The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby

by Helen Scott Taylor

  He wanted to employ her! Disappointment flashed through Kelly but soon vanished when she stopped to think about what he was offering—three weeks of caring for his twin girls.

  "I'd love to." She pressed her hands to her cheeks, visions of all the things she and the two babies would do racing through her mind. This was going to be so much fun.

  He grinned. "That's fantastic. I'm sure you'll hit it off just fine with my little monsters. Why don't you come over tomorrow and meet them while Monique is still here. She can run through everything with you. You can use Monique's room while she's away. It's next to the girls' bedroom."

  "You want me to live in? Okay." Excitement bubbled inside Kelly. Instead of a lonely Christmas break on her own, she could spend it with Zoe and Annabelle. And Sean, of course, when he was at home.

  "That's settled then. I'll give you the address and the PIN code to get in the gate." He scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it across, then jumped out and came around to open her door.

  She climbed out, grinning.

  "It takes about thirty minutes from here. Come over tomorrow morning when you're ready. I'm there all day."

  Kelly nodded, her head spinning with the sudden change in her plans. This just might be the best Christmas she'd had in years.

  Chapter Two

  The GPS on Kelly's phone directed her along a narrow country lane beside the River Thames to a set of tall iron gates. A metal sign that read River View House hung on the wall. She edged her car closer and tapped the PIN code Sean had given her into the keypad. The gates swung open to reveal a drive that cut across a neatly trimmed lawn.

  Her car crunched along the gravel and around a corner. She stopped, catching her breath at the amazing place. For some reason she had expected Sean to live in a historic house like Cameron did, but this building was ultramodern with lots of huge glass windows, sandstone walls, and a slate roof. It sat on a hill above the River Thames. The views from the property must be fantastic.

  In a parking area outside the front door stood the SUV Sean had driven the previous evening and a sports car. She pulled up beside them and cut her car engine.

  Climbing out, she grabbed a breath of chilly air, locked her door, and surveyed the property. It really was a wonderful location, quiet and peaceful with beautiful views in all directions. This close to Oxford with a river frontage, the place must have cost a fortune, at least a couple of million pounds. A colonel's salary had to be a lot more than she'd thought, unless his family already had money. She really knew very little about Sean Fabian apart from his military reputation.

  Her heart pounded as she walked towards the front door. She hadn't expected seeing Sean again to make her nervous. After all, she was only working for him. They weren't dating. She sucked in a steadying breath and told herself not to be so silly.

  She pressed her thumb on the doorbell and waited. A few moments passed before voices sounded inside, then the door opened. Sean beamed his crooked smile at her, all dimples and white teeth.

  A small girl with blonde curls rested in his arms, her head on his shoulder, her chubby fingers clutching his shirt collar. Kelly's heart skipped a beat, then raced on. If there was one thing better than a handsome man, it was a handsome man holding a baby. Or in Sean's case, two babies. The other twin sat on his foot, her arms and legs wrapped around his lower leg.

  "Kelly. Hello. Great to see you again. Come in." Sean shuffled back, one foot weighed down by his daughter.

  "This is Zoe," he said, bouncing the baby in his arms. He tried to sit the child higher so she could see Kelly, but the little girl buried her face in her daddy's neck and hung on. "We're slightly shy when we meet new people, but she won't take long to get used to you." He kissed the top of the child's head. "This is Kelly. She's going to spend some time with you while Monique's away."

  "Hello, Zoe. It's nice to meet you."

  The little girl peeped out at Kelly through huge blue-green eyes fringed with long golden lashes just like her father's.

  "And down here we have Annabelle, or Belles for short." Sean lifted his foot off the ground and the child tipped back her head, viewing Kelly upside down. "As you can see, Belles is not shy. I think she takes after her mother and Zoe takes after me."

  Kelly crouched down to Annabelle's level and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Annabelle." The two little girls were identical twins, both blonde and very pretty.

