His Lullaby Baby

by Airicka Phoenix

  “In a few more hours.”

  They started back towards the back porch. Their combined footfalls seemed twice as loud. Once inside, Hanna dumped her shoes on the mat next to the door and hurried to the island. She scurried onto a stool and waited.

  “What kind do you think we should make?” Addy asked as she circled around.

  “Blueberry!”

  Nodding in approval, Addy pulled a large mixing bowl from the cupboard. “Good choice.”

  The soothing process of measuring, dumping, and mixing was broken by giggles and stories of all the things Hanna wanted to do when Kari returned for their next lesson. The list was long and grew longer the more the girl talked. A simple tag game turned into a three week camping expedition through the Amazon. But Addy didn’t stop her. If there was anything she loved more than having children, it was listening to them talk.

  “Can me and Kari borrow a horse?”

  Addy was getting ready to tell her not this time, when Toby darkened the doorway. His clothes were wet, his hands blackened, and there was a scowl on his face that made her pause mid scoop.

  “Are you all right?” She set the bowl and spoon down and turned to face the man more fully. “Is something wrong?”

  His wide chest heaved with a sharp exhale. “Your drain is unclogged.” His hand lifted and, there, pinched between his thumb and two fingers was a small, pink shoe. “This was the culprit.”

  “Nancy’s shoe!” Hanna bound off the stool and bolted forward to take the shoe Toby offered her. “We were wondering what happened to it.” She peered up at him with those enormous doe eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Kari’s Uncle.”

  “Mr. McClain,” Addy corrected. “Remember what I told you.”

  Hanna bobbed her head with all the seriousness a four year old could muster. “We respect our elders.”

  That wasn’t what Addy had meant, and hearing her daughter say it made her want to grimace.

  “Jesus, how elderly do I look?” Toby muttered, looking no less pleased.

  “You do have a cane,” Hanna was kind enough to point out.

  “Hanna!”

  Neither Toby nor Hanna seemed to be listening to her.

  Toby glanced down at his cane like he’d forgotten it was there. “This isn’t a cane. It’s my sword. Every knight needs one. And I prefer Toby,” he added. “Kari’s Uncle will get confusing if you meet Jared…” At Hanna’s blank expression, he shook his head. “Never mind. Toby’s fine.”

  “I don’t know,” Hanna mused, brown eyes narrowed. “I have to ask my mommy. You’re a stranger.” Doll shoe clutched to her chest, she spun around to face Addy. “Can I talk to him?”

  Chewing the inside of her cheek to keep her laughter contained, Addy nodded. “Yes, you can talk to him.”

  Beaming in full dimple mode, Hanna whirled around to peer up at Toby once more. “Mommy says I can talk to you. I’m Hanna.” She thrust up her hand, tiny fingers pinched around the doll shoe. “This is Nancy’s shoe. She lost it when we were having a war with the sea demons. It’s her favorite pair.”

  It was a task to maintain the proper sort of seriousness when confronted by a four year old with a deadpan expression. Addy could barely contain the laugh bubbling up her chest. Toby didn’t seem to be having that problem. He stared down at her daughter with a look of great consideration.

  “Well, that is lucky then,” he stated at last. “Can’t kill sea demons without the proper foot attire. Happy I could help.”

  Hanna beamed. “I’ll bring Nancy down to thank you!”

  With that, the girl was gone in a flurry of unkempt hair and excitement.

  “That was really nice of you,” Addy said, going back to scooping batter into muffin cups. “Not many people would have played along.”

  The quiet squeak of rubber on linoleum drew closer as he did and she was so painfully aware of it; the entire left side of her tingled with his approach.

  “Wasn’t playing along.” He stopped on the other side of the island and sat on the stool Hanna had abandoned. There was a stiffness in the gesture and a wince of pain she didn’t miss. He propped his cane against the counter and stretched his leg out. “I’ve seen the sea demons with my own eyes.”

