Unguarded Love

by KaLyn Cooper

  “I’ll come check and see how the two of you are doing. That’s the only promise I’m going to make.” She refused to commit to anything more.

  “I can promise that if you come to my room, you’ll come so hard, you’ll never regret it.” He brushed his lips across hers and pushed himself off the door frame.

  The view of his backside as he strolled toward the double doors at the end of the hall was enough to make her go wet. Damn, what that man could do to her. The corners of her mouth kicked up. What that man would do to her.

  One hour later, Nita softly knocked on Daniel’s door. When he opened it, he scanned the entire length of the second floor.

  Silly man, she’d already done that. Most of the others were at the resort, except for Katlin and Grace who were drinking wine out on the deck. Nita had even gone to the kitchen to retrieve a fresh bottle and slightly heated it for Bella.

  Holding up the bottle, she asked, “Is Bella hungry yet?”

  Daniel opened the door wide and gestured for her to walk in. As soon as she entered, he backed her up against it, but didn’t touch her. “No, but I am.”

  “Banging against the door will certainly wake up the baby, and probably bring your sister and Grace running, weapons drawn.” She shoved him out of the way, glancing at the sleeping baby in the crib.

  She prayed that Bella wouldn’t wake up while she was there. Feeling the need to check on the child, she lifted the file and scanned through the meticulously recorded details. Her fever was still going up and down, but it looked as though it wasn’t spiking into the dangerous ranges.

  “Kira takes her temperature every time she wakes up or every three hours, whichever comes first.” Daniel pointed to the bag hanging on the nearby pole. “She said this should be more than enough to make it through the night.”

  Nita agreed. She set the bottle in the warmer next to the crib so it would be ready when Bella woke again. Nita couldn’t bring herself to even touch the child. Fortunately, Daniel ran his hand through his daughter’s blond hair and blew cool air over her scalp.

  “Her fever is down right now, but Kira said we have to watch for a spike in about three hours.” He picked up a syringe. “I have to inject this into the tube here.” He pointed to the correct spot.

  He smiled. “Kira told me you were just down the hall, and if it was something I couldn’t handle, to go get you.” He stepped close but didn’t move to touch her. “I’ve got something you need to handle.”

  She slapped his shoulder and scowled at him. “That is such a cheesy line.”

  “I’m serious,” he declared.

  One look in his eyes, and she saw he was serious. “What is it?”

  “I don’t want to leave Bella alone.” He lifted his shirt away from his body. “But I haven’t completely mastered dirty diapers, yet. I had to change her about ten minutes before you arrived.” He looked down at his shirt and winced. “I have baby shit and throw up on me. Before I even get close to you, I want to shower.”

  Nita burst out laughing then quieted when the sound startled Bella. “I think I can handle this for a few minutes. I’d rather join you in the shower, but I’ll simply wait for you here in the living room.”

  He flashed her one of those signature Daniel grins and kissed her quick. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

  “Go.” She pointed toward the bathroom. “I’ll make myself comfortable on the couch.”

  Picking up the chart on her way to the seating area, she studied it carefully this time. Without giving it a second thought, she pulled out her satellite phone and placed a call to the neonatal unit at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. Using the app on her phone, she ran some calculations. Medication doses were correct. She could see that Kira was being very careful with the amounts.

  Nita never heard the shower go off, or Daniel walk out. When he brushed the curls off her face, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Lifting her eyes from the chart, her view was filled with Daniel’s erect cock covered in a towel wrapped low around his waist. Unable to resist, she leaned forward and lifted the terrycloth. “Is this for me?”

  “Most definitely.” He glanced over at the crib twenty feet away along the far wall. “She’ll be out for a few hours. I want you in my bed.” Lifting her off the couch as though she weighed nothing, he carried her to his bedroom at the other end of the suite. He laid her on his turned-down bed and raked his gaze down her body. “You’re wearing far too many clothes for this party.” He grinned at the use of repeating her words from the last time they were together.

  Curling his fingers at the hem, he pulled her shirt over her head, and quickly divested her of her bra. Staring for only a moment at her bared breasts, he took her shorts and underwear off her at the same time. She kicked and her sandals flew through the air.

  While still standing, he lightly ran calloused fingers around the oval of her face, down her chest, ignoring her breasts, to cup her mound.

  “Christ, you’re beautiful.” He leaned over and kissed her, thrusting his tongue into her mouth at the same time he separated her folds and dove into her sheath with his fingers.

  The sudden dual assault nearly brought her to climax. She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down onto the bed next to her. Now that he was within reach, she grabbed his cock and began stroking it up and down in rhythm with his tongue and fingers.

  “Enough.” Daniel reached into his nightstand, pulling out several condoms and tossing them on the dresser. “Don’t worry, angel, there are more where those came from.”

  “You’re pretty self-confident, aren’t you?” She teased.

  “Maybe you’re right.” He rolled back toward the nightstand. “I’d better grab some more.”

  She giggled. “If we use all those, I won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

  He rolled all the way back over on top of her spreading her legs with his knees. He ripped open the first packet and quickly rolled it on. “I can’t wait any longer.”

  “No need to wait.” She grabbed his cock and guided him inside her.

