Christmas Babies (7 page)

She couldn’t tell him anything
now. Besides, she was doing well as long as she didn’t forget to take her pill
on time. After a meal. Right now.

“Can you help me clear the
table?” She needed him busy for a few minutes while she took her medicine.

“Sure.”

While he carried the plates to
the kitchen, she strolled to her bathroom, closed the door, and swallowed her pills.
“Much better.” She checked her hair in the mirror and reapplied her lipstick.

When she ventured back to the
kitchen, Nick had cleaned the platters and set the silver and china in her
dishwasher.

“I didn’t mean for you to wash
everything.”

“It’s the least I could do after
you cooked for me and listened to my ranting.” He caught her shoulders and met
her gaze. “Thank you, Madelyn, for letting me vent my frustration. I’ve buried
it for so long.” He was too close, stealing her breath.

The flame burning in his eyes
warmed her insides and scared her. He might kiss her very soon and she’d
probably return his kiss with too much passion. And spoil their burgeoning
friendship.

With a swift movement, she eased
out of his grasp and smiled. “Hey what are friends for.” A glance at the
kitchen ceramic clock alerted her they had spent too much time together.

His gaze followed hers. “Ten
thirty already. I need to go. Time flies in your company, Madelyn.” The words
full of longing touched a sensitive cord.

“Why don’t I walk you downstairs?
I’ll show you the rest of the building.” At least it was safer then kissing him
and ending on the living room rug or even on her comfortable bed. She yanked
her keys from the horseshoe key holder and rushed to the door.

“Good idea.” Disappointed
crinkles formed around his mouth.

With a nervous finger, she pushed
on the elevator button and waited, staring at the door. Nick’s warm breath
fanned her nape and created unbearable yearning in her heart.

Please, don’t touch me.
He
didn’t. But she almost sighed in frustration.

Thank God the elevator stopped at
her floor a minute later. “I’ll give you a quick tour of the gym, lounge,
library, ping-pong room, and then we’ll go to the pool and the beach.”

“Isn’t it too late now?” His gaze
held hers, speculating.

She understood his silent
question. “There won’t be anybody around.” An uneasy chuckle escaped her. “We
don’t need a chaperone, do we?”

A groan answered her, just as the
elevator stopped at the lobby level. He followed her quietly. She accelerated
her pace, eager to get it over with. Tonight was straining her nerves. Dr. Lu
had advised her to avoid stress at work, but Nick generated a different kind
with his special charm—a tension no one would think Dr. Ramsay could be
susceptible to.

“Here is the gym.” She opened a
door with her master key, switched on the lights, and turned them off less than
thirty seconds later. “Next to it, are the men’s room and women’s room, and in
this corner the ping-pong and pool tables.” She blabbered about various
activity rooms without even stopping in front their doors. Nick didn’t protest.

“Up there is the pool.” She
pointed to a set of stairs leading to a lit terrace.

“Can we see it?”

She stiffened. Why would he want
to see the pool by night?

“You said you were going to show
it to me.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.” She climbed
up as fast as she could, not looking behind her, knowing he was there, one step
after her. With a sigh of relief she opened the door and gulped the fresh night
air. “Here it is.” Her arms rose to encompass the area ahead of them. “The
terrace, the pool, and beyond it the beach.” They strolled onto the pool patio.

“Beautiful.” He leaned over the
rail and contemplated the beach. The ocean shimmered with thousands of stars
under the moonlight and the sand projected the rays dropping from the sky in a
golden band . “So romantic.”

Unfortunately.

“Let’s go back,” she said, eager
to hide from temptation in the safety of her condo.

He turned to face her. “Madelyn,
do I make you nervous?” His whisper hardly covered the hum of the surf.

A gasp lumped in her throat. She
shook her head. “Why do you say that?” Her attempt at chuckling failed
miserably.

“You can’t wait to run away.”

She frowned at him. “To be
honest, I’d rather avoid this type of conversation.”

He raised his hands. “I’m trying
to understand you.”

“Why?”

 “Because you’re different.
Special. I’ve never talked about my childhood to anyone. When I’m with a
woman—”

“Please, spare me the details. I
heard about your womanizing.”

“And you believed every juicy
detail, right?”

