Hot-Shot Doc, Secret Dad (Cowboys, Doctors...Daddies)

by Lynne Marshall

  The mattress dipped when his knees hit, and he crawled toward her, having already sheathed himself. She rolled into him, soon covered by his hot, smooth skin. He pulled her closer, stomach to stomach, breath for breath; they kissed and eased their way back into their rhythm.

  Several minutes later, with her worked to near frenzy from his attention, he finally thrust into her welcoming heat, his strength filling her, stretching her to capacity.

  He rode her gently until they adjusted to each other, then moved faster, went deeper, and she met him each step of the way. Heat licked through her center, up her back and out to her breasts. Everything tightened with expectation.

  He rocked her faster; she shifted her hips for the best sensation, bearing down on his force and friction. There, right there. Throbbing and tingling, she kept up with his pace, nearing her tipping point. She squeezed tight around him, then let him ride and push her to the limit, indescribable sensations whipping up inside. She begged and whimpered for more, right at the edge of the magic.

  His power and speed drummed into her until she gave way with the sensation of flailing into the night, spasms and tingles and…euphoria.

  He growled and followed her into the stratosphere, their bodies interlaced closer than imaginable, spinning out of control together in pure bliss.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  SUNDAY MORNING, JULIE woke with her head on the hard pillow of Trevor’s chest. He was asleep, his fingers buried in her hair, their bodies entwined like a braided rug. Her eyes popped open. How should she handle this? They’d spent most of the night making up for thirteen years, and having sex again with Trevor Montgomery was something she’d sworn she’d never do. Had she jeopardized the whole point of telling him he was James’s father?

  Relationships were always messy, and she couldn’t very well date the dad and break up when things went sour like normal dating—not when her son was just getting to know Trevor.

  Oh, hell, what have I done?

  “You okay?” Trevor asked with a deep, inviting morning voice. She must have squirmed while buried in her thoughts for him to wonder.

  She rose up and almost coldcocked him with her head to his chin. “Oh! Sorry! Uh, just thinking.” She sat up the rest of the way.

  His squinting-from-morning-light gaze drifted to her breasts, and immediately, with lids fully open, cast a total look of appreciation. Just like last night. Not the way to have a serious conversation. She grabbed the sheets and covered herself. His sweet expression changed to a scrunched-up morning face. “What’s up?”

  “I think you know.”

  “What if I guess wrong? Do I lose points?”

  Okay, maybe she was expecting him to read her mind, maybe she should come right out and say what she thought. “Where do we go from here?”

  “Right this minute? Because I’d kind of like to carry you into the shower with me.”

  She lightly cuffed his chest. He smiled and pulled her near. “I propose—”

  Her head shot up again. No collision this time.

  “As I was saying, I propose that we explore the possibility of being a couple.”

  That was a crazy idea. “That could ruin everything with James.”

  “How so?”

  “What if we don’t like each other? Then what?”

  His warm hand skimmed her arm, raising a path of goose bumps. “I think we’ve already established we like each other. The bigger question is, will our dating get in the way with my spending more time with James?”

  “We can’t let that happen.”

  “I don’t want to, but I’ve got to tell you—” he nibbled her neck, then traced the line of her jaw with kisses “—I like James’s mom a lot.”

  Was it okay? Had she ruined any potential bonding between Trevor and James? Or, worse yet, would he feel obligated to be with her son in order to be with her? Or vice versa. “It’s just so complicated now.”

  “And it wasn’t before?”

  “Good point.” Truth was there was no uncomplicated version for their story. “I don’t think we should let James know about us, though.”

  “If that’s what you want.”

  “But it would be fun to do things together, the three of us.” She wanted a chance to watch the interactions between Trevor and James, couldn’t deny that. “After we tell him.”

  “You know I’m all for that, too.”

  It suddenly occurred to her that she was a woman in a modern world and going to bed with someone didn’t mean the same thing as it did in her parents’ time. Or when she was a teenaged virgin. But in her heart, making love with a man was still a big deal. A very big deal. She’d never been able to be casual with love affairs. Didn’t want to. Trevor, however, gave the impression that casual was his preferred method of dating. “I don’t usually jump into bed with my dates.”

  “We were on a date?”

  She cuffed him again.

  “It’s not like we haven’t done it before, Julie bean.”

  “Thirteen years ago!” Did he just call her Julie bean?

  “I liked how we picked right back up.” He grinned while he spoke, and she knew he was teasing her, but she wanted to slug him out of frustration, mostly with herself, but just the same…

  She held his jaw so his eyes could only look at hers. “Promise me that nothing between us will be more important than you getting to know James. Than your stepping in as his father.”

  “I promise.” He looked sincere, too. When she let go of his jaw, he sat and got up, then headed for the bathroom. “But you’re the one who made the apple crumble. I’m just saying.”

  She plopped back onto the pillow and stared at the ceiling. Had she thrown down the gauntlet with that damned crumble? She had definitely given him mixed messages. They’d jumped into bed together and now she’d have to pay the price of muddying the water where James was concerned. Good going, Julie, always a mess up.