  As he leaned on his forearms, he watched her with an intensity unlike any man ever had before. He ran his fingers through the curls on both sides of her face before he leaned in and kissed her, never missing a beat. She lifted her pelvis to meet his thrusts, faster and faster until she was ready to burst.

  “Go ahead, angel, make us fly.” His deep rumbling voice reverberating against her oversensitive nipples was all it took. She dug her fingernails into his bare back, clamping down on her scream so it came out as uncontrolled whimpers. His whole body stiffened as he shoved deep inside her.

  Nita had vague recollections of him rolling slightly off to the side, pulling her with him. Her name was a whispered breath of hot air across her temple.

  Water running in the bathroom revived her from the third orgasm of the night. Daniel was a voracious lover. It was as though he was starved for sex. He liked every position humans could have.

  She heard a light cry from the crib located in the seating area of the suite.

  Oh, fuck. Had they awakened Bella? Nita looked at the clock and realized it had been over three hours since she’d walked into his bedroom. She padded over to the crib and glanced in. Was it the nightlight making the baby look so red?

  She flipped on the muted light over the changing table and saw that Bella’s whole body was red. As she reached for the child, her stomach flipped over.

  She was going to throw up.

  Glancing toward the bathroom, then back at the baby, she fought for which to deal with first, the sick baby or her revolting stomach.

  She had to do something right then. She had to act. The last thing she wanted was to lose another child. The last time her actions weren’t the right ones. But losing a baby because she didn’t act at all would be worse than making the wrong decision.

  Bella opened her eyes and looked right at Nita as though begging for help.

  Her heart beat so fast that blood rushed through her ears. She cou
ldn’t catch her breath as though invisible fists clamped around her lungs not allowing her enough oxygen.

  But Bella needed her.

  Now.

  Fighting down the bile that threatened to spew forth, she snatched the child from the crib, grabbed the pole with the attached IV line, and sped toward the bathroom.

  “Daniel, lay that towel down on the counter.” Nita’s mind and body had clicked into emergency mode. She shoved any memories of previous babies into a corner where they belonged.

  “What’s wr—” Daniel didn’t bother with the rest of the words, he simply obeyed her orders. “Christ, she’s so red.” He touched his daughter and snatched his fingers away as though burned.

  “Put a plug in the sink and fill it with lukewarm water. Not cold.” Nita quickly stripped the one-piece sleeper off Bella and felt the waves of heat emitted from her body. That alone would help cool her down. Unfastening the tabs to her diaper, she saw it was soaked with almost brownish urine.

  “Damn it,” she said under her breath. “She’s not getting enough liquids.” Increasing the drip, she then checked the needle. If they didn’t keep her hydrated they would start losing veins.

  “How’s this?” Daniel stuck his hand into the water.

  Holding the baby onto the counter with one hand, Nita stuck her elbow into the sink. “Warm it up just a little bit. Too much temperature difference could put her into shock.”

  Daniel’s eyes got huge, but he did as she requested. Retesting the water, she carefully slid the screaming baby into the sink.

  Thank God they were on the far side of the house from most everyone else.

  “Take over for me.” Nita stepped aside so Daniel could move up next to the sink. She handed him a clean washcloth from the towel rack and demonstrated how to cool off her head. “I’ll be right back. I just need to get the acetaminophen.” At his questioning look she added, “Baby Tylenol.”

  It took nearly an hour for the medication, and impromptu bath, to bring her fever back down.

  Daniel sat in the rocking chair with a towel wrapped around his hips and tried to feed her to no avail.

  “Let me try,” Nita, wrapped in a bath sheet, and Daniel switched places. “Was Bella breast-fed?”

  “Yes. Both my children were.” His lips went flat. “I don’t think their mother did it out of any maternal instinct, but rather from laziness.”

  Nita teased the baby’s mouth with the nipple on the bottle. Bella just wasn’t interested. She tried changing to a different position with no luck.

  Daniel continued, “It was easier for her to whip out a tit than bother making a bottle. She liked showing her tits to anyone who wanted to see them.”

  Nita looked up at him, aghast.

  “Don’t look so surprised.” His gaze fell on his daughter. “Even though Cris gave her to me, she gave herself to several other men in camp, especially when she thought it would make me jealous or punish me.” He chuckled. “I never really cared about her. I think somewhere in her sick little mind she believed that by having my babies, my love for my children would transfer to her. No way in hell was that ever going to happen.”

  “But you were obviously fucking her bareback. You know how dangerous that is,” Nita chastised.

  “I’ve never had sex without a condom.” Daniel stared at her. “I swear to you. Looking back on it now, I think she actually sabotaged the condoms. In all my life, and I have a lot of sex, I’ve only ever had two condoms break. Both resulted in my children.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest and leaned against the crib. “I don’t believe in coincidences. To be honest with you, until they were born, I didn’t believe either child was mine. But the minute I saw those Callahan eyes, I knew.”

  Nita changed position again, and Bella rooted around close to Nita’s nipple. She suddenly remembered a technique one of the older nurses taught her on her neonatology rotation. She tucked Bella into the crook of her arm as though she were going to nurse her with her own breast, then slipped the bottle into her mouth.

