Waiting for Baby

by Cathy McDavid

  “Hello, Miss Russo.” LeAnne bounded up to Lilly, her genuine smile standing out in a sea of polite, yet reserved ones. She laid a hand on Lilly’s stomach. “Can I feel the baby move?”

  “It’s a little early for that.”

  “You said you felt the baby move.” LeAnne frowned in confusion. “Why can’t I?”

  Her expression was so serious, Lilly had to laugh out loud.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Lilly moved LeAnne’s hand higher on the small mound of her belly. “Try this.”

  LeAnne puckered her lips and concentrated.

  Lilly abruptly stopped laughing. Would this child look like her or Jake? Would he or she have Kayla’s button nose, LeAnne’s dimples or Briana’s stubborn streak?

  “I felt something!” LeAnne beamed, showing two missing teeth on the bottom.

  “You did?” Lilly thought it might have been her stomach gurgling and not the baby, but she played along, delighting in the moment and her budding relationship with Jake’s youngest. Whatever could or would or had gone wrong tonight, she’d have this memory.

  “I’m going to tell Daddy.”

  Before Lilly could stop her, LeAnne scampered off, and Lilly was left alone once more. But not for long.

  “See, we Tuckers aren’t all bad.” Jake’s cousin Carolina sat down in an empty chair beside Lilly.

  “I never said you were,” Lilly replied casually, as yet undecided about Carolina’s motives.

  “You have every reason to think badly of us,” she said with mirth rather than rancor in her voice. “Especially if you judge the lot of us by Briana.”

  “She’s a teenage girl.”

  “She’s a lot like her mother. Very intolerant when everything in her world isn’t perfectly to her liking. But have no fear. If you can give her time, she’ll mellow, and one day you won’t even remember what annoyed you about her.”

  “I can hardly wait.”

  Carolina grinned. “I bet you can’t. And no matter what she claims, Briana loves babies. More than LeAnne. She could put herself through college on the money she’s earned babysitting.”

  “No kidding!”

  “There’s one of her regular clients as we speak.” Carolina pointed to a young couple with a baby Lilly guessed to be about a year old. “That’s Natalie, our manager of guest services, and her husband, Aaron. He’s another of the ranch owners.”

  “I’ve met Natalie in the office,” Lilly said, “and spoken to her on the phone. I didn’t realize she was married to one of the owners.”

  “Aaron is a Tucker purely by association. He was married to Jake’s sister, Hailey. She left him her share of the ranch when she died.”

  “Oh.” Lilly’s mind raced. She knew Jake and his manager of guest services were friends. She assumed it was because they’d both grown up on the ranch. Not once during their acquaintance had Jake mentioned that Natalie’s husband was his former brother-in-law.

  “Yeah, oh,” Carolina mimicked Lilly. “Things were pretty strange there for a while, very awkward if you catch my drift. We’re over it now,” she added airily, “and everyone gets along great. One big happy family.” She nudged Lilly with her elbow. “It’ll be that way for you, too. Don’t worry. You just have to hang in there. Give us Tuckers a chance to work through our shock and jump off our high horses.”

  A commotion at the front of the room distracted Lilly before she could answer.

  Carolina rose. “I have to go. They’re bringing the cake out. If I’m not there to sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ Mom will disown me, and I do love being a member of this family.” She held out her hand and when Lilly clasped it, said, “So will you.”

  Lilly joined in the singing, though her mind remained on her conversation with Jake’s cousin. Afterward, while the cake was being served, she did attempt to see the people at the party through different eyes. It had been selfish of her to assume that only she, Jake and his daughters had been affected by their baby. Or that no one else cared.

  She’d also been shortsighted, forgetting that even bad situations—like losing her first three children—could bring some good. Her marriage might have ended but she’d grown closer to her parents, discovered strengths in herself she didn’t know she possessed, left an unfulfilling job for one she loved and met a man who supported her unconditionally where their unborn child was concerned.

