She laughed. “Oh, God no, on the cake and the lingerie. I brought him a baby.”
“A baby what?”
“A baby. Like Savannah, only about eight months younger.”
Her sister braced both hands on the counter, eyes narrowed as if trying to gauge if Nikki was pulling her leg or telling the truth. Apparently, she decided the latter, because she tossed the dishrag into the sink and pointed to the kitchen table. “Screw book club. You’re so going to explain that one.”
“You got some hot chocolate?”
“Always.” Marissa reached up into the cupboard. “Now start talking.”
By the time her sister carried the two full mugs of steaming milk chocolate to the table, Nikki had relayed the main events from the evening before. For her own sake, she left out the bra incident, Sam’s later joke about mouth to mouth resuscitation, and the heated moment when she’d thought he might kiss her. She didn’t need to provide her older sister with any extra ammunition.
“How perfect,” Marissa declared.
She raised her eyebrows.
“Well, not for Sam, the poor guy. For you. Knowing all about babies and stuff, you can spend all kinds of time with him now.”
“It’s not like that.”
“But it could be. Just think—”
“I don’t want it to be,” Nikki retorted while lifting her mug. The last thing she wanted was for him to want her around just because she could help him with Ella.
“Yeah, okay, I get that.”
But wait...did she want him to want her around for other reasons? Like that kiss she’d been disappointed not to get last night?
Um, duh.
Marissa sipped her hot chocolate, then abruptly got up and headed over to their pantry cupboard next to the fridge. “One hundred percent serious now, that had to be quite the surprise, finding out about the baby out of the blue. I can’t even imagine.”
Imagining had almost gotten Nikki in trouble when she’d left him on the porch, looking like he needed a hug and someone to promise him everything would be okay. She’d forced herself to keep walking, and it’d taken a lot of willpower not to go over and check on him and Ella before she left for work this morning.
Then she caved the moment she parked her car and texted him to see how the night had gone. He’d responded with a short ok. She asked, Really? He admitted, didn’t get much sleep. Which was completely understandable, even if the baby had slept—which she hadn’t.
He’d texted a few questions over the next couple of hours, and when he sent a picture of Ella finally napping after twelve-thirty, Nikki’s heart had swelled with happiness that he’d thought to share it with her. Asleep, she was a picture-perfect angel.
She’d jumped at the chance to leave early, excited to show up again as the heroine on his porch with a carload of baby gear from Marissa and Eric. Sam would be so impressed.
Nikki’s hand froze with the mug mid-way to her mouth for another sip. Well, damn it all, anyway. She’d totally set herself up for the exact situation she’d just insisted she didn’t want—Sam wanting her around for help with the baby. Had Joe’s rejection made her that desperate to be wanted by someone?
Marissa returned with a bag of mini-marshmallows and dumped a handful into both mugs, saving her from analyzing the unsettling question at the moment. Unfortunately, she knew she’d come back to it at some point, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
“There were a few rough moments when I sprang the news on Sam,” Nikki admitted without confiding her revelations to her best friend. “But I think he’ll do okay. After the shock wore off, he stepped up to do what needed to be done.”
“So, these things you want to borrow...I take it they’re for the baby?”
Nikki gave a sheepish grin. “Do you mind? He obviously only has what his sister left in the diaper bag.”
“Of course I don’t mind. In fact, I cleaned out Savannah’s closet a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t have a chance to drop of the clothes anywhere, so you can take whatever you need.”
“That would be great. He said he has some money in savings, but I know everything adds up fast.”
“Multiply everything times five and that’s why Eric got snipped after Savannah. No more surprises for us.”
Nikki smiled as she led her downstairs. Yeah, the twins had been one surprise, and then three months later her sister had found out she was pregnant again. Added to the two daughters they had from previous marriages, Marissa and Eric had grown their family fast. She’d lost count of how many times she’d wished for a smidgeon of what they had. One baby, maybe two.
