Wedding Rings and Baby Things

by Teresa Southwick

  “You make it sound as if you were possessed.”

  Her forehead puckered thoughtfully. “In a way I guess I was.”

  “You’re not disappointed, that she’s a girl I mean? You said you wanted a boy.”

  “I’m not upset in the least,” she said, then looked a little anxious. “She’s perfect. Right? I saw you checking her out.”

  “You checked her out yourself, right after they handed her to you.” He smiled and took her hand, cradling it between his own. “But for the record she’s the most beautiful baby I have ever seen.”

  “Out of, how many newborns?”

  He shifted his weight on the mattress. “I haven’t exactly seen that many. Or any, to be exact. But I know quality when I see it,” he said, looking into her huge green eyes.

  She was quietly thoughtful for a few moments. Just when he was about to ask her if something was bothering her, she said, “I’ve been thinking about names.”

  “Yeah. You’ve been calling her Sam. She kind of threw you a curve.”

  “I still like the name Sam. How does Samantha Michele sound to you?” She looked at him doubtfully, as if she thought he might not approve.

  “Would I be jumping to conclusions if I assumed that the Michèle part was after me?”

  “Would you consider it an honor?”

  “Oh, yeah,” he said. “The best.”

  Kelly’s smile was so radiant his breath caught.

  “I’m glad you think so,” she said. “You were wonderful, Mike. I don’t think I could have done it without you. When Sammi’s old enough to understand, I plan to tell her all about how her Uncle Mike helped deliver her.”

  There was that Uncle Mike stuff again. He knew she was reminding him that their marriage had a beginning, a middle and now the end was in sight. At the thought, disappointment hit him. Kelly had knocked the wind out of him just as surely as if he’d been tackled without warning.

  It was for the best that he remember their time together was coming to an end. He had done the relationship game once, and he wasn’t very good at it Probably because he didn’t believe true love existed. His mood turned suddenly bittersweet

  Now he would have two ladies to miss when he and Kelly ended their marriage.

  Chapter Seven

  Kelly had looked forward to taking care of her baby at home, since finding out she was pregnant. But in that fantasy she had always pictured herself in Mike’s guest house, not his king-sized bed. Or rather sitting on his bed. And in her dreams the baby had always slept like an angel. She was not fussy and squirmy, with a red, scrunchy face.

  Shifting to a more comfortable sitting position on the mattress, Kelly raised Sammi to her shoulder to burp her. In spite of the reality check, that small, sweet, warm body snuggled in her arms was achingly special. Not to mention frightening. Kelly was responsible for this tiny human being. Sammi couldn’t tell her what was wrong when she cried. Kelly was supposed to figure it out. The idea terrified her. Her vision of motherhood had never included mind-numbing terror.

  As the panic welled up inside her, Kelly reminded herself that they had just left the hospital that morning. It was close to eight in the evening. They hadn’t even been home a whole day. Adjusting would take time. But she was so tired and wished the baby was securely settled so that she could sleep.

  Sammi cried loudly in her ear, and Kelly couldn’t stop the hot tears that pushed against her eyes. She heard the water in the shower go off and. knew Mike would be out soon.

  “Thank God,” she said.

  Her fantasy motherhood had never included Mike, but now she couldn’t figure out why it hadn’t. He had been there for every major event in her life, including her baby’s birth. The bond she shared with him was truly special and one she would safeguard jealously.

  Several moments later he appeared in the doorway, drying his damp, dark hair with a towel. The muscles in his arms and shoulders bunched and released with the movement. For several seconds, Kelly stopped breathing as the sight of him mesmerized her. Droplets of water in the hair on his wide chest caught the light and sparkled. If that wasn’t enough, the man had the nerve to wear shorts that showed off powerful thighs and calves with a masculine dusting of hair.

  He could at least have some consideration for the confused state of her hormones. Any hopes she’d had of getting back to normal right after giving birth were smashed to smithereens with one look at Mike Cameron.

  “Everything all right?” he asked.

