Assignment- Baby

by Lynne Marshall

  "Don't get up," Hunter teased as they walked into the semiprivate room. Another patient slept quietly in the adjacent bed.

  "Hey!" Jack said. "Can you believe this?"

  "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, no," Amanda answered, and patted his arm when she sat at the bedside.

  "They told me I passed out yesterday."

  Both Hunter and Amanda nodded.

  "I swear to God I didn't feel anything was wrong."

  Amanda wanted to kiss him for relieving her concern over being the cause of his collapse.

  "And here's the real kicker—I didn't even have a heart attack. The nurses said it was the blockage that made me go down."

  "No heart attack? That's fantastic," Amanda said. Without any damaged heart tissue, his prognosis for a full recovery was superb. "How's the pain?"

  "The nurses are taking good care of me, giving me shots. I'm doing okay. But don't get me wrong." He placed his hand gingerly over his chest dressing. "I feel like someone ripped my chest open, chewed on my heart and sewed me up with chicken wire."

  "That's an image I'd rather forget, thanks," Hunter said in a droll tone.

  Realizing that wasn't far off from what had actually occurred, Amanda decided to change the subject. "First day post-op they should be getting you up and taking you for a walk."

  "My nurse already warned me about that for later." Jack gave an affable smile. "You'd think they'd cut us heart surgery patients some slack."

  "It's amazing how fast they get you guys up and around. I bet, barring any problems, you'll be home in less than a week," Amanda said.

  Jack nodded, in quiet thought. Who would be at home to take care of him? she wondered.

  "Hey, be sure to tell everyone I'm fine. I didn't mean to scare anyone."

  "You put a few gray hairs on my head, but I think we'll all be fine," Amanda said. "Listen, Jack, when you get out of the hospital and feel up to it, I hope you'll come and visit the Mending Hearts Club."

  "I'm already planning on it. I've got some unfinished business there."

  Amanda's mind shifted to an attractive silver-haired widow in the group. So her hunch had been right. There was something going on. "Would you like us to tell Wendy she can come and visit?"

  "Maybe wait a couple of days until I'm looking a little better?" Only one day post-op, and Jack Howling's vanity and potential social life had already taken the reins again. And that was an excellent sign.

  * * *

  Hunter had noticed subtle changes in Amanda over the past couple of weeks. She'd stopped wearing her gray sweats around the house. Her eyes didn't dart away the minute they caught each other's gaze. They'd started joking with each other again. And, just like old times, she'd jumped into his arms yesterday when they'd gotten the good news about Jack. But nothing spoke more clearly of her lightening up than when she took his hand on their way to the car, and her out-of-the-blue announcement on the drive home from Mercy Hospital.

  "While you were seeing Mrs. Peters, I called Urgent Care and cancelled for tonight. I thought, since you guys are sticking around, I'd make a special dinner for us. Maybe we could rent a movie? How does that sound?"

  He almost ran a stop sign.

  "I think that's a great plan," he said, surprised, trying to sound casual. What had come over Mandy? Feeling reckless, he pushed his luck. "Any chance you're planning to make your blackened chicken?"

  "Maybe." She beamed. "If you promise to make your famous apple crumble."

  "I can work with that." Finding it hard to tear his gaze away, he glanced over his shoulder at his niece. "What do you say, Sophie? You want some of Uncle Hunter's apple filling?" The baby grinned and banged on her car seat, not having a clue what everyone seemed so happy about.

  They made a quick stop at his house for more clean clothes, and another stop at the market, before heading back to Serena Vista. Two hours later, dinner was ready to be served.

  Maybe it was because of their hospital visit that morning, or because it was a warm summer evening, but Hunter preferred to think that Mandy had worn the simple yet sexy sundress all day just for him. She'd even put on makeup, and the clear blue of her eyes seemed to glow from beneath her delicate brown brows. What he'd give to run his thumb along her neck and sample the fine silky skin.

  She caught him staring in deep thought, and knowing her, she'd read his mind, so he looked away, as if the timer on the oven had just gone off.