  Bella latched on and sucked. Nita’s own bare breast pressed up against the baby’s cheek, convincingly fooling her.

  “Thank you, Jesus.” Her prayer was heartfelt.

  The infant twisted a little and laid her tiny hand on Nita’s breast as though to hold it in the proper place. Her whole body covered in goosebumps. She’d never felt anything so perfect in her life. If anyone had asked Nita before that very instant about natural mothering instincts, she’d vehemently inform them that she had none, and never wanted any.

  Holding Daniel’s daughter in her arms, the child practically sucking on her breast, Nita decided she wanted this for herself…someday. She glanced up at Daniel who wore a contented smile as his daughter finished the bottle.

  Nita’s heart sank deeper.

  Chapter 16

  For nearly three days, Daniel had sequestered himself in his suite with his daughter. She’d fucking scared the shit out of him the night Nita had slept over. He’d never been so thankful for a good friend in his life. When she had dashed into the bathroom with Bella, ordering him around, telling him what to do to save his daughter’s life…he’d never felt so useless.

  Not wanting her out of his sight, Daniel had brought his baby downstairs with him when he and Nita had been summoned. And thank God for Nita. When she hadn’t been in his room caring for the baby, she’d been in the clean room helping the scientists. Kira had also been a godsend, relieving him for short periods so he could spend a few quality hours with Simon, but USSOCOM had her out on missions every day in support of the researchers.

  Dr. James Johnson, once again, sat nervously on the opposite side of the table from Nita and Daniel. From his pocket, he produced a small vial. “I feel confident our latest solution will help your daughter.”

  Daniel had prayed every night for a miracle. His beautiful daughter couldn’t seem to break the fever long enough for her body to fight the infection.

  The doctor rambled on in scientific terms about how it worked, but he couldn’t seem to use words with less than seven syllables. Exasperated, he finally said, “Whoa, James. Just cut to the chase. What do you need? More blood from Bella? You need me to go hunt down more survivors up north? Tell me in simple terms.”

  Nita put her hand on his forearm. “Thankfully, they don’t need any more of Bella’s blood. It worked on the latest samples we gave them. He needs your permission for human testing.”

  Well, hell. That was easy. He’d just go back to the encampment and roundup a dozen or so survivors, whatever he needed. “Sure. I’ll leave within the hour and get you some volunteers.”

  Nita’s fingers tightened. “No, what he’s asking is if you will let him use this on Bella.”

  Fear shot straight to his balls. Make his baby a guinea pig? He automatically cradled Bella closer. “Is it dangerous?”

  “I won’t lie to you, Daniel.” Nita reached over and caressed the baby’s cheek with the back of her knuckles. “Any new drug is dangerous because we have no idea what side effects it might have. But I wouldn’t suggest this if I didn’t think it would help her. I’ve seen how positively the cells react to this medicine. It’s almost a miracle. This combination seems to coat the healthy cells and repels the virus. The healthy cells then reproduce almost twice as fast as normal, as though they are pushing the infected cells out of the body.”

  He stared at one of the smartest women he knew and choked on his next question. “Is she going to die?” Heat and pressure built up behind his eyes, emptying teardrops that he quickly blinked away. He forced in a deep breath hoping to relieve the pressure from his chest while he waited for her answer.

  “We’re all doing everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen.” Nita’s eyes glistened under the chandelier. “I love her, too,” she added just above a whisper.

  Daniel had watched the love grow between his children and Nita. Simon seemed to blossom under her affection and attention. Sure, she’d spent every night
in his bed, but every few hours he’d awaken alone, and find Nita in the rocking chair with Bella snuggled against her bare breast. That wasn’t a dedicated physician, that was a loving, caring woman. His woman was amazing.

  “So, what you need? Do you have something I’m supposed to sign relieving you of any responsibility?” At this point, Daniel just wanted them to give her the shot, inject it into her IV, do whatever it took to make his baby better.

  “No, just your permission.” James handed the bottle over to Nita who pulled a syringe from her pocket.

  It didn’t seem like she put very much into the IV, but he trusted Nita completely.

  “Let’s get this little baby back to bed.” Nita grabbed the pole and headed toward the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder. “James, I’ll keep you posted hourly with her progress.

  “Thank you, Dr. Banks. I’ll see myself out.” James stood and quickly left the house.

  As soon as they had Bella settled back in her bed, he took Nita in his arms. “Angel, I think we should both take a nap.”

  “I need to check her every hour, but I could use a combat nap.” He picked her up and placed her on his bed, then covered her, clothes and all.

  “I’ll take first watch,” he promised and brushed a kiss over her lips. As he crossed to the far end of his suite, he fully intended to let her sleep as long as she would. He set an alarm on his phone and stretched out on the couch with a magazine he’d been intending to read for over a year.

  “Well, hello there pretty blue eyes,” Nita’s sing-song voice brought Daniel out of a deep sleep.

  He filled the couch, armrest to armrest, and had a blanket over top of him. As he blinked awake, he realized a few lights were on and it was dark outside. Throwing off the blanket, he shot to the crib where Nita leaned over talking to his daughter.