  Addy’s lip twitched. “Have you now? Well, that saves me thousands in therapy bills.” Her smile slipped and she studied him closely. “Are you all right?”

  He waved her concern away with a dismissive wave. “Fine. Just getting used to actually doing something for the first time in months.” His palm rubbed at his thigh. “I’ll get started on the rest of that list in—”

  “Have some tea first,” Addy cut in. “I was about to make myself a pot anyway and I would love to have you join me and maybe discuss how to pay you for all your help.”

  Bowl and spoon being set down a second time, she dusted her hands and turned to the stove. The empty kettle swung on its handle as she moved with it to the sink. Toby said nothing as she filled it quickly and set it on the element once more. The knob was snapped on and she returned.

  “I hope you don’t mind green.”

  He was watching her when she dared herself to face him again. Those unnerving eyes seemed to be digging straight inside her, searching for something she was too afraid to produce. His perfectly chiseled features were set with careful blankness, but there was a tightness in his jaw that made her stomach flutter and her hands shake. She snatched up the bowl and spoon before he noticed.

  “Green is fine,” he murmured.

  Addy kept her focus on evenly distributing muffin batter into cups. All the while, his focus burned into her, stripping away layers to singe flesh. She wondered if he was deliberately trying to make her uncomfortable.

  “So, which McClain are you?” she asked, needing to break the tension weaving around her. “I’ve met Willa and Calla, oh and their mom Lily. They used to bring the kids to the autumn wagon ride when Macy was here. I still see Calla and Willa occasionally. More so lately with the riding lessons. Oh!” She looked up. “And Rachel, of course. Rosie has brought her to see Nightmare a few times.”

  The whole McClain family had always been a sort of mystery to her. She’d heard stories over the years, but she rarely spent enough time in town to pay much attention. It was a conscious and deliberate thing. Town meant getting involved and letting people know you and that was dangerous. She’d managed to keep her children safe for as long as she had because she kept to herself and didn’t let people delve into her personal business. Thank God Macy had already built a steady and reputable reputation for the inn or Addy wouldn’t know what to do.

  “Lily’s my aunt,” he replied slowly. “Calla’s my sister. Willa’s my cousin. I’m the youngest of the group.”

  Addy chuckled. “The baby, eh?”

  She made the mistake of glancing up and getting struck by how not a baby he was. Everything about him was rugged and fit and carved and toned. God, he was beautiful. Even with clothes, she knew his body would be a work of art, abs and a chest practically stolen from a fitness magazine. He’d removed his sweater and the cup of his sleeves strained around the hard bulges making arms designed to make women whimper. The thin material hugged his pecs and pulled over magnificent shoulders. Beefy men normally did nothing for her—men in general didn’t—but he wasn’t beefy. He was fit and gorgeous, and he made her want things she had no business noticing she’d never had.

  Dropping her gaze quickly, she picked up the pans and turned to the stove. The whistle on the kettle shrieked just as she yanked open the oven door. Steam wafted back into her face, making the hairs at her temple cling to her damp skin. Pans put in, timer set, she plucked the kettle off the flames and started on the tea.

  “Do you normally do handyman work?” she asked, hating that she was unable to relax in even a speck of silence. She normally enjoyed the peace, but with him right there, scrutinizing her every move, she felt flustered and frumpy, which was ridiculous, because she had no desire to ever let a man notice her again. Yet eve
ry inch of her begged for him to notice and that was dangerous on its own. “I thought Bill was the only one in town.”

  “He is.” Toby accepted the teacup she slid over to him; she’d been careful not to give him a floral printed one. “I know the odd thing from what my uncle taught me, but I’m more of a computer guy.”

  Not what she’d been expecting. Him doing hard, manual labor explained the ripped body. It wasn’t the sort of body one got from sitting behind a computer screen.

  “You look surprised.” His dry amusement made her flush.

  “No, of course not!” She forced out a chuckle. “You just don’t look like someone who works on computers.”

  A pale eyebrow lifted over twinkling blue eyes. “What does a person who works on computers look like?”

