Judith repeated quizzically.

  Oh, heavens, talk about a slip of the tongue! Mitzy winced, temporizing, “Ahh... I was thinking Chase might be here at least part of the time, too. We haven’t really talked about it yet.”

  He shrugged and said in his low, sexy baritone, “If that’s an invitation, sweetheart, I’ll be here.”

  Judith gasped. “He’s still there?”

  Oh, yes, Mitzy thought with a Cheshire grin, and looking mighty fine! “Making breakfast,” she affirmed.

  “I see.”

  Her mother probably did. Especially after that outrageously hot kiss Chase had laid on her during the party the previous evening.

  Mitzy cleared her throat. “Anyway, Mother—” she turned away from Chase’s frank assessing gaze “—I do appreciate everything you did last night. The party was magnificent, and it was good to see everyone, even if it wasn’t as relaxed a debut for the quads as we had hoped that it would be.”

  “The formal holiday portraits turned out wonderfully, by the way! I just got the proofs. I’ll email them to you, too.”

  “Thanks.” They talked a little more, then hung up.

  Chase turned the heat up under the skillet. “So it’s all good with your mother?”

  The smell of sizzling bacon wafted through the room. Mitzy put four slices of bread in the toaster. “Better than I would have thought.”

  Chase broke four eggs into a second skillet, sunny-side up. “She’s mellowed.”

  Because of the unconditional love she shares with Walter. Mitzy smiled. “I suppose we all have.”

  He wrapped an arm about her shoulder and brought her close. Mitzy’s heart raced at the warm, intimate contact. She splayed her hands over the hardness of his chest and looked up at him, wondering how she had ever managed to be happy without him. “Have I thanked you for all your help lately?” she asked softly.

  A wicked gleam filled his eyes, and then he bent to kiss her temple. “Numerous times, in numerous ways, last night.”

  He drew back to meet her gaze and she blushed at the erotically charged memories. She shook her head, smiling playfully. “You wouldn’t have thought we’d have the energy.”

  Looking every bit as happy and content as she felt, he brushed the pad of his thumb across the curve of her lips. “That’s what happens when you’re making up for lost time,” he teased, lowering his head. His hands clamped over her shoulders as their lips met. The kiss was hot and slow and every bit as electrifying as their lovemaking had been. Yet she could feel his hesitation. Like there was something else...something more important...he wanted from her.

  With a sigh, they drew apart. His expression tender—and inscrutable—Chase wrapped his hands around her waist and asked, “Did you really mean to invite me to join you-all for Christmas?”

  Ah, so that was it. Mitzy searched her heart and found the answer. “Yes, I did,” she admitted sincerely. She lifted her hand. “But I also don’t want you to feel pressured.” The way they both had pressured each other when they were engaged. “I know you have your own family gatherings, too.”

  Flashing a relaxed smile, he reached out and tucked an errant strand of her hair behind her ear. “I do, but it’s nothing that your entire family couldn’t tag along and enjoy, too. Especially the lavish dinner at my folks’ ranch on Christmas night.”

  “Rachel and Frank wouldn’t mind you showing up with eight extra guests?” When they already had six kids, two daughters-in-law, and seven grandchildren? And heaven knew who else?

  “Are you kidding?” Chase beamed. “They’d love it. And so would I.”

  At her prodding, Chase checked to be sure, and by evening, Mitzy and family had a formal invitation from Chase’s parents. Mitzy talked to Judith and Walter and everyone RSVP’d yes.

  And Chase still hadn’t left.

  Partly because she hadn’t expected to be back from Dallas until late, and hence had no volunteer help coming. And partly because they were enjoying being together, all six of them, so very much.

  This, Mitzy thought contentedly as the day drew to a close and nighttime beckoned, was what being part of a traditional family unit would feel li
ke. Satisfying. Poignant. And wonderful.

  So wonderful she was beginning to regret ever asking Chase for “closure” to their original relationship.

  But maybe that, too, like their breakup, could eventually be undone.

  Aware it was turning out to be a very happy holiday season after all, she faced off with him next to the Christmas tree. “So what do you think?” she asked mischievously. “Are you up to the demanding task of helping with baths?” He certainly looked capable of anything. Including and especially making love to her again.