They spent the next hour loading up clothes and other items Sam would need for Ella. Savannah was still in a crib, but with three-year-old Ethan and Evan in toddler beds, Marissa insisted Nikki take the second crib they’d used for the twins. They carried it upstairs to the front porch, even though it wouldn’t fit in her small car.
“I can have Eric run it over later, if you want?”
“Whoa,” came a deep voice from the kitchen. “What are you volunteering me for, woman?”
Marissa spun around as Eric sauntered into the room, then lifted her head for a quick kiss. Nikki was used to the frequent displays of affection that ran in the Riley family, but after Joe had dumped her, they brought an extra pang of longing.
“Delivery services,” Marissa informed Eric. “When did you get home?”
“A couple minutes ago. Savannah fell asleep, so I laid her down. The rest of the herd is out by the swing set. Heather and Reese are watching the twins.”
Nikki grinned at her brother-in-law’s description of his brood.
“What am I delivering?”
“A crib for Nikki.”
Eric’s surprised, steel-gray gaze bounced from his wife to his sister-in-law. “Ah...congratulations?”
“No, definitely not. It’s for my neighbor.”
His eyebrows rose another notch. “Oh...the hunky new neighbor on the right?”
She turned an accusing gaze toward her sister.
Marissa shrugged and grinned. “He eavesdrops, I can’t help it.”
Eric didn’t look the least bit ashamed. “Marissa never said anything about him having a baby.”
“It’s a long story, but I’ve gotta get going.” She edged toward the door. “Since she’s filled you in on everything else, Mar will catch you up on the situation, and I’ll call about the crib later. If it’s not raining, we’ll stop by to pick it up on our way back from Green Bay.”
***
Nikki bypassed her driveway and pulled into Sam’s about three-thirty. He met her out on the porch as she climbed the stairs with a couple of bags in each hand.
“Thank God you’re here.” He spoke in an undertone, even though he’d closed the door behind him. “Sherri from down the street stopped by to pick up her pie plate,” he did air quotes, “and once she saw Ella, she pushed her way inside and now I can’t get her to leave.”
She forced a smile past a sudden surge of possessiveness at the thought of someone else helping him with the sweet little angel. “Sam, didn’t you know? Babies are chick magnets.”
He frowned and reached to take some of the bags she carried. “I don’t want any more women in my life right now. Ella is all I can handle.”
She wanted to point out she was a woman, but of course, that’d be stupid.
“Besides,” he added while jabbing a finger toward his house. “She’s married, and at least ten years older than me.”
“Fifteen. She looks good for her age.” Nikki grinned at his scandalized expression. “Never had a married cougar chase you before?”
He gripped the door handle, his golden gaze narrowed in her direction. “No.”
“Want me to get rid of her for you?”
“Please.”
He opened the door and stood aside for her to go first. She smiled on her way past, then located the pretty redhead sitting on his couch. “Oh, hey, Sherri.”
<
br /> A flash of consternation crossed the artfully made-up face before the woman smoothed out her expression with a syrupy smile. “Hello, Nikki. Are you still working that babysitting job?”
Deep breath. Ignore the jab. “Yes, I’m still at the daycare.”
She dropped her bags by the coffee table and took the sleeping baby from the older woman’s arms without hesitation. With the bulk of the blanket removed, Sherri’s generous cleavage was on full display. Nikki was impressed she’d even bothered to hold the little girl.
“I saw Tom mowing the lawn when I drove past.” She adjusted adjusted the warm bundle in her arms. “You should’ve had him come down to meet Ella and Sam. I bet he and your husband would get along great.”
Sherri shifted her gaze away when Nikki put slight emphasis on the word husband. She gathered her coat and the pie plate sitting on the coffee table as she stood. “Maybe next time.”
“I’d definitely like to meet Tom,” Sam agreed from where he stood near the front door.