  The skin on her face felt molten. It seared behind her eyes, making them sting.

  “I really don’t—”

  “I could wear glasses next time,” he went on. “A pocket protector. Maybe corduroy pants.”

  Addy paused stirring sugar into her drink and eyed him. “Do you have glasses and corduroy pants?”

  “I could be tempted to buy a set.” He raised his cup to his grinning mouth. His eyes shimmered over the rim. “Wouldn’t want to disrupt your illusions of me.”

  Oh the illusions of him. She had so many and none involved him wearing overly much, especially when he could sit there, holding a teacup of all things and make her insides dance and her core clench.

  “Next time?” she blurted instead, feeling feverish. “Does … does this mean you don’t think you’ll be able to finish everything today? Not that I’m rushing or pushing—”

  He set his drink down with a soft clink. “It’s fairly late. I’ll get as much done as I possibly can, but I might need to come back. Plus, I noticed a penal loose on your stairs and the banister is wobbly. I thought you’d like that fixed. It’s not on the list.”

  Addy drew in a gulping breath that lifted her shoulders. Her gaze lowered to the cup cradled between her palms.

  “I’d been meaning to get those looked at.”

  Toby nodded. “I can do it. It won’t take me more than a day, maybe two depending on whether or not anything needs replacing.”

  While she knew the inn needed some repairs, some more urgent than others, her bank account wasn’t exactly brimming with possibilities. Her biggest flex in income came during the summer when tourists drove through town and needed to make a quick stop. She made the rest by offering the town wagon rides, horseback lessons and the odd other venture she could think up. In no way would she be able to handle thousands of dollars in repair.

  “Maybe we should discuss your fee first.” She brushed a strip of hair off her cheek and tucked it behind her ear. “There were quite a few things on that list so just throw out a number and I’ll—”

  “Five thousand.”

  Her cup nearly upended with the unhesitant response. Her jaw unhinged and she stared at him in horror.

  “Dollars?” she cried. “To unclog a drain and … and bolt in a few screws?”

  “Cookies.” He straightened, flattening his palms on either side of his tea. “Five thousand cookies in batches of fifty once a week.”

  That stunned her even more than the initial blow. She couldn’t be sure if he was teasing her or if he actually meant it. His features were calm and so blank, like they really were having a business meeting. All professional. And yet, his request was insane.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Oh, I never joke about cookies, especially your cookies.”

  He wasn’t kidding. She waited for him to laugh or tell her of course he wasn’t serious, but he simply met her gaze and waited.

  “I can’t pay you in cookies!”

  “Why not?”

  She threw up her hands. “Because!” She huffed when he continued to stare at her, waiting for a better explanation. “That isn’t a proper payment considering the amount of work you’re apparently going to be doing around here.” She put her hand up before he could argue. “I am not paying you in—”

  “I should get back to work.” He picked up his cane and started to heave himself up. “I expect my first payment today.”

  With that, he started towards the door. Addy abandoned her spot and hurried after him.

  “Toby!”

  She hadn’t meant to call him by his name. It was ridiculous, but saying it out loud somehow felt so profoundly intimate. The glance he gave her over his shoulder didn’t help the feeling of vulnerability. A simmering darkness expanding over the ring of blue seemed to pulse. They settled on her with an intensity that made her pulse quicken and her strides falter.

  She swallowed hard. “Let me pay you.”

  Thick, dark lashes lowered over those hypnotic eyes, fixing them on her mouth. The object of his sudden fascination parted. They tingled with deep anticipation. His lips parted. She could see words reflecting in his eyes, but Hanna took that moment to come barreling back into the kitchen.

  “I can’t find Nancy!” she wailed. “I looked everywhere!”

  Heart still an orchestra of war drums between her ears, Addy forced herself to look away from the man touching her without ever lifting a finger and focused on the girl.

  “Did … did you check the piano bench?”

  Hanna’s eyes lit up. “I remember now!”