  Definitely some good.

  She watched Jake eat cake and joke with his family, and her heart stirred with emotion. It wasn’t due to hormones, not this time. Her feelings for him were real and growing stronger by the day. Soon she’d have to deal with them and try to figure out what the future held. But not here and not tonight.

  As if he sensed she was thinking about him, he glanced up. His eyes, brimming with amusement a moment ago, turned dark and intense. Desire sparked inside Lilly. She hadn’t felt anything this powerful and this consuming between them in a long time. Not since the night they’d made love in his hot tub.

  Neither of them broke eye contact. Not even when Jake set his plate of half-eaten cake on the table and strode toward her. Lilly didn’t remember standing but all at once she was on her feet.

  “I’ll get your coat,” he said, escorting her from the room.

  “Shouldn’t you say goodbye to your family?”

  “I’ll call them tomorrow.”

  “I don’t want to be inconsiderate.” Or ruin the progress she’d made with LeAnne and Carolina.

  Jake’s cousin interrupted her conversation with an older couple to wave at Jake and Lilly on their way out the door. Lilly wasn’t quite sure what to make of Carolina’s knowing look and decided it was friendly.

  Jake had driven his old Buick, so she didn’t have to climb into the truck cab. Recently back from the repair shop, it looked as good as new. At the main highway, he turned left, toward Payson and her house. With each mile they drove, her pulse quickened.

  What had altered between them so suddenly? And what would happen when they reached her door?

  Lilly knew the answer long before they arrived at her house and had not one qualm about her decision. Jake wasn’t merely the father of her child. She cared for him—far more than when they’d first dated. And he reciprocated her feelings more than when they’d first dated, as he’d repeatedly demonstrated in recent weeks.

  “Would you like to come in?” She inserted the key in her front door.

  “Are you absolutely sure?”

  She heard his unspoken concerns and tried to put them to rest. “Very sure.”

  He cupped her cheek, then slid his fingers into her hair. She tipped her head back, giving herself over to the sensual tingling his touch evoked.

  “I’m glad.”

  He lowered his head and skimmed the sensitive skin along her jawline with his lips, heightening her already soaring arousal. She’d completely forgotten about their surroundings. A passing car brought her to her senses.

  “We should go inside.”

  Jake reached around her and opened the door. A rectangle of soft light fell on them from the entry-hall lamp Lilly always left on, illuminating them from the shoulders down. Jake’s face remained in shadow, his expression hidden, his thoughts and feelings a mystery for her to discover during the night ahead.

  Inside the house, Lilly removed her jacket. Jake took it from her and hung it along with his in the hall closet. She went into the kitchen, mostly because she was unexpectedly shy and uncertain of what to do next.

  The sink felt like a safe place, so she went there, turning on the small overhead light. “Would you like something to drink? I have beer in the fridge.”

  “No. I’m fine.” He came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. He nuzzled the collar of her dress aside and pressed his lips to the hollow at the base of her neck. “It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind.”

  She all but melted as his warm breath caressed her exposed skin. “I haven’t changed my mind.” Being with Jake before had
been wonderful and exciting. Now that they knew each other on a deeper level, had spent countless hours in each other’s company, she could only imagine how much better their lovemaking would be.

  He lowered one hand to clasp her waist. His palm came to rest on her rounded belly, and she involuntarily leaned against him, her back flush with his muscled chest. So much for leaping to conclusions. Jake wanted her with the same ferocity she did him.

  “I can’t wait to hold our baby,” he said in her ear, his voice low and rough as he tenderly stroked the mound beneath which their child lay.

  “Jake.” If she could just be certain he’d feel the same after their baby was born.

  In that moment, with his arms embracing her and his mouth tantalizing her, it was easy for her to believe he would.

  “I want you to know I care about you,” he said, turning her slowly to face him.

  She could see the truth of his admission shining in his eyes, and it thrilled her to the core.