The woman gave Nikki an impressive glaring smile before clearing her expression to walk toward Sam. She handed him her rain coat, then turned her back for him to help her put it on.
“Give me a call if you ever need...anything.”
The suggestive offer sent Sam’s eyebrows toward the disheveled hair brushing his forehead as he glanced sideways at Nikki. She shrugged, struggling to hold back her grin.
“Thanks, but Nik and I have it covered.”
Nikki turned away as her pulse gave a little kick. She didn’t face him again until she heard the door close and Sam’s tired sigh.
“Thank you. She’s been here for almost two hours.”
“You could’ve asked her to leave.”
“I tried to hint, but when she didn’t get it, I felt like a jerk stating it outright.”
“Next time be a jerk,” she suggested.
“Eh,” he muttered with a one-shouldered shrug.
She ran her gaze over his rumpled hair, the dark circles under his eyes, and the added length of stubble on his jaw. He still wore the black T-shirt he’d put on last night, and not only did it look like he’d slept in it, but Ella had spit up on him at least three times. He leaned past her to set the bags in his hands next to the ones she’d dropped, and she’d bet he didn’t even know about the one streaking down his back to made it four.
He’d been through the wringer the past twenty-four hours and needed a break.
“No ‘eh’ about it,” Nikki ordered as he straightened and turned to face her. “New parents learn quick—you nap when the baby naps, even if you have to be a little rude to persistent neighbors.”
“I could’ve used a nap today.” He plucked at his stained shirt with a grimace. “And a shower.”
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll take Ella back to my house while I change and get a few things done, and you can shower and nap before we head into Green Bay.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t, I offered.” She wrinkled her nose and gave him a shove on the arm. “Go. You stink.”
His low chuckle sounded as tired as he looked. “Gee, thanks. That’s what every guy wants a pretty girl to say to him.”
She flushed at his words, but managed a nonchalant shrug. “Well, you do have spit-up down your back.”
He cringed. “I forgot about that one after it dried. You sure you don’t mind?”
“I’m sure. Take a couple hours. We’ve got time.”
At the bottom of the stairs, he paused with his hand on the railing. “By the way, what’s in all the bags?”
“Clothes and baby stuff from my sister.” She put Ella in her carrier and slung the diaper bag strap over her shoulder. “Her youngest turns one on Friday, and they’re done having kids, so she said you could have them.”
His gaze shifted from one bag to the next.
“There’s more in my car. Plus, they had twins three years ago, so they’ve even got an extra crib you can borrow.”
“I don’t know what to say. That’s really nice of them.”
“Eh.” She shrugged, mimicking his expression from earlier. “We’re a nice family.”
His serious gaze locked with hers for a long moment, then he flashed a smile, and continued upstairs. She silently admonished her heartbeat to relax as he disappeared. Then she lifted the carrier and watched Ella’s mouth purse in her sleep.
“Oh, angel, we’re going to need to work on your sleep schedule, or you’ll drive your uncle insane.”
At her house, she started a load of laundry and folded the clothes from the dryer, did the few dishes sitting on her kitchen counter, then carried the baby up to her bedroom. A quick wash of her hair, then she’d change and be ready when Sam woke up from his nap. She set the carrier on the floor next to her bed, grabbed a light blue scoop neck sweater from the closet, and headed into the bathroom.
No more than she turned on the water and bent over to dunk her head under the faucet, she thought she heard something downstairs. When she shut off the water, she heard Sam’s voice from her living room.
“Hel-lo? I knocked, but no one answered.”
Crap. Why isn’t he sleeping?
“I’m upstairs,” she hollered back, keeping her dripping hair over the sink. “We’ll be down in a few minutes.”
She turned on the water again and lathered shampoo along her scalp before working it through the length of her hair.
“That’s an interesting position.”
Nikki’s heart jerked in tandem with her head, which stopped when it hit the faucet. “Ow.” Her pulse, on the other hand, kept on racing.
She peered up at him from under her arm. “You were supposed to stay downstairs.”