  She tried to speak and found she had to clear her throat. “Everything’s fine,” she finally managed to say.

  “I heard crying. Is something wrong with Little Bit? I thought she was asleep.”

  Kelly drew in a deep shuddering breath. “I thought so, too. She seemed sound asleep, then right after you got in the shower, she started crying again. I don’t know what’s wrong—” Her voice caught on a sob.

  With her arms full of a squealing, wiggling Sammi, Kelly lifted her chin toward the bassinet, trimmed in pink ribbon, which stood between Mike’s dresser and the bed. It had been Mike’s idea to use the bassinet for naps in his room downstairs during the day rather than the full-size crib upstairs.

  She swallowed the lump of emotion and said, “I put her in her crib in my room, and she started to cry.”

  He sat down beside her on the bed. His shoulder brushed hers, and a quiver of awareness cut through Kelly. The heat of his body burned through her T-shirt, and something smooth and hot spread through her in waves. She was wearing shorts and cursed the vanity that had compelled her to put them on. She had wanted to savor the slimness of her body again. All she had succeeded in doing was exposing more of her skin to the touch of his. That caused her stomach to do back flips.

  He braced a hand behind her, breathtakingly near her rear end, and reached across to stroke Sammi’s cheek. One of his hands was nearly as big as the baby’s back. His strength was obvious and undeniable, making his gentleness with her so touching it formed a lump in Kelly’s throat

  “Do you really think something’s wrong with her?” he asked, concern furrowing his forehead. “She’s fed and her diaper’s changed. Right?”

  Kelly nodded. “The pediatrician checked her over before we left the hospital and said she’s normal and healthy. He warned me that she would be cranky at times and not to worry.”

  The knot of tension across Kelly’s shoulders eased a little, and she knew it was just from voicing her concerns to Mike. An instant of wistfulness flashed through her. If only they were a real family, Sammi’s homecoming would be perfect.

  Kelly lifted her gaze to Mike’s and a sense of longing swept over her, so strong it became a pain in her chest. This was only pretend, she reminded herself. Taking a deep breath, she shifted the crying baby in her arms.

  “Have you tried the pacifier?” he asked.

  The pacifier! If Kelly hadn’t had her arms full of infant she would have slapped her forehead. “I forgot about that little sucker.” She giggled at her play on words as a tiny bubble of panic-tinged relief welled up in her.

  Mike looked at her a little strangely as he stood up. “I’ll get it,” he said. “It’s in the bassinet.”

  He lifted the pink plastic plug—how she hated that term—although at the moment she understood and welcomed the blessed little thing. Then he brought it over and gave it to the baby who latched on to it eagerly and made small smacking noises.

  “God bless modern technology,” Kelly said gratefully. “Some mother I am.”

  He sat down beside her. “What does that mean?”

  “I don’t even know what to do when my baby cries.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’ve never done this before.”

  “Seems a shame, doesn’t it? Too bad every baby couldn’t be a second child. Not a practice run. Kind of a scary thought that the world is filled with firstborns whose mothers didn’t have a clue what they were doing. How messed up do you suppose those people are?”

&nbs
p; “Your brother is firstborn. How messed up is he?”

  Jim seemed okay. “You have a point Still, I can’t help wishing now that I’d taken a parenting class.”

  “That’s no substitute for OJT.”

  “Odd jinxed teacher?” she guessed.

  “On the job training,” he answered, grinning. “The key is to relax and go through the checklist. She’s been fed and diapered. Does she feel warm to you?”

  “Oh, God. Do you think she has a fever? Maybe she’s not warm enough. In this heat wave, I thought a diaper and undershirt was enough. The doctor said not to put too many clothes on her. Dress her like I would myself. I’m comfortable in shorts—”

  His gaze dropped to her legs and a spark of male interest glowed for a moment in his eyes. Then he looked at her. “Don’t borrow trouble, Kelly. It’s just on the checklist.” He leaned over and pressed his lips to Sammi’s forehead. “She feels cool to me.”

