Lone Star Rising by Darlene Graham

Author:Darlene Graham
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2006-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

IN ZACK’S MIND, those first two days with a baby in the house were golden. For Robbie, and by extension for Danielle and the boys, he was happy to dig in and do anything and everything that needed doing.

He showed up at 7:00 a.m. and cheerfully sent the grumpy Marynell on her way, then he packed the kids off to school with the efficiency of a drill sergeant dispatching troops.

For the time being, the baby’s needs were easily and simply met. Robbie was an expert at breastfeeding and the newborn slept in a bassinet next to Robbie’s bed with a little, well-stocked changing table nearby. So, Zack decided his first order of business after he unpacked the groceries and saw that Robbie had everything she needed for her shower, was to get the rest of the house in order. While Robbie showered he knocked off the dishes, laundry and vacuuming. He was actually glad when he heard a mewling little cry and dashed upstairs to whisk Danielle up out of the bassinet. Robbie came out of the bathroom to find him pacing the room with the wailing baby hugged against his shoulder.

“The princess is upset,” he said and smiled at her.

“She needs to nurse,” Robbie said. She got settled against the pillows on the bed and Zack brought her the baby.

When he turned to leave, Robbie said quietly, “You don’t have to go unless you just want to, Zack. I’d like it if you’d stay and talk to me.”

She tilted her shoulder away from him, undoing the front of her robe to offer a breast to the fussy baby.

Though Robbie was careful to perform the maternal task modestly enough, as Zack sat in the rocker nearby and got glimpses of tiny cheek against curved breast he felt a fascination and a level of intimacy that he’d never felt with any woman before.

They talked about mundane things, and once or twice Robbie adjusted the receiving blanket that covered her shoulder, and Danielle made amusing satisfied noises, and Zack settled into some kind of mirage state where he imagined that this was his bedroom, his baby, his woman.

He served Robbie a late breakfast and then kept her company while she sponge-bathed Danielle. Just watching the baby stretch or sneeze or yawn delighted them both. Every time the baby did something cute, they ended up smiling into each other’s eyes, and another stitch of intimacy seemed to weave its way between them.

For Zack, their relationship couldn’t build fast enough. He kept thinking back to the way Robbie had broken down on the night of the Firefighters’ Ball and he wanted to tell her not to worry, not ever again. He would take care of her, now and forever. But he knew she needed time. So he was content to do whatever he could for her, to prove the sincerity of his feelings with endless acts of service.

He served her soup and a sandwich for lunch and figured he’d hang the curtains in the nursery alcove off the master suite while Robbie and the baby took a nap on the couch downstairs.

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