 She bit her lip and considered
him. He was so handsome. No wonder women threw themselves at his neck.

“How about now, after I confided
in you?” His voice intensified. “Can you see why I can’t commit to a woman? Why
I don’t want to have children I might neglect when I’m so dedicated to my work?
When I practically live at the hospital?”

“I’m the same,” she whispered.

“I know. That’s why I trust you.
That’s why I’m so attracted to you.” He reached and caressed her cheek.
“Madelyn, would it be so bad if I kissed you?”

She inhaled and exhaled slowly. “Nick...”

“Don’t you want to try and kiss
me?” He brought her against his chest.

“I want to, but—”

“But?” He added so close to her
lips.

She jerked back. “Only kisses.
Nothing more.”

He looked at her as if she
sprouted a horn on each side of her nose. “Are you serious?” He stroked her
hair with a gentle hand. “Only kisses...for how long?”

 “For a very, very long time.” Stark
fear gripped her. Good God, she had enough trouble with her health. How could
she complicate her situation with a pointless attachment? “Nick, I can’t afford
a relationship. Any type. No marriage, no commitment, no romance, no affair,”
she muttered, panic rising.

“Wow.” He laughed and wrapped his
arms around her waist. “Then only kisses...until you decide you want more.”

“I won’t change my mind.” She
lifted a finger in warning.

“Absolutely nothing more than
kisses. Like that.” He grabbed her hand, kissed her palm and slowly sucked on
each finger. Her eyes dazed and reason deserted her. “You can trust me,” he
added when he ended the seductive game on her fingers.

“I do.” She melted against him. His
lips brushed her cheek, pressed on her closed eyelids, glided along her jaw,
taking an eternity to skate over every spot of her face. For all his previous
pushing, he wasn’t in a rush anymore.

Folding her arms about his neck,
she tilted her head to do some kissing of her own. Especially on the dimples that
creased his cheeks and the side of his lips that often curled with his
charismatic grin. As if he was waiting for this signal he captured her lips,
molded them with his and slid an eager tongue in her mouth.

A sigh escaped her. Now she knew
how Nick’s kisses felt and why so many women wanted to date him. Elation filled
her heart, immediately followed by angst. Nick Preston could never be hers.

Enjoy your moment, girl
.

Her mind shut out all thoughts
and concentrated on feeling. Nick’s tongue explored and patted, entwined with
hers, careened, and waltzed around. She followed suit, tasted and tackled.
Squeezed in his arms, she wanted the night to never end. A moan burst out of
her.

Nick released her and buried his
face in her hair. “I waited five years for that moment,” he murmured.

“Oh Nick.” She smiled and cupped
his face. “I enjoyed it too.”

“Let’s go back.” He pulled away.

Her breath caught. “Go where?”

He laughed. “As much as I want to
stay with you, I have to go home. And keep my promise. Kisses only. Remember?”

Her chuckle trembled. “Thank you,
Nick.”

Hand in hand, they re-entered the
building and strolled to the front lobby where a security guard sat behind a
counter. She walked Nick to his car parked in the circle in front of the
building entrance and he unlocked his BMW.

“Thanks for the dinner. And
everything,” Nick added with a wink. “Have sweet dreams.”

“I definitely will.”

He bent, gave her a quick peck on
the cheek, and slid in his seat while mumbling something. Had she heard
correctly?

She frowned and then laughed as
the words
cold shower
echoed in her ears.

Chapter Five

“You’re such a lovely little
thing.” Madelyn held Baby Liana in her arms. “Yes, you’re so pretty and growing
fast.” A week had passed since the tragic birth of the twins. Madelyn checked
on them several times a day, during her rounds in the NICU and the on-term
babies’ nursery. In addition, she made time to come and rock them.

Thank God, she hadn’t felt any
tingling or numbness in her limbs. No absence seizure either. Her medicine was
working great. Stress plummeted as her mood soared.

“Liana is already 6 lbs. and 2
ounces. Celia is catching up at 6lbs.,” Sandra announced. “They should be moved
to the well-babies nursery, but if I do that they’d have to be discharged after
one or two days according to the insurance.”

