Surprised by Family: a Contemporary Romance Duet (28 page)

“I was...” Sam completely lost his words when he caught sight of Nikki’s bra and the smooth expanse of creamy skin leading down to her low-rise jeans.

Damn
, her breasts filled out those pink satin cups to perfection. Her alluring almond scent had wreaked havoc on his senses while she’d stood so close to wash the baby. The effect had doubled when her fingers brushed his skin as she worked. Seeing all that bare skin, he wanted to touch and taste.

She lifted the T-shirt she’d pulled from his dryer to her chest. Realizing he was blatantly staring, he forced his gaze back to her face. A blush bloomed in her cheeks, but before he could turn away and apologize, she shifted her attention past his shoulder.

“Where’s Ella?”

“On the table.” He glanced back toward the dining room. “I came to grab a clean—”

“You can’t leave her alone!” She swept past him in the confined doorway.

The brush of her breasts against his forearm was instantly forgotten as a fresh wave of alarm shot through him. What had he done wrong? They reached the table to find the jabbering baby kicking her feet beneath the towel and wind-milling her arms. She appeared fine, but Nikki did not appear happy.

“Never leave her alone like that!” Reproach roughened her voice. “She could fall and get hurt.”

God, now he felt even worse for staring at her chest when the baby had been in danger. “I’m sorry. I don’t know these things,” he retorted defensively.

“All you have to do is use some common sense.”

“You said earlier she won’t break.” Guilt raised his voice.

“When you’re holding her, no,” she snapped. “Falling off a table is a whole other matter.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeated, as much to her as to Ella.

“Just...
think
next time, okay?”

Clenching his jaw against another defensive response, he nodded and stepped forward to lightly place his hand on Ella’s tummy for security. Nikki shoved the black T-shirt she was holding into his other hand and stalked back to the kitchen. Keeping a hold on Ella, he snuck a glance after Nikki, then couldn’t help but fully turn to observe her trim waist and the gentle swell of her hips until she disappeared again. She was one hell of a temptation.

Blowing out a breath, he turned back to the baby and took his hand off her for two seconds so he could pull on his clean shirt. The little girl kept kicking and waving those arms. He leaned forward, braced a hand on either side of her and looked down into her bright, blue eyes.

“I promise I won’t leave you alone like that again,” he whispered.

She made some sort of gurgling noise, then smiled up at him. His chest tightened, and a lump formed in his throat. Her well-being rested square on his shoulders. It scared the shit out of him, and at the same time, a fierce protectiveness rose up inside him to keep her safe from harm.

The sound of the dryer door closing made him straighten and clear his throat. He reached for the new diaper and uncovered the baby’s bottom half. When Nikki’s footsteps tread behind him, he prayed for his voice to sound normal as he asked, “Am I doing this right?”

“Yeah.” She stood to the side, then moved in close as he secured the sticky tabs. Her reach forward brushed her fingers against his, and he pulled away from an instant surge of attraction. She looked damn good in his large, navy T-shirt—would look even better if that’s all she was wearing—but it was definitely not the time for that distraction.

She redid the sticky tabs. “Snug them up so the diaper doesn’t fall off, but not too tight. You should be able to slip one finger here along the waistband.”

He nodded at her demonstration. “Got it. Thanks.”

Ella needed to be his main focus, especially since Nikki had no problem putting the baby first. Was it a woman thing? Natural mothering instinct? Experience from her job?

“We should get her dressed,” Nikki suggested. “Maybe she’ll take a nap while we go over a few other things you’ll need to know.”

“Let me guess. When you say
we
should get her dressed, you really mean
me
.”

“You catch on quick.”

Their shared smile gave him that gut-level kick of awareness again. Crap. Thankfully, she swiped the diaper bag from the table and went into the kitchen while he figured out the puzzle of getting the kicking, wiggling infant into her one-piece outfit.

By the time he managed to keep both arms and legs in the right place long enough to slide the zipper toward her chin, Nikki had finished whatever she was doing in his kitchen. She plopped a pad of paper and pen onto the table, then sat and began writing.