  "Annabelle has a thing about riding on my foot at the moment. It's like walking around the house with a lead boot on. By the end of the day, I feel as though my leg is going to drop off. I'm sure I'll end up with one thigh muscle twice the size of the other."

  Kelly's gaze rose to his denim-clad thighs, exactly at her eye level. They looked pretty good from where she was crouched. She stood quickly, a flush heating her cheeks.

  "I'm afraid Monique's already gone and there's a chance she won't come back. Her grandmother isn't well, and she took a turn for the worse. So I'll show you the ropes." Sean angled his head to talk to Zoe. "Shall we give Kelly a tour of the house?"

  Zoe peered shyly at Kelly and nodded, poking a thumb in her mouth.

  Kelly suppressed a smile as she followed Sean down a light, airy hallway. He limped along with Annabelle on his foot, obviously a doting father.

  "The main living area is a semi-open plan to take advantage of the view."

  A huge bright room lay before her, the front wall made up of sliding glass doors. As she'd suspected, the room had incredible views of the river and surrounding countryside.

  Contemporary white leather sofas and easy chairs filled one section of the room, while an oak and stainless steel kitchen with a granite-topped island occupied one back corner and a semi-screened dining area with oak table and white leather chairs another.

  Kelly wandered across the space and stared out as a boat drifted past. Wooden decking provided an outside seating area, elevated above the river. "This is a stunning view, Sean." She glanced over her shoulder as he shuffled closer, wincing at the weight of Annabelle on his foot.

  "I love it here. I'm a bit of an introvert. I need to retreat somewhere peaceful after a busy day at work to recharge my batteries."

  "Yeah, this place would be ideal for that." She didn't think of herself as an introvert, but she did like some quiet time alone after a hectic spell in the field hospital. Being an army medic could be incredibly stressful, often dealing with multiple cases of severe trauma in a short period of time.

  Just because Sean was not overseas in a conflict zone didn't mean he was under any less pressure than she had been. The most severe trauma cases were shipped back to the hospital at Brize Norton for Sean to take care of with the help of Cameron's brother, Radley.

  Day in, day out, Sean operated on the most severely injured service personnel from British army theaters of operation all over the world. That would put any surgeon under pressure.

  "Let's go upstairs. I'll show you your room and where the twins sleep." He placed Zoe gently on the ground. "Come on, angel. Big girls walk on their own feet, don't they." She clung to his arm as he tried to let her go.

  With difficulty, he lifted Annabelle up and stood her on her feet as well. She leaned back against his leg, staring up at Kelly beneath her lashes. Sean offered each child one of his hands and they toddled along beside him.

  "They've been walking for a few weeks. It's a bit of a mixed blessing now they're more mobile. They can move like greased lightning when they want to. I need about ten hands sometimes."

  "Well, you have two more now."

  He glanced over his shoulder and she held up her own hands and wiggled her fingers.

  His amused grin made her heart do a little jig. There was something incredibly attractive about Sean Fabian and it wasn't just his handsome face. She liked him, really liked him. She would have to be careful not to forget she was only here to do a job.

  They made slow progress up the stairs as the two little girls climbed on all fours in front of him. When they rea
ched the top, they both dashed into a room and Sean followed. Kelly stopped in the doorway of what was obviously the nursery. A wooden crib was set on each side of the room and a baby changing unit sat against the glass sliding doors overlooking the river.

  She would even have a lovely view when she changed the girls' diapers.

  A colorful mat covered the main section of the polished wooden floor. Both girls sat down there and fished toys out of a toy box in the center.

  Annabelle toddled over and held up a doll to Kelly. She was definitely the more confident twin.

  "Thank you. What a pretty dolly. Is she yours?" Kelly kneeled and Annabelle sat on her lap.

  "I seem to have made a friend," she said, glancing up at Sean.

  "Zoe will take a little longer to accept you, but she'll get there. She takes time to trust people."

  Sean sat cross-legged on the floor amid the toys and built a tower of bricks for Zoe, which she promptly knocked down. Kelly joined him near the toy box. Annabelle fetched toy after toy, giving them to her, until she had a whole heap.

