Baby In My Arms

by Madeline Harper

  “Why would I—”

  “Because your muscles have gone ballistic. Right now, they’re in knots.”

  “I know. I’m pretty tense, and I ache all over from my workout at the spa. I could use a muscle relaxant.”

  “Forget the artificial stuff. Just leave it to me.” He moved his hands again, placing them on either side of her neck. “Let your head hang forward.” As she did, he added, “Relax.”

  Kate dropped her head, but how did he expect her to relax when he was so close and his hands were so warm and strong? As he moved his hands toward her hairline, he stopped, laughing.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “It’s that hair of yours again,” he said, “getting in the way.” He pushed the heavy strands aside. “Now I can get to your muscles.”

  Kate closed her eyes and gave herself up to his powerful, hypnotic touch as he worked the tenseness out of her aching muscles.

  “Lean back,” he instructed, and once again she did as he asked, tilting her head, feeling her hair flow down her back. As he stroked his fingers along her shoulders and neck, she felt a tremor run along her skin. A warm golden glow suffused her. Her breathing was rapid but no more so than his; she thought she could hear the dual beating of their hearts. “Is that better?” he asked, his voice a low whisper.

  “Yes…” She leaned against him and was enveloped in his warmth.

  A heavy silence invaded the room, broken only by their raspy breathing. Kate knew she should stand up, say good-night, go upstairs. But she didn’t. Instead, she looked up at him. He’d taken the band off his hair and, like hers, it hung loose, dark and shiny. His eyes were black as coals, and she became lost in their depths.

  She never should have looked up with the need in her face so apparent. It changed everything.

  He dropped down beside her, putting them on the same level, their faces only inches apart. Then he leaned toward her and grazed her lips with his. The soft touch turned into a greedy kiss that went on and on until they both gasped for breath but still clung together.

  “This is crazy,” she managed.

  “I know.” It was, and he knew that he should apologize and give himself a chance to cool off. He couldn’t do that with her in his arms or even in his sight. He’d have to go outside. Take a walk in the cold. Regain his sanity. But he didn’t consider it.

  Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her again, hungrily. He felt her tongue against his, explored the soft recesses of her mouth, ran his tongue along her lips. The heavy throbbing of his desire couldn’t be ignored. He wanted her desperately, wanted to make love to her—here, now, in front of the fire, touching her, feeling her….

  Ben felt her fingers threading through his hair, the softness of her lips, the hardness of her nipples pressed against him. His hands roamed her body until he discovered the bare skin beneath her shirt. When he heard her deep moan, his heart quickened.

  She reached for him, pushed aside his flannel shirt and slid her fingers along his back with a touch that sent shivers throughout his body. “I want to make love to you, Kate,” he murmured. “In front of the fire.”

  Her answer was to cling to him more tightly, and that was answer enough for Ben. He picked her up and carried her to the soft rug in front of the fire. He could feel its heat and see its warm golden glow. Or was it the heat from their bodies, the glow of their passion?

  She hadn’t released her hold on him, but now her hands trembled a little as she pulled his shirt from his shoulders and unbuttoned his jeans. His own hands were more demanding. He took off her warm-up jacket, tugged at the waistband of her pants and began to undress her. Then, to his surprise, his hands shook, too, making his movements awkward and clumsy. Even with that unexpected nervousness, he managed to remove the flimsy, lacy bra and panties. “Mall lingerie? You won’t be needing them now,” he whispered as he pulled off the rest of his clothes and lay down beside her.

  Kate felt a sigh escape her lips. They were naked in the firelight that seemed to caress them softly, as they caressed each other. His golden skin radiated a bronze glow in the shimmering light, and his eyes flashed with desire. She lay back, opening herself to him and almost purring in delight at the pleasure in his eyes. He touched her breasts, ran his fingers over them, a soft feather-touch. Then he leaned down and kissed each one, caressed, rubbed his thumb across the hard nub of her nipples. Deep inside an ache of desire formed, grew, built.

