Lone Star Baby (McCabe Multiples Book 5) (11 page)

She smiled, knowing exactly what he had in mind.

One by one, the buttons on her shirt came undone. He spread it open, revealing a pale blue bra. Her nipples were jutting through the lace. Lust poured through him, more potent than ever. “You’re beautiful.”

He eased the clothing from her, then worked on the zipper of her jeans. She moaned a low, desperate, hungry sound as he eased those off, too. Hooking his thumbs in the elastic of her panties, he tugged them down her thighs, just low enough to allow him to slide his palm between them.

She moaned and slipped her hands beneath his shirt, moving them up his spine, all the while kissing him feverishly.

He stroked, explored, caressed.

Their hearts kicked into a heavy beat and everything within them tightened with need.

Violet knew she was losing not just her head—but the protective shield around her heart—even as he lifted her onto the dryer. She didn’t care. Her emotions were in tatters. This was the one thing, the
only
thing that would make her feel better.

And if it helped him, too, she thought wistfully as he shed his clothes and stepped between her thighs... All the better.

He brought her closer, anchoring her legs around his waist. And still they kissed and kissed. He rubbed up against her, so big and strong and blatantly male. Intimately stroked and touched, every move, every caress so incredibly tender and sweet. A sigh rippled through her and then a moan. Dampness flowed. He was deliciously hard, everywhere, and she was ready. So ready...

She cradled his hips within hers. “Gavin...”

Lower still, there was burgeoning pressure and heat.

He throbbed between the tender, knowing ministrations of her hands. “Now?”

She caught her breath at the darkly possessive intent in his tone. “Now.”

He held her eyes for a long moment, then slid home. She cried out, softly this time, urgently. He lowered his head and kissed her. For the moment ignoring the way she arched against him, needing that movement, needing...him.

Needing this.

Until he finally began to move.

Slowly, sensually. Hands holding her still, he forced her to submit to the easy, hopelessly erotic, endless strokes. Deep. Then shallow. Then deep and even once again.

And still he kissed her, capturing her lips and tongue, showing her all the ways to taste and savor, love and experience.

Their breathing grew hot and heavy, their bodies slick with sweat.

Excitement escalated. Until at last there was nothing but passion, desperation, need, all the emotion of the past few weeks overtaking them.

When it was over, they sagged against each other. Spent. Breathless.

And Violet knew it wasn’t just her body she had surrendered to Gavin, but her heart.

* * *

A
S
V
IOLET
SNUGGLED
against him, Gavin realized two things. One, making love with her was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced. And two, the feelings between them were a lot stronger than compatibility, shared responsibility and lust.

Feeling her body sag with fatigue, Gavin lifted Violet into his arms and carried her to his bed. Instead of settling, she started to rise. “The baby...”

“I’ll check on her.” Gavin ambled out to the living room.

When he returned, their abandoned clothes in hand, Violet was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked deliciously tousled. And, to his disappointment, way too fatigued to make love again. “Why don’t you sleep?”

“I should get dressed first.”

Or not, he thought, liking the idea of her naked, in his bed. But realizing she might be warmer clothed, he asked, “Where’s your suitcase?”

Her kiss-swollen lips twisted wryly. “At the stable-house. I was so excited about going to the hospital to pick up Ava, I forgot to put it in my car.”

He went into his closet and took out one of his button-down shirts. “Will this do?”

She looked at the soft cotton longingly. “You sure?”

Was she kidding? “One of my fantasies come true,” he teased.

She offered a weak smile and let him help her on with it. “This is becoming a habit.”

One he highly enjoyed. Tenderness flowing through him, he guided her lovingly down to the pillows. “You need to rest,” he repeated his earlier admonition. “I’ll handle Ava. And if not, she’ll let you hear about it.”

“True.” Violet chuckled and shut her eyes.

Seconds later, she was fast asleep.

Gavin stood, watching her, something warm and soft unfurling in his heart. And in that instant he knew something else. That what had started out to be a temporary fling had turned into much, much more.

The question was did Violet realize it, too?

Chapter Eleven

Violet awakened with a start five hours later. She jumped up, for a second not sure where she was. And then she remembered. Gavin’s house. Gavin’s bed.

And Ava...where was she? Violet wondered anxiously.
How was she?

She padded barefoot to the bedroom door.

Easing it open, she saw Gavin standing in the kitchen. While she’d been sleeping, he’d changed into snug-fitting jeans and a white, short-sleeved T-shirt that did equally disturbing things to his washboard abs. He had a burp cloth thrown over one broad shoulder, a wide-eyed Ava, clad in a fresh pink onesie, cuddled in his arms. Together, they were the picture of doting father and his newborn daughter.

As her gaze drifted over them, memorizing the moment for all time, Violet found herself awash in sentiment.

How was she ever going to give all this up and just walk away when, despite the hardships of settling in, it felt like one long, unbelievably happy dream?

The kind she thought had eluded her.

“Well, look who’s awake,” Gavin drawled, his sensual glance drifting over her.