 “Where would they go, poor
darlings?” Madelyn brushed Liana’s forehead with a gentle finger. The preemie
opened her eyes. “Oh look at that. Big blue eyes, like cornflower. I wonder if
her twin has the same.” Madelyn set the baby in her bassinette and picked up Celia.
“Open your baby blues, sweetie.”

“No one had come yet from Child
Protective Services,” the nurse explained. “But I heard CPS contacted the dad
and had him sign a release for adoption. Apparently he was terrified to learn
they were two, not one. At seventeen, he can’t take care of babies. His mother
is sending him to college at the other end of the country.” Count on Sandra to
be always a well of information.

“Soon these little dolls will
have a good family.” Madelyn was more interested in her little patients than in
their wimpy father.

“I heard there was a couple
interested in Liana.”

“In Liana only?” Worry clenched
Madelyn’s heart. “What about Celia? I hope they don’t plan to separate them.”

“CPS said they’d give priority to
the parents who’d want to adopt both. But not too many people can afford to
adopt two babies at once.”

“Oh no. Twins need each other.”
She held Celia closer to her heart and gave her a peck on her hair. “Sandra,
you mentioned you’d be interested. They’re so cute.” Madelyn threw her friend a
look that should melt a tougher heart.

“I discussed it with my husband
more times than I could count. Unfortunately, Chuck insists he wants his own
flesh and blood children. Next week we have another appointment at the
fertility clinic.”

“Not fair,” Madelyn mumbled
against the baby’s hair as she sat in the rocking chair. “Sandra, please bring
me Liana.” With the two babies tucked in her arms, she fidgeted so the twins
could face each other. “Now, listen to me, you two. I want you to know and love
each other. I promise I’ll talk to CPS. They can’t separate you,” she added
without conviction. CPS didn’t condone interference in their business by
zealous doctors.

“Maybe Dr. Preston can pull some
ropes.” Sandra’s tone betrayed her concern and Madelyn had her own doubts. Nick
had been very busy with his new responsibilities as Clinic Director and his
move to the apartment he’d rented on the twenty-third floor of
the Blue
Lagoon
high rise.

Things didn’t look rosy for the
lovely bundles in her arms. “We won’t abandon you, sweethearts. Do your part
and get bigger, and I’ll move heaven and earth to help you.”

“Hmm, what happened to the
Don’t
get too chummy with your patients
they drilled in our heads during residency?”
Nick’s baritone voice rang ominously behind her.

“Hi, Dr. Preston.” A little
rattled by the boss’s presence, Sandra scampered out of the NICU while he
slipped on the yellow sterile gown and gloves.

Madelyn spun her head. He stood
at the door, arms crossed over his chest. One eyebrow arched. Darn if he didn’t
look very directorial.

“We can’t abandon our patients
when they’re still so weak.”

“Really? Our business is to keep
them healthy. Not to organize their lives. There are others responsible for that.”
A grin denied his scorn. “I wish I had a camera to take a picture. You look so beautiful
with babies in your arms.” Then all humor faded from his face. “Madelyn, you’ll
make a wonderful mother one day.”

She frowned and lowered her gaze
to the babies. Wrapped in red and green Christmassy blankets, their light blue
eyes shining, they looked at her as if she was the center of their universe.

Too late. I can’t have
children now.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and stiffened. “I told
you once I don’t believe in relationship and commitment.”

“A woman according to my heart.”
He considered her for a moment. “Yet the pose suits you.”

“Stop it, Nick.” His words
needled her with regret and longing. She’d never realized she’d sacrificed so
much for her career. Now it hurt. “As long as they are in the NICU, they are my
responsibility. I’ll make sure they’re well taken care of.”

“I don’t doubt it. But I heard
part of your conversation with Sandra. Don’t expect me to suggest anything to
the CPS, or argue or plead with them. It’s not my job.” A scowl formed on his
forehead.

“I understand.” Independence had
been her motto since she’d joined college. She wasn’t used to asking for help
from anyone and wouldn’t start now. “Maybe someone will adopt both. We can hope
and pray.” And she wouldn’t allow Nick—as boss or friend—to smother her now.

“Madelyn, adoption is a very
secretive procedure. No one will tell you anything. I’ve learned it firsthand.”
A shadow obscured his usually charming face. Was he talking about his own situation?