  “Of course I am,” he said with cocky assurance, flexing the muscles in his shoulders and chest. He paused to chuckle. “Only one problem. I’ve never actually bathed an infant. Never mind four at one time.”

  If he could diaper and feed them, he could do this, too. “Not to worry. I’ve got a system down pat, and I’ll teach it to you, too.” Mitzy demonstrated as she talked, and Chase followed her lead. “The first thing I do is undress all four babies and wrap them in their hooded bath towels to stay warm. Then place them in their stroller, like so.” She undressed Joe and Zach. Chase disrobed Alex and Gabe.

  With all four comfortably settled, Chase wheeled the stroller into the kitchen. He and all four boys watched with interest as she set up a bathing station with the baby bathtub on the counter, next to the sink, filled the bottom of the tub with warm water, laid out the liquid baby soap and washcloths and a cup for rinsing.

  “Who’s going to go first?” Chase queried, moving the stroller gently back and forth in a rocking motion.

  “Joe.” Mitzy gently unwrapped her infant son. Guided him down into the semisitting-up position in the water. Chase stepped in to take her place, while she quickly but gently got Joe sudsed up, rinsed and out.

  Chase held the towel, and she placed Joe into his arms, wrapping him up to stay warm. He went back in his stroller seat.

  And so it went. Mitzy and Chase worked in tandem, bathing Zach, Alex and Gabe. Finished, they wheeled the four baby boys back into the family room, where their bassinets awaited. One by one, they were cuddled, diapered and dressed.

  Bottles warmed, Mitzy and Chase sat down side by side on the sofa, double nursing pillows on their laps, and fed them.

  As the boys hungrily took their bottles, Chase shook his head in wonderment. “I can’t believe we did all that in what...?”

  Mitzy grinned, pleased it had gone so well, too. “Half an hour,” she said. “When I first brought them home from the hospital it used to take an hour and a half to do all that, and that was when I had three helpers.”

  “Practice makes perfect?”

  “Something like that.”

  Contentment permeated the room. The quads looked up at both of them adoringly as they nestled comfortably on Mitzy’s and Chase’s laps and drank from their bottles.

  The moment was so perfect, in fact, it didn’t seem quite real. Making Mitzy wonder what would happen when the newness of all this faded, along with the undeniable magic of the holiday season, and reality sank in for her and Chase. Would he still want to spend so much time with them? Or would it be back to business as usual, with his boundless professional ambition once again taking the lead...

  She couldn’t imagine how devastated she would feel if that were the case. Especially since everything was so fairy-tale perfect right now. Chase turned to look at her, his broad shoulder nudging hers. Apparently, he was feeling the joy, too. “You’re amazing, you know that?” he murmured tenderly.

  She shook her head modestly. “I’ve kind of had to be.” There simply had been no other choice. “But I didn’t always feel I could handle this. When I first found out I was having four babies...”

  He put Alex on his shoulder to burp. “You didn’t expect it?”

  Mitzy did the same with Joe. “I went in for artificial insemination when I was ovulating. It was the first attempt, so they tried to prepare me for the possibility that it wouldn’t ‘take.’ But it did. And there I was. A single mom, with four babies coming, instead of the one I had planned on.”

  Chase grinned as Alex let out a loud belch. “How did Judith and Walter react?”

  Mitzy continued patting Joe gently on the back. She looked over at Chase, marveling at how quickly he was becoming adept at all this. Candidly, she admitted, “They had all the emotions I had. Joy. Disbelief. Fear, because it was going to be a difficult gestation, as most multiple pregnancies are.”

  Chase stroked the back of his hand over Mitzy’s cheek. “But you-all made it,” he observed softly.

  Briefly, Mitzy leaned into his adoring touch. “We did. Although I have to confess that more than once I wished...” She stopped short, aware the intimacy of the situation was prompting her to reveal way too much.

  With a shake of her head, she turned her attention to her four babies and said nothing more.

  Chase was silent, too, focusing on the last of the feeding ritual. Finally, all four had finished their bottles and were put back in their bassinets.

  Feeling way too emotional, Mitzy picked up the damp baby towels and discarded clothing and disposable diapers, and made her way toward the laundry room. As before, Chase was right beside her, helping.

  Ready to pick up where they’d left off.

  He hooked his hands over her shoulders. “What do you wish, Mitzy?”

