Tina Leonard - Daddy's Little Darlings

by Tina Leonard

  It had sounded so sensible to her. He should move on and father children with a woman of wealth and breeding like himself.

  She had lived in agonizing fear that he would do so.

  “Alex,” she murmured, moving Danielle to her crib before picking up Sabrina, “come sit over here. There’s some thing I want to tell you.”

  He got up and approached the bed with the now sleeping Alexis in his arms. “No, you don’t, sweetie,” he told the baby, “we get the burp, and then we sleep.”

  She obliged him loudly when he gently lifted her to his chest. “Whew, this one’s a stevedore,” he commented.

  Alexis never opened her eyes. Daphne watched with a proud smile as her husband laid the baby in her crib. Her heart beat faster as he came to sit beside her, watching her feed Sabrina with great interest.

  “I’d like to help with that.” His gaze hungrily moved over Daphne’s breast.

  “I don’t think you can.” Daphne’s pulse picked up at the warmth flaring in her husband’s eyes.

  “You don’t imagine she’ll share, do you?”

  She softly laughed at the hopeful tone in his voice. “I don’t think you want any of this.”

  “I’ve never been a man to turn my nose up at new foods. I believe in trying a little bit of everything.”

  His eyebrows lifted wickedly before he lowered his head to the breast Sabrina wasn’t occupying. He gently licked Daphne’s sensitized nipple. She thought she might die from all the sexual desire suddenly flooding her body. “Oh, Alex,” she half moaned, half whispered.

  Very gently, he cupped her breast in his hand, laving the nipple with his tongue. Her husband and her baby needing her, drinking from her, put tears in Daphne’s eyes. “Stop,” she murmured.

  He lifted his head. “Why?”

  “Because I can’t take it,” she said honestly. “I want to make love with you so badly it hurts.”

  She closed her eyes as he placed butter fly kisses all over the smooth flesh of her breast. “I’m trying to be a patient man, but I don’t think it’s working.”

  She felt glad, but sad, too. “I don’t think I’m emotionally ready.” Her eyelids lowered. “I’m sorry, Alex.”

  “It’s okay.” He lay on the bed, pulling her against him so he could hold her. “I’m not trying to rush you, impatient as I feel. I do want to hold you, every minute I can.” He snuggled into the curve of her neck, his breath warm against her flesh. “I promised Sinclair I wouldn’t drag you home again, and you see that I’m restraining myself.”

  She had to smile. “It’s going to be really difficult if we’re living together,” she warned him lightly. “Do you think we can live under the same roof and not…you know?”

  “We never have before,” he reminded her.

  She had to laugh at the truth of that.

  “But I can handle a little deprivation. If it means you’ll let me stay, I’m up to the challenge. I’m willing to wait until you’re ready.”

  She got up to burp Sabrina and put her in a crib, bundling her nicely for her nap. Then she walked over and pulled Alex to a sitting position.

  “That’s not what I had in mind,” she told him. “I meant your roof.”

  He hesitated, shocked, as he looked into her eyes. “Do you mean you’re coming back to Green Forks?”

  His voice was so hoarse with hope that Daphne felt rewarded. “I might have to,” she said softly, “I don’t like my husband thinking I’m too chicken to face up to his family.” Taking his face between her hands, she said, “You know, I handled Alexander just fine. Surely I can manage his sister.”

  “And Gloria?”

  That caused a spear to go through her heart. “I’ll put my jealousy in its place.”

  He put his hands over hers. “That’s the spirit. That’s the woman I married.”

  “Really?”

  “Of course. My dad knew what he was doing when he picked you out.”

  She yelped and beat his back with her fists. “Alex Banning!” she cried, laughing.

  He pulled her against him. “If I’d known the way to get to you was through your pride, I would have said it days ago. Chicken, chicken, chicken.” He caught her lips with his so she couldn’t rebut his statement.

  They kissed for several long moments. When they both needed breath, Daphne had her reply ready. “It’s just that I can’t stand to see my husband retreat. If he lacks backbone, then I shall be his spine.”