  “Are you coming, J.B.?” he called from the bathroom, shower water running full blast. And the nickname had morphed into initials?

  Truth was, she’d be crazy not to enjoy a shower with her boss and the father of her kid this morning. The damage had already been done, and they’d agreed to work on being a couple.

  As long as he didn’t feel obligated to take the mother if all he really wanted was the son.

  “I’m waiting.”

  As if mesmerized, she got out of bed and followed the sexy voice into the bathroom.

  *

  All the next week, Julie spent way too much energy making sure no one at the clinic could suspect anything was going on between Trevor and her. Even when he’d slip up and call her JB. Three out of the five days after work, they’d spent the night together. She’d discovered things about making love with Trevor she’d never dreamed before, and each and every day she learned something new to like about him.

  When James got to come home on the weekend, she and Trevor agreed she should drive out to pick him up herself.

  After getting James set up in his room, which she’d completely finished painting and cleaning, she made him lunch and they caught up on how his classes were going.

  “I’m doing okay, Mom. I got to ride my new skateboard three days this week.”

  “That’s great. Keep up the good work.”

  “In my opinion, it should’ve been four. Their rules are too strict.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “I only had two more math problems to finish and they wouldn’t budge. Homework not done, no free time.”

  “Rules are rules. If I’m supposed to be at work by eight, I can’t show up at ten minutes after eight every day.”

  “They shoulda let me skate.”

  They ate roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwiches in silence, but she decided not to go for overkill on explaining the importance of following rules. Sure, life was full of grays, but for now James needed to learn the black and white parts. Was he ready to find out who his father was?

  She took
another bite and noticed James had a strange look on his face as he chewed. “When I go to Dr. Montgomery’s today, will his dad be there?”

  “Sure. Why do you ask?”

  “He kept giving me weird looks last Sunday.”

  Oh, no, the man had been obvious and James had noticed. How could she respond? “Really?”

  “Good thing he didn’t meet me when my hair was long. I don’t think he’s used to being around teenagers.”

  “That’s probably true, though you’re not technically a teenager yet.”

  “Maybe I look like an alien to him.”

  She laughed, thankful he’d given her a way out. “Maybe.”

  “I can’t wait to ride Zebulon again today.”

  Her prayers were answered for a change in topic. “I’m so glad you enjoy horseback riding.”

  “Montgomery—he told me I could call him that—said he’d let me watch how they feed the cattle today, and I could maybe help out if I wanted to.”

  “Fantastic!”

  “Why’s he being so nice to me?”

  And there went that quick elevator ride from her chest to her lap. “He’s a good man.”

  “You thought Mark was a good man, too, then we found out he only wanted you.”

  The kid had figured that one out the hard way, and she worried it might color his outlook on life. “It’s different this time.” She patted his hand, knowing that couldn’t change the hurt he remembered, wishing she could erase the moment Mark broke his heart.

  The boy twisted his lips in thought, perhaps weighing whether he could believe his mother after the horrible experience with her last boyfriend.

  “I know Trevor is different. Please trust me.” From what she’d learned about Trevor being a man of his word, she believed it. He’d stayed in Cattleman Bluff as a family-medicine doctor to be there for his family rather than pursuing a bigger medical career. He also had a strong sense of loyalty to his town. He’d let his brother live in the spotlight and never complained, though she suspected he sometimes resented the hell out of that. From what she’d seen at the clinic, he was a fair and benevolent boss with his employees, even when they pushed him too far, and a damn fine doctor, and people around town liked him. He had a sincere desire to be a father to a boy he’d never known about, when he could have thrown a fit and demanded DNA testing before he’d accept the news.

  And he’d been a considerate and generous lover, too. Damn, now her cheeks started to burn.

  A hard triple knock on the front door saved the day. “Coming!”

  James’s eyes lit up. “That’s probably Montgomery!” He jumped up and ran to answer the door.

  There was no faking it with James; he genuinely liked the man. The tricky part was, so did she, but she’d sacrifice anything for what was best for her son. And today was the day.

  They’d changed their earlier plans and decided to tell James over dinner at her house that night after they’d taken another horseback ride together. But, it being early spring, as soon as they returned to the ranch one of the Circle M cows got ready to drop a calf, and James wanted to watch the delivery. Then another calf got born, and before the guys knew it Julie showed up with dinner in a wicker basket and James’s travel bag ready for the ride back to school.

  Trevor caught her eyes, his expression worried. It’s okay, she mouthed. She wasn’t in a rush to tell James, even though Trevor seemed to be. Mild guilt tinged her relief.

  As James cleaned up in the barn for the ride home, Julie approached Trevor. They shared a clandestine kiss. “Next weekend, for sure, we’ll tell him first thing,” she said.

  “Sounds like the best plan. We can’t exactly tell him on the ride home then drop him off.”

  *

  The following Wednesday, Charlotte rushed past Julie’s office door, heading for Trevor’s office. Within a minute, he called her on the intercom.

  “We’ve got two women in full labor. At least that’s what they both say. Meet me in my office.”