  Sean's phone chimed. "Excuse me a moment," he said, pulling it out of his pocket. He checked the display and answered.

  He chatted with someone who obviously wanted advice on a change of medication for a patient. As soon as he ended the call, he rose to his feet. "Let me show you to your room so you can settle in."

  They went next door to a beautiful bedroom with light oak furniture and floor and a white bedspread. All clean lines and no fuss. The front wall was made up of glass sliding doors that opened onto a balcony over the river.

  "Amazing. I should be paying you to stay here!" Kelly unlatched the doors and stepped out. Despite the chill the view was fantastic. The balcony was edged with frameless glass panels to prevent the babies from falling over.

  "You won't say that after a few days with the monsters." Sean lifted Annabelle up and blew on her belly, making her laugh. "Okay, you pong. Time for a diaper change. This is where the extra hands come in useful."

  Kelly came back inside and shut the doors. "I'm ready and willing. I'll take Annabelle, since she and I have made friends."

  "Good idea." Sean sat Zoe on his hip, then his phone rang again. He sat on the bed and Kelly did the same, pulling Annabelle into a hug. The little girl came into her arms, tucking her head into Kelly's neck. She rocked the baby, her heart swelling with pleasure and contentment. This was her dream come true.

  "Hi, Cam," Sean said. "How's Alice?… A false alarm. Oh, well, you won't have long to wait. The baby will arrive by Christmas."

  Kelly froze, listening closely.

  "Yeah, last night was fun. Thanks… Actually, Kelly is here now… No, she's working for me, looking after the girls."

  Cameron had called Sean to ask about last night instead of asking her. Pain twisted in her chest. He had been her best friend, but since he married Alice he'd grown more distant. She and Cameron had been an item once, many years ago. She had set him free, knowing she could never give him children, thinking it was best to get out before their relationship got too serious.

  She'd thought it was enough to be his friend and work with him. Too late she realized her stupid heart belonged to him. She had hoped he would never find anyone else and one day they might get together again.

  Kelly pressed her face against Annabelle's golden curls and inhaled her sweet baby smell, breathing through the pain of a loss she should have gotten over many years ago. It was time she moved on and left Cameron Knight in the past.

  ***

  Having a woman in his kitchen again seemed strange. Kelly stood beside Sean, chopping up tomatoes as he washed a lettuce. No woman had been in here since his wife—except Monique, of course, but he thought of the twenty-year-old more as a girl than a woman. She was certainly far too young for him.

  "I didn't mean for you to have to look after me as well as the children," he said.

  "It's no problem." Kelly flashed him a grin as she scooped up the tomato pieces and dumped them in the salad bowl. "I'm happy to do everything Monique does. I can manage a little cooking and cleaning for a few weeks. It'll be fun looking after your beautiful house."

  Did she also think it would be fun looking after him? A flash of awareness spread through Sean and he shoved it away, distracting himself by putting the lasagna in the oven. Kelly was his employee now. That put her out of bounds as surely as if she'd been an army medic. Nothing had changed.

  A little voice in the back of his head whispered that maybe he'd made a mistake by employing her. Maybe he should have dated her instead. But he'd been desperate for reliable help with his twins. The girls always came first. Any sort of love life for him was way down the list near the bottom, after his children and his army duties.

  Kelly was heading overseas in a few weeks anyway. She was unlikely to be looking for a relationship at the moment. Although Cameron had suggested she might be interested.

  Heck, this line of thought was getting him nowhere.

  Kelly brushed her hands together and stepped back. "We're about done here until the lasagna is ready." She glanced at the pasta box for cooking instructions.

  As she tilted her head, her mass of long reddish hair fell forward, catching the light. Sean dragged his gaze away and tried to think of something to say. Now the twins were in bed, the situation felt too intimate, here alone with her in his house. Thank goodness he'd be at work during the week. Most evenings he had paperwork to occupy him, so he should be able to get through the next few weeks without succumbing to temptation. The secret was to stay occupied and focus on what he was doing rather than who he was with.