  “Good woman,” he murmured underneath her chin, obviously undeterred by her barb.

  She could feel his interest in her growing as he held her. No wonder he wasn’t responding to her teasing! He had something far more interesting on his mind. It was so tempting to relax into his arms and find the comfort that they’d once shared in each other….

  A loud creaking and splintering of wood, followed by a terrifying racket that sounded like a thousand hooves descending on the house, made her sit up straight in Alex’s lap. She jumped to her feet. “What in heaven’s name is that?”

  Alex shot down the hall to peer out the north window. Daphne followed, her eyes wide at the disaster heading their way.

  “Cos!” Alex shouted. “Cattle stampede!”

  “I KNEW this was going to happen!” Phillip shouted at his mother. “You bought too many cows!”

  Daphne, Cos and Alex stood watching as a curtain of dust puffed into the air, borne on the fury of the charging, departing herd. Daphne and the two men had hurried to the mansion in the Suburban to see if they could help—and to make certain no one had been trampled.

  The damage was done. The cattle had taken to their hooves and overrun one of the south fences to make their escape. A few animals had scattered to the pastureland nearest the house, where a gate swung open awkwardly as if someone had for got ten to close it. A bull watched from inside the corral, not making an effort to leave with the herd. It kept its attention focused on the humans standing in the front yard.

  Gloria hovered to one side, pale in the summer’s heat, silent as her husband berated his mother. But Beatrice stood tall and full of bravado against the anger her son cast at her.

  “You’ll never make a rancher,” Beatrice told him. “You didn’t secure the gate chain after you finally convinced that lovesick bull to get back into the corral. It’s no surprise to me that any of this has happened! You didn’t want to come here in the first place, and you’re sabotaging my efforts! Well, who do you think I’m doing all this for, anyway? You!” she shouted, with a finger pointed squarely at him.

  “You’re doing it for yourself,” he stated, “and wrecking the ranch in the process.”

  He took a deep breath, glancing at the assembled group. In the distance, yelling could be heard as the hands tried to work the cattle off the road and onto Banning ranch land where they could eventually be fenced. Phillip’s eyes met Daphne’s briefly, and she lowered her gaze in sympathy. Nobody knew better than she how difficult it was to face up to Banning expectations—and fall short.

  “I’m leaving,” he announced suddenly. He pinned his gaze to Alex. “I’m not cut out for this.”

  “You’re not going anywhere.” Beatrice put her hands on her hips in an aggressive stance.

  He shot her a narrow look that didn’t brook argument. “I am. I’m going home, and Gloria’s going with me.”

  Nobody said a word for several seconds. Daphne watched her husband to see how he would take his cousin’s pronouncement. Would he be glad to see Phillip go? Though they should have been at odds because of Beatrice’s determined encroachment of Alex’s home, Daphne had sensed that Alex would have liked to get to know his cousin better. Beatrice, of course, had made a friend ship between the two men highly unlikely.

  Beatrice turned to the weaker of her two cohorts. “Gloria?” she asked silkily.

  That one word was potent with threat. Daphne sensed that money was at stake now, the income Phillip and Gloria were used to living on in danger of being cut off if she didn’t convi
nce her husband to stay at Green Forks.

  “Are you going back to Philly, Gloria?” Beatrice inquired.

  A very wan Gloria hesitated one second before speaking. “Actually, no,” she whispered, perspiration shining on her top lip. “I believe I’ll go to the hospital.” She looked suddenly at Daphne. “Help me,” she moaned, before sagging into her husband’s arms.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Before she realized what she was doing, Daphne loaded Phillip and Gloria into the Suburban. The large vehicle was comfort able for Gloria, who needed room to lie down and curl up. She did, moaning, with a worried Phillip rubbing her back.

  Cold sweat broke out on Daphne’s shoulders. She was relieved when Alex took the keys from her hand.

  “I’ll drive. You get in,” he directed.

  She was happy to let him take the wheel. She hadn’t thought he would want to ac company them to the hospital. That thought was unworthy of Alex, though. He had always been willing to help anyone who needed it.