  She took off as quickly as she’d come, dragging behind her the moment she’d shattered. The tension remained, but the palpable heat that had settled between them faded a notch.

  “I want your cookies, Addy,” Toby murmured. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my life.”

  It marveled her how something as innocent as the word cookies could make her core liquefy and her nipples harden. Her entire body seemed to hum with an unwarranted eagerness that almost made her whimper when he left the room.

  Chapter 3 ~ Toby

  Toby prepared to leave Addy and the children sometime after six. He packed up his things, which mostly consisted of his cane and jacket and began towards the front of the house. He was met with the comforting clang of pots being stirred and dishes being drawn out. He’d hoped to make it out before Addy noticed him leave, but the woman seemed to have a sixth sense and appeared just as he was shrugging his coat on in the foyer.

  “Leaving?”

  Hair pulled back from her beautiful face and bunched into a messy knot at the back of her head, she started towards him with a dishrag twisting between her hands. Her feet were bare and her toes were painted a distracting shade of pink that swirled colors like the inside of a seashell. Toby had to pull his gaze away and focus on the woman rather than her feet.

  “Yeah, it’s late and I should get out of your hair.”

  She offered him a half little smile that always did odd things to his insides. “My hair is fine. You’re welcome to join us for supper.”

  He wasn’t entirely certain what supper was, but it smelled like heaven. The rich aroma of meat fried in tomatoes and spices lingered the house, winding with the fresh scent of lilacs and lemon wood polish. He’d caught sight of her dicing celery earlier, but hadn’t bothered to ask what she was making.

  “Mark’s waiting for me,” he lied.

  Her eyes widened. “Oh! I didn’t realize—”

  “No!” he practically shouted before she could get that thought stuck in her head. “Absolutely not. No. Mark’s a friend and I’m staying with him for a little while. That is all.”

  She gave a delicate shrug. “It’s fine if you are. I don’t judge or—”

  “But I’m not,” he assured her. “I like women.” Especially ones that can bake like the devil and smile like an angel. I especially, really like you, he wanted to add, but wisely kept it clamped back.

  Addy chuckled and swept an escaped wisp of hair back behind her ear. “Well, the offer stands if you change your mind. I can’t thank you enough for helping around the place. I’ve been trying to do it myself since Macy left, but I’m not as equipp
ed with that gene. I always wind up making it worse so I really appreciate you being here. Oh! Which reminds me!” Turning on her heel, she bolted back the way she’d come.

  Toby took his opening and moved closer to the door, eager to leave before his common sense could be shanghaied into doing something he knew he needed to fight. All day he’d been walking the fine razor’s edge, teetering from side to side as he struggled to maintain his perseverance. It was a challenge when his mind and body refused to pick a united side.

  She’s married, had become his personal soundtrack. It repeated without end through his mind while his body physically ached with the need to touch her, to cradle her tiny frame against his and plunder that mouth. It was insane considering he hadn’t even known the woman existed two days ago. Nevertheless, the longing was palpable. It was insistent and demanding.

  “Here it is.” Addy returned, two containers of cookies in hand. “I’m not exactly sure there’s fifty in here, but they’re the last of the batch I made the other day. I promise to make more tomorrow.” She held them out. “I hope that’s okay?”

  He took the containers and balanced them between his left forearm and chest. “That’s fine.”

  Smiling, she hurried past him and opened the door.

  “Thank you again.”

  With an inclination of his head, Toby meandered his way into the setting dusk. The sun had slipped behind the horizon and the entire world was a murky blue only those in the country would understand. The boards beneath his feet groaned as he started his way down the steps. Addy was still standing in the doorway after he’d climbed into the cabin of his truck and set his cane and the cookies into the passenger’s side seat.

  She seemed even smaller framed in the pale light radiating from the desk lamp behind her. Her thin arms were pulled around her as though warding off the evening chill. Her face was bathed in shadows, but the glow formed an auburn halo around her head. She raised a pale hand and waved. Toby waved back. Then he put the truck into drive and made his way into town.