  “What can I do to make you happy?” he whispered. “I want to give you pleasure, Kate.” His mouth on her breast was moist and hot.

  Her words came out in little puffs of air. “Just…don’t…stop.”

  He gave a low laugh. “I won’t, not until we both have what we want.”

  As he continued to work wonders on her breasts with his lips, he explored the rest of her body with eager hands. Her heart pounded explosively with a wild frantic beat. Greedily, she guided him closer, closer, until they touched and she opened herself up to him completely.

  She gazed up at his face, framed by the soft black veil of his hair, shadows from the firelight flickering across the hard planes and angles of his face. Their eyes locked, and he whispered, “This is crazy, Kate. And wonderful.”

  “Yes—” It was the last word she spoke. Then everything happened at once. She dug her fingers into the hard sinews of his back. He moved more fiercely, deeper and deeper inside her. She wrapped her legs around him, arching forward as waves of pleasure built and swelled and held them at the peak for an endless moment. Then his muscles stiffened, hers did the same; he gasped for breath, and so did she. At the moment when she felt she could bear no more, he exploded inside her, and she gave herself to him.

  Sometime in the middle of the night they awoke and turned to each other again. Was it a dream then—or a fantasy come true? She didn’t.know and wondered if she ever would. She just gave herself up to whatever was happening….

  Sleepily, dreamily, they made love as if in a kind of slow-motion film, shot in muted colors. The dwindling embers of the fire glowed warm and golden. All around them the light was soft blue. They threw back the covers, which seemed to billow in rosy hues. Through the window the night reached its darkest point and headed toward morning. Kate melded into Ben and let herself become part of him, and then she slept—and he slept—again.

  THE NEXT TIME Kate opened her eyes, the dawn had begun to filter through the windows, and Ben was still sleeping beside her. She got up quietly and stumbled upstairs, into the bed with Amanda. Like Ben, the baby was asleep, but Kate, although drowsy, was awake, filled with wonder about what had happened between them—their first lovemaking, passionate and yet tender; their second, a dreamlike fantasy.

  She felt vulnerable—and confused, wondering what Ben had taken away from their experience and what he’d be like in the morning. How would he act?

  And more importantly, how would she handle the morning-after?

  As it turned out, she didn’t have to worry. With the morning came an easy rapport as he gave her a kiss, gave Amanda a hug and got on with breakfast. Just as before. Only different, Kate realized as her heart swelled with a love she knew she shouldn’t be feeling. She fervently wished for the strength to fight it, to accept the night for what it was—a time of exploration and desire, a coming together of two people who, for a while, needed each other. Nothing more.

  But because the night had given her so much, she wanted more.

  Ben brought her a cup of coffee and touched her cheek lightly with his fingertips. “We had a wonderful night together, Kate. I’ll never regret that it happened.”

  “I won’t either,” she said. And she wouldn’t, but at the same time she was very aware of what his words really meant: when this is over, then we’ll be able to look back with fondness on a fabulous night. That was all. Nothing more.

  She forced a smile, and they continued with breakfast in a companionable silence. When the last of the coffee was poured and downed, Ben sat back, a satisfied expression
on his face.

  She tried not to let his physical presence overwhelm her as she asked, “What’s on the agenda for today?”

  She’d done it—she’d managed to form the question in a totally businesslike manner, even though all she could think of was him beside her, the nearness reminding her of last night, and the joy and pleasure she’d experienced. And then that slow-motion dream—or movie—or whatever it was…She tried to suppress a smile at the next thought. If Amanda weren’t around, she’d probably be unbuttoning his shirt and pulling at his zipper right now!

  Ben Blackeagle wasn’t merely dangerous, he was dynamite. He was every woman’s fantasy, and last night the fantasy had been hers.

  She listened with one ear as he talked about Harley Baldwin and what he planned to do in order to track the man. He seemed energized and vibrant. That was what sex did for him, apparently, left him sure and confident. While she…

  Kate could only wonder what in the world was happening to her.