  “I don’t want to have my baby in this back water,” Gloria moaned from the back seat. “Phillip, I want to go home! I want to have my baby in a real hospital, not one with a bunch of hicks touching me and seeing me…bare!”

  Daphne tried not to smile. She recognized the anxiety wrapping itself in Gloria’s mind. First-time child birth was frightening! She’d had to do it without Alex when there was nothing more that she would have liked than having him by her side.

  Glancing at his profile as he backed up the vehicle, leaving a surprised, frozen Beatrice behind, Daphne made herself forget the past. What had happened was over. What mattered now was Gloria and Phillip.

  She turned in the seat to meet Gloria’s eyes. “Gloria, I just had three babies in the local hospital. If they can assist my delivery competently, they’ll be able to take care of yours just fine,” she said, her tone calm and soothing.

  Gloria’s face contorted as another spasm hit. “I didn’t mean to call you guys hicks,” she said on a groan. “I don’t know what I meant.”

  “I know you didn’t mean that, and I didn’t take it that way,” Daphne said. Alex’s hand stole across the seat to clasp her hand in his, and Daphne’s heart swelled. He was proud of her. “You’ll be very pleased with the care you get in town, so let that be the last thing on your mind. Concentrate on your breathing,” she instructed.

  “I can’t!” Gloria wailed. Her frightened, pained gaze met Daphne’s. “It’s happening, isn’t it?”

  There wasn’t any way to get around that one, Daphne decided. For the first time, she felt sorry for Gloria. In spite of all her airy ways, she was no different than any other woman going through child birth—except that she was a bit more un pre pared for it than someone more practical might have been. “I’m not a doctor, Gloria, so I can’t be sure, but you seem to be suffering similar contractions,” she said sympathetically.

  “These aren’t contractions!” Gloria shouted. “It’s pain!”

  “Can’t you drive faster, Alex?” Phillip asked anxiously. His skin was whiter than normal for a man who spent no time outdoors. There wasn’t a spare inch of room between him and his wife on the bench seat because he was pressed so close to her.

  He loves her, Daphne realized. He really does. She had no idea why that pleased her so much, except that maybe it was nice to know everyone in the family hadn’t inherited Beatrice’s cold heart. It made knowing that Alex was driving the future heir to Green Forks to the hospital a little easier to bear, somehow. She squeezed her husband’s fingers, and he sent a tight smile her way.

  “I’m going a moderate ten miles over the speed limit, Phillip. It’s just three blocks more, so try to hang on.”

  Daphne admired Alex’s strength. He was a good man! Why couldn’t things have been different for them? Why couldn’t they have been plain old Alex and Daphne in the country some where with no family lands and feuds hanging over their marriage?

  “Breathe, Gloria,” Daphne instructed, “like this.” And as she proceeded to show Gloria how to relax, Daphne caught Alex glancing her way questioningly, and suddenly she knew what was on his mind.

  He was paying attention to what she had gone through just a few weeks before.

  A stark realization hit her. He was wondering what it would have been like to have been there for the birth of his own children. And if he stayed married to her, it was a life experience, a miracle he would never know.

  She had stolen from him.

  Like her daddy.

  TWO HOURS LATER, Daphne realized with a sinking heart that Gloria’s delivery wasn’t going well. The woman wasn’t com fort able, she’d lost her ability to concentrate, and Phillip was in worse shape than his wife.

  “I’m going to have to leave to nurse the babies,” Daphne told Alex. She stared at him, distraught. “I hate to leave you here, but I think Phillip needs you.”

  Alex shook his head. “I’d better drive you home.”

  Shaken by a newfound sense of guilt over what she’d done to her husband, Daphne touched his cheek softly. “I’m sorry, Alex,” she whispered.

  He caught her hand in his gently. “For what?”

  “For robbing you of the chance to see your babies being born.”

  A hoarse cry of pain erupted from inside the birthing room. Alex jerked his head toward the sound. “Was that Gloria or Phillip?”

  “I’m not sure.” Daphne’s worried gaze darted to her husband.