He picked Ella up and cradled her like a football again. She settled into his hold without complaint, her eyelids drooping. He rocked her while walking around the table, and she closed her eyes. A surge of satisfaction warmed his insides. One step at a time, and he might be okay.

They
might be okay—at least until Rae came back.

On the next time around, a glance over Nikki’s shoulder brought him to a stop. “What’s that?”

“Your shopping list for tomorrow.”

He leaned closer, his gaze skimming the list that took up half the page.
Diapers, wipes, formula, blankets, onesies, jacket, mittens, baby shampoo, baby lotion, baby power, bathmat, thermometer, pacifiers, bottles, bottle brush...
and she was still writing.

Satisfaction suffocated as reality made him forget how to breathe.

He was solely responsible for this little human being in his arms because he had no idea when Rae would return. Would she change her mind and come back tonight? Tomorrow? Next week? And what the hell was he going to do about
work?
Clueless as he was, even he knew he couldn’t very well bring a baby to a construction site.

Apprehension swelled like a tsunami. The words on the page blurred. He swallowed hard, then sucked in some air with a desperate gulp.

One step at a time.

One step at a time.

One step...at...a...time.

“Sam? Are you okay?”

Nikki’s question sounded as if she were all the way across the room. He nodded. Thought better of it and shook his head no. Felt like an idiot, and went back to nodding.

Breathe, man, breathe
.

She pushed to her feet and took the baby from his arms, then pulled him by his arm around to the front of the couch.

“Sit down before you pass out. Put your head between your knees.”

Once off his feet, the lightheadedness faded and the constriction in his chest eased enough for him to get air into his lungs. He sat up just enough to brace his elbows on his knees and run his hands through his hair. Nikki had put Ella in her carrier and now sat beside him, rubbing her hand on his back.

“You can do this.” Her reassuring voice and comforting touch gave him something to focus on, but the moment the heat from her leg began to seep through his jeans, he got to his feet and headed for the table to pick up the list.

“I know it seems like a lot,” she said as she also rose. “But it’s better to get it over with all at once.”

“Sure, right,” he muttered, annoyed by his pansy reaction. He rescanned the items with a frown. “How much is all this going to cost?”

“Enough. It adds up fast. Is money an issue?”

“I have some savings.” But not much after coming up with the down payment for the house last week.

“If you want to wait until I get home from work, I’ll go with you if you’d like?”

He glanced up from the list in his hand without lifting his head. “Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate the help.” More like pity, but he’d take whatever he could get.

She joined him at the table as he spotted an unsealed envelope that had been beneath the pad of paper. When he started to reach out his hand, Nikki lunged forward and grabbed it first. Holding it behind her back, she backed away. The expression on her face made his eyes narrow in suspicion.

“What is that?”

“Something I don’t think you should see just yet.”

“You looked at it already?”

A hint of guilt flickered in her expression, but she didn’t apologize. “I found it at the bottom of the diaper bag when I emptied it out in the kitchen to see everything you’d need to buy.”

“Then let me see it.”

“After your reaction to a shopping list, it might be better if you give this a day or two. I’d probably have to revive you after you read this one.”

He shrugged to make light of his earlier embarrassment. “I’m not opposed to mouth to mouth resuscitation.”

Her gaze dropped to his lips. He couldn’t help but smile, and color flooded her face. Her gaze jumped back to his when he moved toward her, and the widening of her long lashes exasperated him enough that he stalked forward, hand outstretched.

“Oh, for God’s sake, I’m not going to touch you
or
pass out. Just give me the damn envelope.”

Backed up against the window counter between his living room and kitchen, she handed it over without further argument. Curiosity made him pause. He flicked his gaze down to her mouth, let it linger long enough to notice her breath hitch, then lifted his attention back to her eyes. Sensual awareness simmered in those blue depths, making him wish he could lean in and kiss her right now.

Instead, he removed the paper and unfolded it before lowering his gaze from hers to the typed document.