  When the phone rang, startling her out of her reverie and Ben out of his planning, he grabbed it immediately.

  He listened carefully, and Kate could see the expression on his face change from casual interest to intense concentration. He motioned for her to bring him a pad and pencil, and he began to take notes. “Twelve noon at the Brown Palace. Okay.”

  He put down the phone and turned to Kate, his eyes snapping. “Hedrick’s assistant called to set up a meeting. About placing a baby boy with us. Doesn’t it seem strange that things are happening so fast?”

  She sank down in a chair. Amanda crawled over and pulled herself to a wobbly stance, holding on to Kate’s legs, fussing to get into her lap. Automatically, Kate picked her up. “What do you think this means?” she asked Ben.

  “That Hedrick could be in the baby-selling business.”

  Kate held Amanda close. “Does it also mean that he gets babies however and whenever he can? Is Amanda one of the babies he’d like to get his hands on so he can sell her to a higher bidder? Would he kill me for her?”

  “I don’t know the answer, Kate. I wish I did.”

  “What are we going to do?” she asked.

  “Meet ‘em,” Ben replied definitely. “And try to find the truth.”

  “Without calling the police?”

  “I thought about that, but we don’t have proof of anything. They only want to meet and talk about placing a baby with us.”

  “But at the hotel, not in his office. Isn’t that strange?”

  “Yes, I’ll admit it is. Which is why we need to cover ourselves.” He went to his desk, opened a drawer and rummaged around until he found what he wanted. “Mini tape recorder,” he said, holding it up. “It’ll fit easily into your handbag. We’ll hear the story—and record it—then we’ll decide what to do.”

  “But—”

  “We need evidence, Kate. And facts.”

  He pulled her to her feet and enfolded her and Amanda in his arms. “This could be it, Kate, the end of the search.” His hug was strong and full of enthusiasm.

  “That would be great,” she said, wondering if her words sounded as conflicted as she felt. Of course, it would be wonderful to live freely again. That was the up side. The downside was that she and Amanda would be out of Ben’s life.

  He gave her a quick kiss. “Let’s get going. Call Tina and see if she can baby-sit again.”

  She nodded as she watched him take the stairs two at a time. Ben Blackeagle, on the warpath.

  Chapter Nine

  The Brown Palace, like every other hotel in Denver, was overdressed for the holidays, with a huge Christmas tree in the middle of the world-famous lobby and swags of greenery everywhere. Ben gave the decor a cursory glance. He was only interested in meeting Kim and her boss. He crossed the rotunda with Kate by his side and headed for the Ship’s Tavern. Kim was seated at a table near the front, but the guy with her wasn’t Hedrick.

  He took a second to register that fact and decide how to handle it. Then with his hand under Kate’s elbow, he guided her toward the table. “We’re missing Hedrick,” he reminded her.

  “I got that,” she replied.

  “Still play it as we planned, and be sure your handbag is on the table. But don’t make it look obvious.”

  “Don’t overdirect,” Kate whispered. “I can handle my role. You take care of yours!”

  Ben tried to hide a smile as they reached the table.

  Kim introduced the sandy-haired man beside her as Rudy Hall. With his hair brushed back from a high forehead and his round, open face, he was the antithesis of Hedrick, more like an accountant or salesman than a high-powered legal mind. Who the hell was he? Ben wondered.

  Without hesitation, Kim began her spiel, her eyes meeting Kate’s and holding them compassionately.

  “I’ve been thinking and thinking about you and how much you want a baby,” she said.

  “We’re desperate,” Kate replied, placing her handbag on the table.

  Ben thought the gesture was a little less than subtle, but the waitress appeared just in time to negate any possible suspicions. Ben and Kate ordered coffee, while Rudy requested a beer, apparently not his first. There were three empty bottles lined up beside his place, which he didn’t seem to want cleared away.

  When the waitress was out of earshot, Kim continued. “I talked to Mr. Hedrick about your case, and he seemed to think—” She looked down. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

  But you will, Ben thought, or we wouldn’t have been summoned here.