  “I always have,” he continued, his hands sliding to her hips and pulling her closer, his potent half-smile mesmerizing. “I can’t tell you how glad I am you walked into my office that day with your proposition about the mule.”

  “Really?”

  “That suit you were wearing was hot as hell.”

  She laughed. “I was trying to be professional.”

  “Business women are sexy.” He seduced her with quick, light kisses. “You’re sexy.”

  “I’m fat.”

  “You’re having a baby. My baby. There isn’t anything sexier than that.”

  He claimed her mouth in a fierce and possessive kiss that stole her senses. This was the Jake she remembered, the one who’d made exquisite and incredible love to her before their relationship had come to an abrupt halt.

  His hands circled her waist, then moved up her sides. When he stopped just short of covering her breasts, she moaned in frustration. Winding her arms around his neck, she raised her hips to meet his, nestling his erection in the junction of her legs.

  He stopped kissing her in order to draw a ragged breath. She thought he might take her into her bedroom. Instead, he stepped back and in one fluid motion, unsnapped his cowboy shirt and pulled it off. His undershirt followed. Both landed on the counter.

  Lilly stared. She’d recalled every detail of his chest and torso, or so she’d believed. Their nights together weren’t something she’d easily forget. Memory, however, paled when compared to reality. Jake was fit and strong and his muscles beckoned her fingertips, enticing them to trace the smooth contours. His skin, a healthy bronze even in late February, invited her lips to touch and taste.

  She was helpless to resist, and she reached out to him.

  He captured her hand in midair, and she murmured a protest.

  “Not yet.” He turned her hand over and kissed the inside of her palm, sending shivers dancing down her spine. “I want to see you first.”

  “Here? In the kitchen?”

  “Kitchen, bedroom, anywhere you’d like. Just don’t make me wait.”

  “The solarium?” Lilly asked.

  Jake groaned his approval and swept her into his arms. He carried her down the hall and to the small room off the back of the house. The original owners had chosen to enclose the back porch with insulated glass and fill it with green plants that thrived all year long, even in the cold of winter. Lilly had added to the room by purchasing a double-wide chaise longue. She liked whiling away a lazy weekend afternoon, reading or napping in the bright sun.

  At night, the solarium remained warm for hours. And if the stars were out in abundance, like they were tonight, the view was spectacular—the perfect setting to rekindle a romance.

  Jake set her on her feet, and she picked up the blanket she kept on the chaise longue, spreading it over the cushion. She felt his eyes on her, heard him unbuckle his belt. His jeans rustled as he pulled them off, and his boots thudded when they hit the tile floor.

  She straightened and might have begun undressing herself if not for the touch of his fingers brushing aside her hair and tugging on the zipper of her dress. The fabric slowly parted, and she stepped out of her clothes.

  Jake stroked her shoulders, her back, her upper arms. “You’re so beautiful.”

  Any worries she’d had that he might not find her body as attractive as before her pregnancy disappeared when he turned her toward him. The solarium was dark, starlight and a half-hidden moon the only illumination. But Lilly didn’t need to see Jake’s eyes to sense the raw hunger burning in them. She could feel it—almost touch it—the sensation was so powerful.

  She lowered herself onto the chaise, pulling him down beside her. He resisted, one knee propped on a corner.

  “I didn’t bring any protection.”

  She laughed. “I think it’s a little late for that.”

  He remained sober. “I haven’t been with anyone since our breakup. I haven’t told you that before, but it’s important to me that you know.”

  She met his intensely probing gaze. “You’re the only man I’ve been with besides my ex-husband. The only one I’ve wanted to be with.”

  Jake came to her then, covering them both with the blanket. Beneath it, his hands roamed her body and together they discovered the changes resulting from her pregnancy.

  He kissed her mouth, her neck, her collarbone and her breasts. His lips lingered on her stomach, his fingertips brushing its gentle rise. Lilly sighed when his mouth continued downward, and his hands parted her legs. Jake had the ability to make her feel utterly cherished, and tonight was no exception. He brought her quickly to the edge but she stopped him before she tumbled over.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked, his breath tickling her.