  She went directly to his office, where Lotte stood. “I spoke to both women. Mrs. Lewiston has four other kids, and she sounds ready to go right now. Mrs. Rivers says her contractions are about every four to five minutes, but she doesn’t have transportation to Laramie General. Her husband works the oil rigs and is gone for long stretches.”

  “I’ll cancel my morning schedule and head out to Mrs. Lewiston’s since her delivery sounds imminent,” Trevor said. “Julie, I think you can keep your schedule this morning but, soon as you’re done, head out to Mrs. Rivers, in case I can’t get there. I’ll tell her to call the clinic if there’s any change. Lotte, put a call into our local midwife, see if she’s available to help out with either of these women in case we need backup. Oh, and cancel all this afternoon’s appointments.”

  All having received their marching orders, they fanned out in three directions. Julie had just finished with her last morning appointment, a preop physical for George Mathers, who was scheduled for a knee replacement in Cheyenne the next week.

  Back in her office, while she was restocking her delivery bag the phone rang, and she assumed it would be her mother-to-be, Mrs. Rivers. She answered smiling and thinking reassuring thoughts. Until she heard it was the military academy.

  “We wanted to let you know as soon as possible. James has gone missing. We haven’t checked every possibility, he may still be on campus, and trust that we won’t leave any stone unturned, but we thought you should know right away.”

  Breath caught on the spasm in her throat. He’d gone missing? “How long?”

  “We don’t know for sure, but he wasn’t present for roll call at breakfast today.”

  “Have the police been notified?”

  “We are following protocol, ma’am. The police have been called. We will find your son.”

  She could barely think, let alone calm the jitters inside. What should she do about the woman in labor? If James had run away from school, would it make any sense to drive out there? Panic drove her to speed-dial the number she’d used the most lately.

  “Please leave a message.” It went directly to Trevor’s voice mail on the first ring. He must be delivering the baby.

  “Trevor, it’s Julie. James has run away from school. I’m freaking out, but I’m on my way to the Rivers delivery. Please relieve me the instant you can. I’ve got to find James!”

  A half hour later, Julie was at Anita Rivers’s home distracting herself from full-out panic by focusing on the mother. She performed the first examination. Mother’s vital signs were within normal limits. The fetal heart rate was normal and the baby appeared to be in the anterior position. The mother insisted on a home delivery, and nothing seemed to suggest it wouldn’t be a smooth one.

  Using sterile gloves, Julie did a pelvic examination and assessed the cervix was eight centimeters dilated; the cervix was softening and over fifty percent effaced. First stage of labor. It could be a long afternoon or not, depending on how the next hour or so went. She hoped Trevor would get there soon.

  “If you feel up to it, Mrs. Rivers, you can walk around or lie on your left side. Would you like some ice chips?”

  The anxious woman nodded.

  “Would you like me to help you up first?”

  “I’m okay here, right now.” She was on her bed, which was now covered in absorbent barriers in case her water broke during the contractions. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said, before Julie could leave the room.

  Maybe soothing Mrs. Rivers’s nerves would help soothe her own.

  “Oh, oh, oh!”

  With Julie on her way back from the kitchen, Anita had obviously started another contraction. It had only been two minutes since the last one. Julie rushed to the bedside to hold her hand, right when her cell phone rang. She couldn’t very well abandon the laboring mother to answer her phone. After several rings the signal indicated it went to message and, soon after that, another signal indicated a message had been left.

  Once the contr
action was over, and Anita’s white-knuckle grip let up enough to free her hands, Julie rushed to the phone.

  Trevor had left the message: “I’m on my way to the Rivers house. It was an uncomplicated delivery here, and the local midwife is with Mrs. Lewiston for follow-up. I’ve been in touch with the local police chief—he’s my dad’s best friend. He assures me they’ll be on the lookout and they’ll find James. Everything will be okay. Do you hear me? I told Larry everything and he assures me they’ll find our son. See you soon.”

  “Our son.” It was the first time Trevor had gone public with his being a father, and the thought made Julie a little swimmy headed. She glanced at her watch. It had been almost fifteen minutes since she’d listened to the fetal heart rate, and right now, no matter how many concerns, fears and worries she had, she still had a job to do.

  “Okay, you’re fully dilated, and baby—what’s the name going to be?”

  “Chloe. It’s a girl.”

  “Well, Chloe’s heart sounds good and strong and she’s nearly fully engaged. By the time your husband gets here, he may already be a daddy. If you don’t mind, I’m going to unlock the front door so Dr. Montgomery can get in, in case we’re busy delivering a baby when he arrives.”

  Anita couldn’t answer, and by the painful look on her face she was already in the throes of another contraction.

  “Try to breathe through it,” Julie said, rushing to unlock the front door then speed walking right back to her patient. Thankfully it was a small house.

  “I feel like I need to push.”

  Slipping on a new pair of gloves, Julie noticed fluid leaking onto the padding. “Let’s bring your knees up. When I tell you, push!”

  More fluid gushed out, but the contraction ended before anything major had happened. She was auscultating the fetal heart rate, since she didn’t have access to an internal monitor, as Trevor appeared in the room.