[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

needed them anyway. I just want to be sensitive about appearances for your sake.
 I think appearances are the least of the problem here. The only people I m concerned
about are my parents, and I ll deal with that. Somehow. She paused.  But that presents another
problem. This means I won t be coming back to the office. That will cause some problems for
you. She nibbled at her lower lip, rocking the baby gently in her arms.  I ll call the temp agency
we used when I took vacation. I ll tell them we re looking for a permanent replacement and to
send us someone qualified who s looking for that.
 I can make the call if that would help, Cole ventured.
Tara shook her head.  No. Not to step on your toes but I know better what s needed in
that job so I ll take care of it. But I ll need to get my car, go by my house, put together a schedule
to get everything done. She got up and looked in the pantry and the refrigerator. More disaster.
 And grocery shop.
 I think we should take care of the license and the rings today. I ll call Judge Harrison
about performing the ceremony, unless you have a preference of some kind. The lines in his face
deepened. What about the child? Can you do something with her? I don t want to haul her
around with us.
Tara bit back the retort that jumped to her lips.  Do you think Lindsey might know of a
babysitter we can trust?
 I suppose. Jake has a big family, lots of nieces. Maybe one of them would do. He tore a
sheet of paper from a pad on the counter.  Here s the number of the cleaning service.  Fine. I ll
talk to them while you call Lindsey. Then I think we should get going.
And just like that, Tara s life turned upside down.
Chapter Four
While Tara arranged for a cleaning crew, Cole called Jake to ask him if he thought his
wife might be able to help them.
 Lindsey came through for us, Cole told Tara, snapping his cell phone shut.  She s making
the calls for us, but everyone s in school until two o clock. She ll have someone here by three.
That will give us enough time to take care of business. We can do it right here in Alamo Heights.
 Good. The cleaning crew will be here at noon, so I d better hustle. I asked for the biggest
one they had and offered them double. I hope that s okay. We ll need it.
They had a couple of sticky moments making the rest of their arrangements.
 Do you know where the carrier is? Tara asked, holding Molly as they prepared to leave
the house.
 I think Mrs. Randall put it in the garage.
Tara looked at him.  You mean to tell me this baby has never been out of the house?
His discomfort was obvious.  I ll go get it.
He brought it to her, holding it as if it would bite him, perplexed as to what to do with it.
Tara gritted her teeth and settled Molly in it.  Can you watch her for a minute? I need to run
upstairs and get a light blanket to wrap her in and pack a diaper bag.
 Watch her? Cole looked as if he d bolt out the door.
Tara fought back her impatience.  She won t get up and run away. Please. I ll be quick.
Without giving him a chance to object, she raced up the stairs, dug in the chest of drawers in the
nursery for some kind of light wrap, found the diaper bag in the closet and pulled things from the
changing table, stuffing them in as fast as she could. She literally ran back down the stairs.
Cole was standing exactly where she d left him, staring at Molly who stared back at him,
sucking on her tiny fist.
She picked up the carrier.  I think we re ready now. Do you want me to come in when
we get to the office and get the temp settled?
He shook his head.  We ll take care of it. We ve done it before. Worst comes to worst, if
she s a washout, I can forward the main line to the answering service and get one of the payroll
clerks to file and help with other things.
And those were the last words spoken until they reached the office parking lot. Tara
didn t even go inside, just shifted Molly, the diaper bag and her purse to her own car.
 I ll pick you up at three, Cole said.
Was it her place to ask if he d be home for dinner? She realized how much about him was
still a mystery to her.
 I don t know what time you usually prefer to eat.
 I don t expect you to cook tonight, with everything that s going on today. I ll just pick
something up.
 No, please. I really want to fix dinner. I think I ve overdosed on takeout and frozen
dinners. Would eight be all right?
 Whatever s convenient for you. I have some things to take care of when we re through
with the license and rings. I ll probably be home by seven.
 I ll see you this afternoon, then.
She slid into her car and backed out of her space. Glancing in the rear view mirror as she
shifted into Drive, she saw Cole still standing where her car had been, watching her retreating
taillights. Her heart pinched painfully when she thought about the look of torment he wore
whenever he looked at his child.
Well, kiddo, she told herself, fasten your seatbelt. You re probably in for a bumpy ride.
* * * *
Cole sat in his office, staring at the folder in front of him. He d gotten as far as opening it,
but then his mind had shut down. He knew the decision he d made was logical, a perfect solution
to his dilemma. So why was he having such conflicting feelings about it?
It s the  No Sex rule, dummy.
The last person he d expected to make his cock sit up and take notice was Tara McKee.
But last night at dinner, he d had to keep his napkin on his lap and direct his brain elsewhere,
because every time he looked at her, every bit of blood rushed from his big head to his small one.
After the disaster with Maggie, sex hadn t even appealed to him strange for a man with such a
greedy appetite.
Then he d taken a really good look at Tara. Suddenly, his cock swelled and his balls ached.
He began to imagine her naked in his bed, hair spread out on the pillow, rosy-tipped breasts
pointing at him, begging for his mouth. He could almost feel his lips around a plump nipple or his
tongue busy between her legs lapping at her slit and tasting the juices in her cunt.
He shuddered inwardly as he thought of that idiotic phone call last night. It was just a
good thing he didn t drink, or he d have blurted out the real reason. He wanted to change the  No
Sex rule. He could just imagine how she would have reacted to that. So he d made up a lame
excuse, hung up and taken a cold shower, hoping that would help. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]