  It had. But he had to glance back when he noticed the quizzical glimmer in her eyes, and the way she twisted and chewed on her lips, as if holding back a question.

  "What?" he asked, using pot holders to take the dessert out of the oven.

  "I guess I'm still not used to your nose."

  He rubbed the small, misshapen bump on the bridge self-consciously.

  "Are you going to tell me?"

  "I was chased by a wild pack of pachyderms."

  "Give me a break," she said, and she threw an extra pot holder at him.

  "It was for a worthy cause."

  "You're telling me you broke your nose for charity?"

  He chuckled. "Not exactly."

  "Sooner or later I'm going to find out."

  He managed to get her to drop the subject by uncorking a bottle of chilled white wine, and she followed him to the table as if he were the Pied Piper.

  An hour later, they'd finished off the bottle, and he was clearing the dishes from the table.

  Mandy stood in the kitchen at the sink, filling it with water. She glanced over the bar counter and smiled when he entered with an armload of dishes. He smiled back, realizing how often lately they'd gotten stuck in these goofy grin sessions. Maybe a shared bottle of wine accounted for this one.

  Sophie chose the moment to let her general protest be known with a screech. Mandy rushed over, making the full hem of her dress twirl, showing off her long, athletic legs.

  He lifted his brows and, stepping up to the sink, ran cold water over his hands.

  "I think she's ready for bed," Mandy said. "I'll do the honors if you clean up. Deal?"

  "Deal," he said, watching her sweep his niece up from her high chair and give her a hug and kiss. Sophie beamed with pleasure under the added attention, and yanked on Mandy's hair. She'd left it down for a change. He loved how the sepia waves cupped her shoulders and curtained her long ivory neck. It made him want to lift the hair and kiss the delicate skin of her throat.

  Forcing his eyes away, he focused on the dirty dishes. But when Amanda brought Sophie into the kitchen, he feasted on Mandy's good looks up close. She touched his shoulder as she passed to give Sophie a quick cleanup at the sink. Stepping aside, he tore at a piece of bread roll he'd found lying on the counter, suddenly ravenous and desperate for distraction.

  "Thanks for making dessert. I can't wait to have some," she said.

  "No problem," he replied, stuffing more roll into his mouth to keep from saying more.

  She held up the baby for him to kiss, and it occurred to him that he liked this ritual of playing house and saying good-night to his niece. Wait! What had he just thought? He liked playing house? Being the dad and Mandy being the mom? When had that happened? It had to be the wine messing with his head. And besides, Mandy was safely back on her career track.

  On her way through the living room, Mandy bent down and swooped up one of Sophie's toys. She glanced briefly over her shoulder as she did. Their eyes connected again, sending a pressing message through his spine. His sudden concern about his "little family" thoughts flew right out of his head.

  Mandy knew how she affected him. He dropped the fork he was holding into the sink with a loud clink, and drew a breath through his teeth. She knew exactly what she was doing as she sashayed down the hall. Hell, if he'd known his famous apple crumble would make her flirt with him, he'd have made it a long time ago.

  By the time she came back, he'd dished out the warm dessert and added a small scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream. Waiting on the counter was another bottle of
chilled wine—just in case.

  She smiled and inhaled when he handed over her bowl. "It smells great," she said, eyes closed, with an almost orgasmic look on her face. He knew from experience he could make her do better than that.

  "Wait until you taste it," he said, barely able to control himself but grabbing his own bowl. They both headed for the living room, pretending the air wasn't thick with desire and potential.

  Her ears perked up. "I notice you've put on some mood music." She glanced playfully at him before taking a bite of her dessert. Her gratifying smile almost toppled the last of his restraint.

  "Music to eat by." He shoved in a huge mouthful to distract himself. Damn, the apple crumble was good.

  A quiet jazz saxophone strung lilting notes together in a necklace of seductive riffs, and his mind kept wandering to the most inappropriate places.

  Mandy was the one to carry away their dishes and return with a bottle of water, the second bottle of wine and two glasses. "Truth serum," she said, with a clear agenda in her eyes.