  “Nothing.” She tugged on his arms. In response, he positioned himself over her, his weight on his bent elbows. “Everything’s just right.”

  “I don’t want to hurt the baby,” he said.

  “You won’t,” she assured him and inhaled sharply when he entered her.

  Their lovemaking had always been wonderful. But it was more so now, sweeter and infinitely more satisfying because of the months they’d spent getting to know each other and the intimacy brought about by creating a child.

  She climaxed, calling his name. His release came moments later, and she held him through it, wrapping herself around him. Afterward, they snuggled under the blanket, talking softly and watching thin, wispy clouds drift past the stars.

  “Are you sure we didn’t hurt the baby?” He tenderly rubbed her stomach with his hand.

  “Dr. Paul told me weeks ago I could resume normal sexual relations as long as I took it easy.”

  “Funny. I don’t remember her saying that.”

  “It was during a phone call.”

  “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “At the time, I wasn’t having any normal sexual relations to resume.”

  “I’m glad we waited.”

  So was she. Too much, too soon was one of the reasons their relationship had failed.

  Jake’s cell phone buzzed from beneath the chaise. “Sorry.” He kissed her on the lips before rolling over and fumbling in the dark. “That’s strange,” he said, checking the caller ID as he sat up.

  “What?”

  “Someone’s calling me from my house.” He put the phone to his ear. “This is Jake Tucker…Sweetie, what are you doing there?” he asked. “All right, calm down.” Another pause. “No, I’m…with Lilly.” He groaned under his breath. “Lower your voice, please.” This time there was a considerably longer pause, then he said, “I’ll be right there. Don’t leave, you hear me?” He ended with “Call your mother and let her know where you are,” and hung up.

  “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Lilly said when he was done.

  Jake shoved the fingers of one hand into his hair. “Briana’s at the house. She had another fight with her mother and drove there from the party. In the old maintenance truck, of all things.”

  “I didn’
t think she had her license.”

  “She doesn’t. Only her learner’s permit.” He blew out a long breath as he stood, then began throwing on his clothes. “She went to the house, expecting me to be there.” He sat back down to put on his socks and boots. “I’m not sure which one of us is angrier. Me at her for taking the truck and driving without a license, or her at me for not being at the house when she arrived.”

  Lilly wrapped herself in the blanket, collected her clothes from the floor and walked with Jake to the kitchen, where he retrieved his shirts. “Is she upset about us being together?”

  “Not so much.”

  Lilly had heard Jake’s end of the phone conversation and suspected he was minimizing his daughter’s reaction.

  “I hate leaving like this,” he said at her front door after a last kiss.

  “Briana needs you.”

  He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “There’s a lot I was going to say to you tonight. I feel bad about not getting to it.”

  Lilly did, too, but didn’t add to his guilt by saying so. “You’d better hurry.”

  “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said and left.

  She closed the door after him, her emotions at odds. Jake was a family man; it was one of his most attractive qualities. Lilly couldn’t be angry at him for going to his daughter when she was in trouble. And she couldn’t be mad at Briana, who was having difficulty coping with the many unhappy changes in her young life.

  And yet, she was angry. Or, at least, frustrated and confused. Everyone at the party had seen her and Jake leave together, including Briana. Had the girl’s stunt been a deliberate attempt to sabotage Lilly and Jake’s relationship?

  She was afraid the answer was yes, and that Briana might never accept her and the baby.

  “SHE WOULDN’T HAVE run away if you’d hadn’t left with your girlfriend.”

  “Briana didn’t run away. She went to my house.”

  Jake cursed his good cell phone reception. Usually, three miles outside Payson his phone quit working. But bad luck and an open passage in the mountains made it possible for Ellen to go on and on, blowing the incident with Briana out of all proportion. What else was new?