He read from top to bottom, but once he saw his name, and words like
affidavit
and
guardianship
, nothing else registered. He backed up and braced his butt against the edge of the dining room table to read it again.

Nikki didn’t say anything as he succeeded in processing the full contents of the letter the second time around. Rae hadn’t dropped off Ella on a whim. She’d thought this thing through enough to fill out an official document giving him full custody, including all medical and schooling decisions in the future.

He didn’t know why she’d left her daughter, but the paper in his hands made it pretty clear she wouldn’t be back tomorrow. Or next month. Maybe never.

“You okay?”

Sam swallowed past the regret clogging his throat and the incredible responsibility that’d been dumped on his shoulders without a hint of warning. “Yeah.”

His voice cracked, forcing him to clear his throat while folding the letter to shove it back in the envelope. He avoided Nikki’s gaze as he straightened.

“What time will you be home from work tomorrow?”

“About five o’clock. We can run to a couple stores in Green Bay.”

Pity softened her voice, which only strengthened his resolve to start handling the situation like a man no matter how queasy he felt on the inside.

“You mentioned earlier about feeding her before you came over. Can you show me what I need to know about that?”

“Sure. I made up the two empty bottles your sister left, but you’ll need to know how to mix the formula after those are gone.”

He followed her into the kitchen and slipped the envelope into one of his empty drawers. “And can I get the name of where you work? I’ll need someplace to take her while I’m working.”

She paused with the refrigerator door open. “We’re at full capacity, but there are a couple other places I could recommend. I’ll write them down before I leave.”

“Thanks.”

Figured, since she was the one person he’d trust to take care of his niece at the moment. But with her suggestions, hopefully he’d have care lined up by tomorrow and be back to work by Wednesday. He had barely three months under his belt at Hansen Construction, and couldn’t really afford one day off, let alone enough time to sort out this mess.

While Ella slept in her carrier, Sam took notes on how to feed and burp her, and anything else Nikki shared with him. There were a lot of tips and warnings, and sheer determination kept the looming apprehension at bay.

She gave him her cell phone number, her sister’s cell phone number—not that he’d call a complete stranger—and then he watched her walk back to her own house from his front porch, feeling like he’d just lost his lifeline in a new game of Survivor.

Nikki dashed through the cold rain from her car to her sister’s front door. Two of the parents had picked up their children after a half day, so she’d been able to leave early and hoped to borrow some of Marissa and Eric’s larger baby items before taking Sam shopping.

Marissa answered the door, but didn’t bother to say more than “Hey,” as she turned back toward the kitchen. “I didn’t think I’d see you until Friday afternoon for the party.”

“I need to see if I can borrow a few things from you.”

“Sure, as long as you don’t need them right now, or can find ‘em yourself.” Her sister gave her an apologetic look as she closed the dishwasher and grabbed the dishrag from the sink. “Eric took the kids to the library, and I’m leaving for my book club at the coffee shop in a few minutes. Shouldn’t you be at work anyway?”

Nikki leaned her elbows on the higher level of the counter that separated the open space between the kitchen and the cathedral ceiling living room of the log home Eric had built. “Early day, and besides, it’s been weird there lately, so I was glad to get out. A lot of tension and closed door meetings between Claire and Ron.”

“Did Mallory say anything about what’s going on?”

“She doesn’t have a clue either, and all the secrecy has everyone walking on eggshells.”

“She’d tell you if she knew, wouldn’t she?”

“I think so.”

Nikki had met Mallory Parker the first day of community college, and they’d been friends ever since. She’d started working at Sunny Days Daycare right out of high school, been promoted to manager after they’d graduated, and hired Nikki the next day.

“Well, hopefully it’s nothing,” Marissa said. “And I’m sorry to rush you, but I’m going to have to go in a few minutes, so what do you need to borrow?”

After a moment of hesitation, she decided to jump right in. “I finally met my neighbor last night.”

Marissa’s eyes lit as she glanced up from wiping the counter. “Yeah? Did you take him a cake? Are you here for lingerie?”

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.”

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.”