  “I’m just sorry you went through this alone, if this is what child birth is all about. I should have been there with you.” His voice was so distressed that Daphne felt terrible.

  “I was way too stubborn about the whole thing. I…I—well, never mind. I suppose it’s water under the bridge now.”

  “Was it like this for you?” Alex asked hesitantly.

  “Actually, no.” Daphne shook her head. “They seem to be suffering quite a bit more than I did. I do hope nothing’s wrong.” It was a worry that kept running through her mind. “Since I had a Cesarean, my delivery went more smoothly. Gloria and Phillip are going through an entirely different process.”

  A process she wasn’t sure was on-track for a successful delivery. Gloria was physically exhausted after only eight hours of labor. It had progressed rapidly, and then slowed to a grinding halt. The doctor had been in to see Gloria, and he appeared com fort able with the situation, so Daphne supposed everything was as it should be. But she couldn’t help feeling sorry for Gloria. It was quite obvious the most pain she’d ever had to endure was the tightening of her orthodontic braces when she was a teenager.

  “I don’t think I could stand knowing you suffered like that.” Alex looked pale.

  “Well, at least Beatrice has decided to stay away.” Daphne gave him a reassuring smile. “Somehow I think Gloria and Phillip are better off doing this by them selves.”

  “I agree. But I’ll keep matters in hand until you return.” Alex gave her a swift kiss on the cheek, which made Daphne feel even worse. How could she have kept him away from the birth of his own children?

  AT FOUR-THIRTY that after noon, Gloria’s baby still hadn’t arrived. Alex decided to go to the house to shower and change. There wasn’t any more he could do to help Phillip. It was going to be a long night for them. Daphne had never returned, and he wanted to check on her and his children, too.

  He was so glad his children were healthy and thriving. Being on the fringe of a birthing had made him realize how lucky he was to have his three little girls.

  He headed to the Way house, instinctively knowing that, in spite of what Daphne had said about moving home with him, she wouldn’t have done it this after noon. He parked next to her Suburban and went to knock on the front door.

  “Howdy, Alex,” Danita said. “You’re just in time for supper.”

  At the table, Daphne sat next to her father. Another plate was set for Danita. Three babies on a blanket near Daphne’s feet looked in the direction of the adult voices.

  Danita shooe
d him toward the kitchen. “Wash up, and I’ll fill you a plate.”

  He was starving and glad to allow himself to be led toward the table—and his wife. “How are you doing?” he asked her, with a quick kiss on her cheek as he walked by her chair.

  “Fine.” She didn’t look at him until he sat next to her. “Do we have a baby yet?”

  “Nope.” Grate fully, he eyed the plate Danita set in front of him. “Thank you, Danita. It looks wonderful. Cos, your wife’s a wonderful cook.”

  “I know,” Cos agreed around a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “That’s why I married her.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “Guess it’s a good thing you’ve got your own cook at the house, since Daphne cain’t even fry an egg,” Cos commented.

  “Is that true?” Alex asked, astonished.

  “It’s true.” Daphne barely met his gaze.

  “You make beautiful artwork! How can you not be a great cook?” Alex couldn’t believe this of his talented, extremely intelligent wife.

  “I’m just not as much like my mother as I suppose you thought I was,” she said miserably.

  “Oh.” Alex leaned back, perceiving at once that they were talking about completely different things. But they’d have to discuss it later, after they’d left the table and were alone. To bring a smile to Daphne’s face, he nudged her with his elbow. “Hey, they gave Gloria some better drugs. Whatever she had before wasn’t working. She’s on an epidural thing now and seems happier, except when Beatrice showed up.”

  “Beatrice?” Daphne set her fork down and stared at Alex.

  “Yeah, the old dragon finally popped in about the time you left.”

  Daphne’s mental antennae quivered. “She only stayed a moment, probably.”

  “Actually, she stayed a couple of hours.” Alex dug into the meat loaf Mrs. Way had served him. “Not that I think Phillip was all that thrilled to have her around. Gloria got so tense and crazed while she was there they decided to try an alternative type of medication. It’s sad the kind of trouble Beatrice can kick up.”