  Just when he'd started to trust her, he suddenly felt on the spot. She wasn't interested in getting close physically; she wanted to talk. To probe. To delve. To force him to say things he never wanted to reveal. Just like old times. Damn, he needed a drink.

  She poured and handed him a glass of wine, then opened the bottle of water and poured it for herself. "You told me your dad died, but you haven't said a word about him since. You feel like talking about him?"

  He took a drink and licked his lips. "Not really."

  "Come on, Hunt. Let's really talk for a change."

  For the last month they'd both gone out of their way to keep things distant and casual, even while living together. Now, just because she wanted to, they should talk? Why the sudden change?

  In defense, he wanted to throw her off course, and blurted the first thought in his mind. "Only if you tell me if you still plan on being Super Mom, and how you intend to make it all happen."

  Mandy's eyebrows disappeared beneath her newly trimmed bangs.

  She stared at the carpet, considering her life choices. She'd been over them a million times, but Hunter had brought it up again. She was twenty-nine, and if she really did want a big family, she'd have to get cracking on finding a man. The problem was if she intended to get her PhD in nursing, she'd be living her usual vida loca—of work, school and no social life—which would leave little opportunity for meeting someone. She sighed and took a sip of her water.

  "I still want children, if that's what you're asking." She ran a fingertip around the rim of her glass and decided to be direct with Hunter. "And, judging from the way you've been taking care of your niece, you had nothing to be afraid of when I told you I wanted to be a mom."

  "We had an agreement, Mandy. Our goals in life were as important as our love. You changed the rules—"

  Mid-game. She finished his sentence. But their marriage hadn't been a game; it had been a promise that neither of them had fulfilled. If she'd been the true love of his life he'd have done anything for her. And even though she'd thought he was her one true love, she hadn't been willing to bend on that one major topic. So who was to blame? Both of them?

  He took another drink. "I'm a professional. I can't exactly quit my job and change my lifestyle for a child. Neither can you."

  "You've already done a version of that, and you're really great at it." Couldn't he see that?

  "I'm taking care of Sophie out of obligation. Nothing more. I owe it to my sister and her baby to do a good job. That's as far as it goes."

  "You could have fooled me."

  Looking agitated, he took another quick drink. "How do you intend to be a mom and get your PhD at the same time?"

  She looked away and shook her head. "It's not something I need to work out just now, but I've always said where there's a will there's a way. And kids feel the love no matter what—when it's genuine."

  "I didn't."

  She knew exactly what he referred to. "But that doesn't have to be the case with your own kids."

  "Not going to have any, remember?"

  She wanted to dig her fingers into her hair and scream. Why couldn't he see what a wonderful job he'd done, taking care of Sophie? Was there nothing that could change his heart?

  The bitterness both he and Jade felt over their father clearly extended to their mother. Had Rhonda Phillips had to endure the loss of her husband alone? "Did you see your father before he died?"

  Hunter shook his head and studied his glass. "Nope. The stroke was too sudden."

  "What about your mother?"

  "Saw her at the funeral. She'd already scheduled a lecture tour in Europe for the following month. I guess she didn't schedule grief into her plans."

  Had Hunter scheduled grief into his plans?

  Amanda knew from experience what she was up against with Hunter and his estranged parents. There was no love lost there, and it had turned Hunter against ever wanting a family.

  She'd foolishly broached the subject back when they were married…when she'd missed her period. It had knocked the world and all her aspirations sideways. A feeling she'd never let herself experience before had swept up from her soul and embraced her so thoroughly she'd hardly been able to breathe. She wanted a baby. And more. She couldn't bear to do to one child what her parents had done to her as an only, lonely preemie. No. She'd have a full house, with noise and chaos, love and laughter.

  Then she got her period.

  But her dream hadn't changed. When she'd shared it with Hunter, he'd been horrified and would have no part of it.

  "But you're not pregnant," he'd kept repeating.

  "That's not the point," she'd tried to explain.

  That day their true colors had shown, in a faint and disappointing palette.

  Once she'd fully realized her desire to be a mother, and after their marriage had been tested and had failed, there had been no going back.

  She had gathered her courage and faced Hunter, leveled her ultimatum. "Either we agree to have children one day, or I have to leave."