  “That wasn’t very scientific.”

  “No, but it works,” he said. “She’s probably overtired and has gas.”

  “What if it’s not that simple? What if she keeps crying and needs to see the doctor? What if I wait too long and something really serious happens? What if—”

  The baby spit out the pacifier and started to wail again.

  Kelly looked at Mike. “Maybe I should call the doctor?”

  “Give her to me, Kelly.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  “I said, give her here. Let me hold her for a while.”

  Kelly’s eyes widened as he took the child out of her arms. He seemed relaxed and in control. “For God’s sake, Mike. You’re a football coach. What do you know about babies?”

  “She’s not much different than a football. What’s to know?”

  “Mike—”

  “I’m joking.” He took the cloth diaper and placed it over his shoulder, then lifted Sammi up. “I know she’s a person, only small. My football players use up a lot of energy. When they’re finished, they’re tired. All she does is lie around all day. This crying is just her exercise. Like running drills.”

  She stared at him for a moment. “What scares me the most is that you just made sense.”

  He grinned, and her heart skipped. “You need a few minutes to yourself.”

  “To do what? Have a nervous breakdown?”

  “To relax. Go in there,” he said, lifting his chin to indicate his bathroom. “Fill the whirlpool tub. Turn on the jets and sit there for thirty minutes.”

  “But—”

  “If Sammi and I need you, we’ll get you. Otherwise, you’re not to worry. That’s an order.”

  Kelly felt that she should protest a little longer before she gave in, but the suggestion was just too heavenly.

  “I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

  When the time was up, Kelly felt rested and relaxed. She put on shorty pajamas and a thigh-length, light-weight cotton robe. Before leaving her sanctuary, she put her ear to the door and listened, surprised at the quiet. It might be safe, she thought turning off the light as she left the steamy room.

  “Mike?” she said softly, walking into the bedroom. The sight that greeted her was just too sweet for words.

  Mike was on the bed, half-reclining with pillow shams behind his back, dozing. With one hand on Sammi’s back and the other on her rear end, he held her securely on his chest, over his heart. She was also sleeping—like a baby, just the way Kelly’s fantasy always played out

  Carefully she moved his arms away and lifted the infant, tucking her into the bassinet, with a light receiving blanket over her. Kelly decided against taking her up to her crib. For one thing, she was afraid the movement might wake her. For another, she was still a bit sore from the birth and didn’t feel up to climbing the stairs.

  But now she was really in a pickle. She didn’t want to be too far from the baby in case she needed something. And she didn’t have the heart to wake Mike and ask him to give up his bed. Her only alternative was to sleep there, too.

  It was a big bed. There was more than enough room for two people. They could rattle around in it forever and not touch each other. She hoped that was true, because if she touched him, she would be a goner.

  Kelly turned out the lights, then removed her robe and slipped between the soft cool sheets. Beside her, she could feel the warmth from Mike’s body and hear his even breathing. It took every ounce of her willpower to scoot away from him instead of cuddling up to the strength and security Mike offered.

  A knot of fear tightened in her chest. She was terribly attracted to Mike, and she no longer had her pregnancy to keep him at arm’s length. The more she was attracted to him, the closer she came to forfeiting his friendship forever. The thought made her feel cold and empty inside. She wanted to take her baby and leave. That’s the only thing that would save what she had with Mike.

  She couldn’t do it

  Sammi had to come first. She had married Mike to be part of a couple and thwart Doug’s attempt to take custody. She couldn’t do anything to jeopardize that strategy.

  This was a fine state of affairs. No, bad choice of word. Situation or mess would be better. She had landed herself right between the devil and the deep blue sea. If she stayed with Mike, she could lose him. If she left him, she might forfeit her baby.

  She curled up into a tight ball. There was only one solution. She had to stay with him until Sammi’s custody was no longer in question. He sighed in his sleep and moved restlessly beside her. The pleasant fragrance of his soap and the warmth of his body radiated to her.