  "There are still some rooms you haven't seen. Would you like to finish the tour?" he suggested.

  "Good idea."

  He strode along the ground floor corridor to the end. "This is a wet room meant for when you've been kayaking or boating." He pushed the door open, snapped on the light, and she put her head inside. The kayak paddles rested on hooks on the wall and wetsuits hung on rails. "The kayaks are stored under the house, if you're interested."

  "Doesn't look as though you use this room much."

  "I used to go out occasionally but I don't have time now." That was the story of his life. About the only thing he managed in the way of exercise was thirty minutes in the gym in the mornings if he woke up early.

  "This is a home cinema." He pushed open the next door and turned on the light. A huge screen filled one wall and a couple of rows of comfy chairs faced it. "It's also got a pretty good sound system. I occasionally chill out and listen to music when the girls are in bed. Feel free to come in here whenever you want."

  "Do the twins watch kids' programs on the big screen?" Kelly asked.

  "Monique brings them here sometimes. I have occasionally, but my time with them is limited, so I prefer to play with them."

  Kelly opened the next door and snapped on the light, peering in curiously. The familiar smell of oil paint hit him with a truckload of painful memories. Sean hesitated, his chest tight with emotion, even as he told himself it was just another room. "This was my wife's studio."

  "Oh, I'm sorry, Sean. Cameron told me you lost her. I shouldn't have barged in." She stepped back and reached to turn off the light.

  "Go ahead. It's fine. Take a look. Monique cleans in here."

  Monique did clean in here. That was no lie. But Sean avoided the room. Eleanor had never wanted him inside while she worked and his sense of being unwelcome remained. He was crazy to feel this way. It was just a room. He should clear the space out and use it for something, maybe turn it into a playroom for the girls. After a moment of reluctance, he braced himself and stepped over the threshold.

  "Are you sure you don't mind me being in here?" Kelly asked.

  For a few seconds, Sean had forgotten she was there. He nodded, not trusting his voice.

  Kelly's perceptive gaze lingered on his face, then she turned and surveyed the huge airy space where Eleanor had created her masterpieces.

  K
elly wandered across to the stacks of canvases leaning against the wall. "May I take a look?"

  He shrugged. She lifted a canvas, then turned it over to see the painting. "Wow. This is amazing. It's so vibrant and colorful. Your wife was very talented."

  "Eleanor was fairly well known." He eyed the many canvases, wondering how much they were worth. Quite a lot, he guessed. As always seemed to be the case, her pictures had increased in value after her death. They would be Zoe and Annabelle's inheritance.

  When he first met Eleanor, he'd been invigorated and excited by her work, like everyone else. Eventually that changed. If she wasn't there to nag him and shout at him, her damned paintings did it for her. Eleanor's vibrant colors screamed at him from every wall. After her death he had taken them all down and put them in here so he didn't have to look at them.

  "Is this a self-portrait?" Kelly moved to stand in front of the only picture Sean had left hanging.

  "Yes. I thought the girls should see what their mother looked like."

  "She was beautiful. I'm very sorry for your loss." Kelly turned somber brown eyes his way.

  "Thank you." Sean averted his gaze, a riot of conflicting emotions charging through him. Part of him wanted to tell her the truth that nobody knew—that he and Eleanor hadn't been happy.

  The usual stringent mix of guilt and relief seared his nerves.

  "Are you all right, Sean?" Kelly came up behind him and rested a comforting hand on his back.

  "Yes, look, I have a paper to write. I'd better get to it. Watch the television if you want." Before he finished speaking, he was already walking away. He ran up the stairs and slipped into the twins' bedroom. Leaning back against the door he blew out a breath, then stepped lightly up beside Zoe's crib. He laid a gentle hand on her head and leaned over the wood-slatted side to kiss her cheek before tiptoeing across the room to Annabelle to do the same.