  In a painful blow to her love for him, he'd let her walk away.

  She finished her water and poured a splash more wine, then took a long draw. Tonight wasn't the time to bring this topic up. They weren't married anymore. But as a friend—and in a cautious sense she felt they'd become friends again—she wanted to encourage him to talk about his recent loss.

  "I'm sorry about your father, Hunter."

  But instead of answering, he chewed on his lower lip and stared sullenly at the carpet.

  So far the "truth serum" hadn't worked. Especially on her. She'd kept all her deepest thoughts buried inside, unwilling to dig up old arguments. The moments yawned on, and Amanda desperately needed to change the mood. There was no point in rehashing their past. Their marriage was through.

  "I've got to go to the bathroom," she said, rising on unsteady legs with wine tickling around her brain. Thanks to her, their relaxed and pleasant evening had plummeted into darkness. It was up to her to change it back. "And change the damn music while I'm gone. I want something with bounce."

  When she returned, Hunter had done what he'd been told. He'd also drained his glass and was in the midst of pouring himself another one before topping hers up. A sign she'd really gotten to him. There was still a chance to undo the morose atmosphere.

  She swooped by the couch to grab two pillows, then hauled off and hit him on both sides of the head. "I demand to know how you broke your nose!" she teased.

  Brightening, he shot his hands up to defend himself. A Cheshire cat smile replaced the sullen face from before she'd left the room. He braced her wrists with his grip.

  She managed to squirm one hand free, and kept on hitting him with the other pillow. "Tell me!"

  He gritted his teeth. "Never." He played along, making the pillow fight all the more exciting.

  She laughed with each swat she delivered.

  "I'm gonna have to take desperate measures if you don'
t stop that," he said. "Ouch. Hey!" He picked up a pillow and thumped her back.

  The crazy, wine-infused, childish behavior had unleashed something inside her. She giggled and wiggled her hips, taunting and teasing like she used to with him, a pillow in hand, ready to strike again. He looked excited and turned on.

  After yesterday's close encounter with Hunter, maybe this was exactly what she needed, too. "I dare ya, mister." Thump, whomp. She landed two more good blows to his chest and squealed with pleasure, showboating like a professional football player after a touchdown.

  "You little tease." He grinned and got up off the couch. "Now, that's the Mandy I remember."

  He chased her around the table and walloped her on the butt when he caught up, then threw his pillow aside before grabbing her. He seized both of her wrists and dragged her onto the couch, laughing like a recently released madman. "Ha-haaaa!"

  She struggled with all her might, but he was too strong. He pinned her arms above her head and leaned over her chest. The roughhousing had intoxicated her, and excitement surged in her chest as heat from Hunter's hovering body enveloped her.

  "You owe me an apology," he said, huffing for air.

  She squirmed her hips and kicked her legs. He mounted her thighs, forcing them down, keeping her in place beneath him.

  "Heck, for a little whack with a pillow?"

  He tightened his grasp.

  "You owe me an explanation." Defiant, she taunted him, bucking her hips, refusing to cooperate. "How'd you break your nose?"

  The sparks had turned to flames in his powerful Burnt siena eyes. He leaned into her and whispered in her ear. "I got decked by one of my patients."

  His hot breath stunned her, and ignited her neck with sensation. Prickles shot out in all directions across her chest. Her nipples pebbled. She saw him study her breasts before raising his hooded eyes to hers. Heat traveled the path of his stare like lasers cutting deep into her senses. She looked away, for fear of revealing her feral desire for him.

  She shook her head back and forth, denying the moment and the need. "Why?"

  Before she could say more, his hot mouth landed a ragged, hard kiss on her lips. She saw it coming, yet didn't move out of his way. She kissed him back, just as eager. Their tongues met and lunged at each other. The kiss felt wet and wild and sexy as hell. Her body jolted to life and itched with longing. She caught herself in mid-reaction, throbbing between her thighs, damp, almost ready to let him have his way. She kicked her feet, twisted her hips and shook her head. No! She tore her mouth away from his, suddenly scared as hell to make love to him again.