  Gazing up at him, she sighed. Where had holding back ever gotten her?

  She needed to unburden herself to him.

  Her spine to the washing machine, hands braced on either side of her, Mitzy searched within her heart and somehow found the courage to admit with unprecedented honesty, “That I wasn’t going through this alone.” She shook her head, jerked in a breath. “That I had—” Her voice caught. Once again, she was unable to go on.

  He moved in so they were touching in one electrified line. Cupping her face in his big, strong hands, he tilted her face up to his so she had no choice but to look into his eyes as he finished softly for her, “A husband?”

  Self-conscious heat filled her face. “I don’t want to get married just to have a partner to go through life with or help raise my sons.”

  “Understandable,” he said quietly. “I feel the same way.” He paused, wanting to delve deeper yet. “But surely there’s someone...”

  Was he fishing for compliments? Trying to figure out where they stood? It seemed so. Once again, she called on herself to be brave. She looked him in the eye. “You have always been the only man I could ever imagine myself marrying.”

  He regarded her with steadfast care. “Same here.” His voice deepened and he continued in a calm, deliberate voice, “If you weren’t going to be my wife, I didn’t know who possibly could be. It’s why I never got engaged again.”

  “Why I didn’t, either,” Mitzy confessed, her pulse racing at the new heat in his eyes.

  Chase lifted her onto the washer and stepped between her knees. “So,” he said heavily, resting the flat of his palms on her upper thighs. “What are we going to do about this?”

  “Besides make love?”

  “Besides make love.”

  A palpable silence fell.

  “I don’t know,” she admitted, feeling the barriers around her heart fall, one by one. Going through the box of memorabilia the night before had left her feeling sentimental all day. Spending so much time with Chase, and the babies, traveling with him, taking him home again, had only amplified that. “What do you want to do?”

  She splayed her hands on the warm, hard contours of his chest and searched his eyes. She wondered if he was feeling the same soul-deep need and yearning she was. She definitely saw an undeniable affection that seemed to have only grown stronger during their time apart. And something that hadn’t necessarily been there before, a need to hear whatever she had to say.

  Mitzy swallowed around the new ache in her throat. “I meant what I said the ot
her day about not wanting another long engagement.” If she got as serious about Chase as she felt she was about to be.

  “I meant it, too,” he said gruffly. “It’s either going to be right, or it’s not.”

  “And if it is,” Mitzy continued, agreeing, “I’d rather simply go for it and elope than have it turn into the kind of bridal extravaganza in Dallas that my mother is going to want.”

  “You could always do a small ceremony first, a large party or reception later.”

  Were they planning their wedding? The one they wanted. Plus the way to make their families happy...

  It seemed so.

  And yet...

  Seeming to realize he was rushing her again, that they were rushing things, he paused, proceeding carefully now. “I want to be part of your life, Mitzy.” His gaze stroked her features, each one, ending with her eyes. “Part of the boys’ life. They’re going to need a father—” he paused again, then continued awkwardly “—er...figure.”

  It was unlike him to stumble over his words. Yet she understood his caution. They were moving so fast. Too fast?

  “What about you, Chase?” she asked, deciding maybe it was time for her to put the spotlight on him. “What do you need?”

  His sensual smile widened and his eyes shuttered to half-mast. “You...” He pulled her against him. Desire floated through her, whisper soft. Still kissing her, he shifted her all the way to the edge of the machine, lifted her legs and wrapped them about his waist. She tugged off his sweater and T-shirt. He whisked off her sweater and bra. They came together, the sensitive tips of her breasts brushing the taut sinew of his chest. And then they kissed again, letting their feelings sweep them into passion.

  For too long she had let herself believe she could be happy alone, that she could have children on her own and never need anything else.

  However, Chase’s reappearance in her life had shown her otherwise. He’d let her see there was so much more to life to enjoy. If only she had the courage to pursue it.

  And that wasn’t hard to find when he deepened their kiss until it was so wild and reckless it stole her breath. Unable to turn away from the sweet, aching need flowing between them, she surged against him, savoring the safety and comfort of being cradled in his strong arms. Lower still, his hardness elicited a wellspring of tingles. Her fingers fell to the waistband of his jeans, and then his mouth was on her flesh, creating an even hotter frenzy of wanting.