  Kelly slid to the very edge of the mattress. She would keep her distance from Mike. Ha, she thought A fine plan when he was sleeping less than a foot away. Emotional distance, she reminded herself.

  Her hormones just needed a severe lecturing. She was a teacher; she was a woman. She could keep everything under control. If she was careful, she could have it all.

  Mike fought the urge to open his eyes. If the warm, soft, obviously female body snuggling against him was part of an erotic dream, he didn’t want to wake up. On the other hand, if he was wrong, and he wasn’t sleeping, he wanted to savor the moment.

  Her sigh convinced him he wasn’t dreaming. As well as the heat, the sensuous sound went spiraling through him. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know who the womanly body belonged to. He would know Kelly’s scent in a roomful of people, and it surrounded him now. It wasn’t just her fragrance that touched him. She had one slender leg carelessly tossed over his, and her hand lightly rested on his abdomen. Half-turned toward him, he could feel the smooth fullness of her breast, covered by some thin, almost nonexistent material, pressed against the muscle in his upper arm.

  He didn’t question what miracle had landed her in his bed, he just knew he wasn’t alone. And he liked it.

  Moonlight slicing past the drapes illuminated her beside him. Her dark hair spilled like silk across the pillow, and her thick lashes fanned out above her cheeks. Her full mouth, relaxed in sleep, drew his attention in a big way. The taste of her lips lingered in his memory, tempting him until he couldn’t resist. He needed to kiss her as much as he needed to take his next breath. Maybe more.

  “Kelly?”

  “Hmmm?” she answered sleepily.

  “I’m going to kiss you. If you have any objections, speak now.”

  “Uh-uh,” she said shaking her head in a negative motion, though her eyes remained closed.

  He rolled slightly, then lowered his mouth to hers. The contact was slow and lazy. Then he gathered her against him, savoring the way her breasts burned into his chest. With his tongue he traced her lips, and she opened to him. He slipped inside and stroked the sweetness there. Kelly’s moan of desire fueled the embers of the fire inside him that he’d kept carefully banked all these weeks.

  He slid his hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head to make the contact of their mouths more firm. Her arms went around him and caressed his back until he thought he’d g
o crazy from need. He cautioned himself to patience and pulled the shreds of his self-control together. She had just had a baby. But he suspected Kelly needed the closeness, the touching, as much as he did. It didn’t have to be more, not until she was ready.

  Mike slid his hand from her silky hair, down her slender throat, to her chest. Her breast filled his palm and she sighed into his mouth, a sound of pure female satisfaction. He went hot all over and his breathing went from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. He knew he had to stop, making love was out of the question. But it felt so good to hold her, feel her against him. If her response was anything to go by, she didn’t plan to jump out of bed anytime soon.

  He pressed his mouth to the hollow beneath her ear and felt her shiver.

  “Kelly,” he whispered. “You feel so soft, so good.”

  She went still and stiff in his arms. It was as if his voice had disturbed the sensuous spell surrounding them.

  “Mike?” In the semi-darkness her eyes looked huge, and frightened. “What are you doing?”

  “Kissing you. I told you I was going to.”

  She slid away from him and sat up. “I didn’t hear you say that.”

  “I thought you were awake.”

  “Did I answer you?” Furrows appeared between her eyebrows as if she couldn’t remember what had happened.

  “Yeah. Sort of.”

  Mike didn’t want her to think he would take advantage of her, although in reality that’s just what he’d done. He wouldn’t have, if she hadn’t been there beside him.

  “I woke up and you were next to me,” he said, attempting to explain his behavior.

  She nodded as if events had just cleared in her mind. “I put the baby down in here because I was afraid she would wake up if I tried to get her in her crib. I was afraid I wouldn’t hear her if I went upstairs. I—” She threw the sheet off and slipped out of bed. Grabbing her robe, she peeked into the bassinet, touched the baby gently, lovingly, then left the room.

  Mike got up and looked at the baby. She was still asleep although moving restlessly. He pulled a white T-shirt over his head and went to find Kelly.