“Sorry.”
The humor in his voice told her he wasn’t. Imagining the view he must be enjoying, she snapped, “Get out.”
He retreated only as far as her bed. Another peek through the open bathroom door revealed he’d reclined against her headboard, his fingers linked across his stomach, legs crossed at the ankles with his booted feet hanging off the edge of her navy blue bedspread.
It appeared his eyes were closed, though she couldn’t be entirely sure at this angle. Maybe he’d take that nap.
On her bed. Oh, man.
She finished rinsing her hair, towel dried and wrapped it, then moved behind the door to change her top. After a quick touch-up of her makeup, she blow dried her hair, scrunching the long strands to enhance the slight curl she usually combed straight.
Sam hadn’t said a word or moved. She walked gingerly toward the side of the bed, intending to take Ella downstairs so he could rest. Plus, if she waited up here for him to wake up, he’d find her in a puddle of drool. Now clean-shaven, the man was way too enticing, laying there all relaxed, asleep on her bed. What a way to put Joe behind her.
Her gaze swept down the length of his body, then retraced its path to linger on the shirt stretched across his chest and flat stomach. Too many clothes hiding the sexy physique she knew lie underneath, but what was a girl to do?
Be smart and leave the room.
Right. Her fingers closed around the handle of the baby carrier.
“Ready?”
She yanked her hand back, choking on a shriek as Sam swung his legs off the bed while sitting up.
“Stop doing that!”
He chuckled as he stood, then strode from the room with Ella’s carrier in his hand. “Why? It’s kinda fun.”
Chapter 6
Sam checked his list as he pushed the cart down to the end of the medicine aisle in the grocery store. Only three more items to go. Ella was making up for having been awake most of the previous night by sleeping much of the evening, which made the shopping much easier.
Man, he couldn’t believe it, but he was having fun. Sure, he was still exhausted, getting really hungry, had spent a boatload of money even with all the items from Nikki’s sister, and despite all that, he’d had more fun since Nikki came home than he
’d had in months.
He liked her. Liked that she hadn’t freaked out last night when he’d accidentally caught her in her bra. Liked that she’d texted him to check on them during the day. Liked that she’d acted like a momma bear as she ejected Sherri from his home. Liked that she wasn’t fussy, and looked beautiful after taking barely fifteen minutes to wash her hair and go. Really liked that she’d taken the time to check him out on the bed.
Strange, but he realized her help with Ella was just a bonus. Wonder what she’d say if he actually asked her out for a date? Dinner. A movie. Something other than shopping for baby stuff.
Having reached the children’s medicines, he shifted his gaze to his sleeping niece. Hmm...dating was probably out of the question for a while, or at least until he got a handle on his new reality. Besides, Nikki was his neighbor, a girl-next-door kind of girl who a guy settled down with. Not one of those couple-nights-of-fun-pass-the-time kind of girl he was used to in his life.
With a sigh that sounded suspiciously like regret even to his ears, he found the fever reducer written on the list and grabbed a box to drop it into the cart.
The sound of Nikki’s voice caught his attention. Yeah, damn it, he liked her voice, too. He eased back on his heel to glance past the end of the aisle without lifting his head. She’d split up from him to pick up some groceries for herself, and now stood at the end of the next aisle over in front of a tall, dark-haired man and a brunette.
Something about the situation seemed off, and it went beyond the man’s expensive tailored suit and the woman’s sexy dress that seemed all wrong for a trip to the grocery store. Nikki’s voice had a defensive edge, and from what he could see of her expression in profile, she appeared upset.
None of them noticed him, so he shifted his gaze from her, to the man, to the woman clinging to the guy’s arm. While she wasn’t quite smiling, the upward tilt of her lips bordered on smug. In fact, both of them seemed a little...self-satisfied, though in different ways.
“Joe, we should go,” the brunette urged. “There’s no need to make this harder on her than it already is.”
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