  Playing her part, Kate pleaded, “Tell us, please.”

  It took no more than a nanosecond for Kim to comply. “Well, the truth is, Mr. Hedrick said that you two would more than likely have to wait a long time for a baby.”

  “Oh no! How long?” Kate asked anxiously, into her role.

  “Maybe four or five years—”

  The gasp from Kate’s lips sounded very natural, but with it her hand flew to her throat in a movement so sudden that she knocked the handbag off the table.

  Ben cursed silently, hoping that it hadn’t opened to reveal the tape recorder, or worse, that the recorder hadn’t fallen out. He reached for the bag. So did Rudy. Ben was faster. But when he picked it up, one end of the recorder was clearly visible. He covered it with his hand and pushed it back into the folds of the bag, not at all sure how to close the damned thing.

  “I’m sorry,” Kate said breathlessly, as she found the clasp and snapped it shut.

  Good move, Ben thought.

  The waitress returned with their beverages, and Ben watched Kate take advantage of the confusion to reposition her bag on the table.

  An even better move, he decided.

  “I am sorry,” she repeated. “But just hearing that our wait would be so long—”

  Kim was all concern. “I know, and I understand what you must feel. That’s why I wondered—or Rudy and I did-”

  “I’m her fiance,” Rudy inserted. “And we share everything. When Kim told me about your problem, I saw how affected she was. Of all the prospective parents she’s seen go through Hedrick’s office, she was most impressed by the two of you. I told her that we had to do something to help you folks. So…”

  Ben sensed what was coming as Kim leaned toward them and lowered her voice. “Would you consider an alternate source?”

  “Such as?” he asked.

  “Maybe a mother who doesn’t come directly through Mr. Hedrick’s office. Maybe a woman who isn’t equipped to take care of a child and who desperately needs money.”

  Ben equivocated. “I’m not sure…” It was a good idea, he thought, to show a little hesitancy, especially when he knew that Kate would be all enthusiasm.

  And she was. “Of course, we’re willing to consider any possibility.”

  “How much money are we talking about?” He continued the role of doubter.

  “Well, I’d say around fifty thousand,” Rudy answered.

  Kate gasped.

  Rudy seemed surp
rised. “Is that too much? Kim said you were willing to pay any price.”

  “We are,” Ben said, “with reservations. For example, what guarantees do we have, and where does Hedrick fit into this scenario?”

  Kim had the answer to that. “He’s more a rulesand-regulations kind of person.”

  “Does he know about this meeting?” Ben asked.

  Kim looked down without answering, but her companion had a response. “We have to go around Hedrick when we find couples who are special—”

  “And have plenty of money?” Ben asked.

  “Let’s face it, yes,” Rudy said.

  “So I gather this isn’t exactly legal,” Ben suggested.

  “Don’t be so suspicious, Ben,” Kate chastised. “They’re trying to help us.” Then she made a remark that Ben found fit perfectly into their plan. “My only concern is that there might be some danger involved. Could we be arrested for cooperating?” She inched her handbag toward the center of the table, and Ben smiled in satisfaction. She was a great partner!

  “Let’s just say we’ve done this before,” Rudy responded, “successfully. So far no one has been disappointed. Kim works the inside,” he explained, “and I work the outside.” He couldn’t seem to contain his pride as he added, “I have contacts who can help me find young expectant mothers who need money.”

  Ben grimaced inside as images of a baby farm played in his mind. “And I assume you’ve found the young woman who’ll supply our child….” A woman who probably got only a small portion of the money, he thought.

  Rudy nodded, and Ben fought back his anger and disgust.

  “Actually, the baby hasn’t been born yet, but as soon as that happens, he’ll be yours. It’s definitely a boy,” he added proudly. “This is no scam, believe me. We’re just trying to help.”

  “I’m sure you are,” Ben agreed, repressing his feelings as he looked over at Kate. “So what do you think?” he asked, knowing her answer.