Awake and lusting for a kiss. A hug. More scintillating sex. But that was all fantasy, too, Violet reminded herself, rubbing her eyes.

They had joined together to be temporary guardians. That was all.

Eventually they were going to have to let Ava go and move on, no matter how difficult that proved. It might be better if she were prepared for that.

“Or
are
you awake?” Gavin teased, hitting the button on the bottle warmer, then strolling closer. He bent to kiss her brow and shook his head in bemusement. “You still look a little dreamy...”

Not to mention, as hopelessly idealistic as ever, Violet thought, still breathless from the brief caress.
Wishing so hard for everything to be perfect that for a moment I imagined it actually was.

Gavin’s gaze drifted to the upper curve of her breasts.

Abruptly, she realized she probably should have put on something more than her panties and his pale blue shirt. Probably brushed her hair, too.

With his arms still full of baby, he leaned closer and nuzzled the top of her head. “Sure you don’t want to go in and get another three or four hours of shut-eye?” His glance darkened protectively. “I don’t have to go back until six tonight.”

“That’s right. You’re working the other half of the shift you cut short last night.”

He nodded. “I’ll be back at midnight, though. And then I don’t have to work again for forty-eight hours.”

“Was that the original schedule?”

“I switched some things around so I could be here more to help out with Ava.” He studied her closely. “Is that okay?”

Was he kidding? Yet another fantasy come true. Except she had a few work items to handle. Starting with that long list of calls to the patients who were giving Tara Warren a hard time.

Aware she was tingling everywhere, and they hadn’t even touched, Violet fought a blush. “I can handle the close quarters if you can.”

She wasn’t sure she could make love with him again—which they surely would if they were in close quarters—and not fall in love with him. But that was a dilemma for another time, she decided. Right now she was going to enjoy the moment. The baby. The man.

“It’s only for a month or so,” he said with a shrug.

“Right.” Which was a soul-crushing limit she hadn’t wanted to think about.

Aware she was on the edge of another emotional crying jag, Violet inhaled deeply and looked past him to the foyer. “Is that my suitcase?”

“I asked Poppy to bring it for you. She dropped it off a while ago. And as long as you’re up, your cell phone has been going off since noon.”

Violet went to check and found a dozen text messages.

“They fixed the plumbing problem at McCabe House.”

He came closer. “Great.”

Trying not to notice how big and hard and strong he was, all over, she said, “I’ve got about ten offers to babysit Ava for us.”

He grinned, giving her a sexy once-over. “Also good if we want to go out to dinner or something.”

Was he asking her for a date? Her heart skipped a beat at the possibility. Although what exactly that meant...

“And an email from the San Antonio Medical Center.”

He waited, his expression impassive.

To her surprise, Violet felt similarly discombobulated. She read it. “They’ve offered me a staff physician position in their oncology department.”

It wasn’t really a surprise. She’d known by what was said at her interview the month before that she was a leading candidate for the position.

What was a shock was that the joy she had expected to feel, if this position did in fact materialize for her, was nowhere to be found.

Gavin paused. “What’s the proposed start date?”

A lot sooner than she had planned, unfortunately. Violet exhaled slowly and lifted her face to his. “One month from today.”

His expression grew even more inscrutable. “Are you going to take it?”

She had all the reasons in the world to say yes. So why was she hesitating? “I, uh, want to make sure Ava is settled first.”

“And then?” he asked, still the epitome of masculine calm.

She didn’t know. “I’m still waiting to hear back on a couple more positions that I interviewed for. So I’ll wait and see.”

* * *

“T
HAT
MEANS
,” G
AVIN
explained to Ava, when Violet went off to get a shower, “we still have a chance to convince her to stay right here in Laramie.”

Her eyes on him, Ava drank from her bottle.

“The hospital needs her,” Gavin continued.
I need her.

Where had that thought come from?

He shifted the baby in his arms so she could more easily access the formula. “You need her, too,” he said softly. “At least until we find your permanent home.”

And they all moved on.

Which, given how quickly and deeply emotionally involved he and Violet both were becoming in this child’s life, couldn’t happen a moment too soon.

Because heaven knew it would be almost impossible to give the child up if either of them got any more attached to her than they currently were.

Fortunately, Mitzy Martin stopped by just after Violet emerged from the bedroom, fresh from the shower.

Her hair fell down her back in a damp, silky mass. She smelled of his soap and shampoo, and was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a knit pine-green shirt that buttoned up the front. Shearling-lined moccasins and socks covered her feet. She hadn’t bothered with makeup, which only served to show off the creamy perfection of her fair skin and the whiskey-gold of her eyes. But nothing could mask the slightly fatigued set of her slender shoulders and the shadows beneath her eyes.

“Rough first twenty-four hours at home?” Mitzy asked.

Violet shrugged off the sympathy with her usual grace. “We’re getting the hang of it.” She looked over at Gavin for support.

He nodded in acknowledgment, at that moment feeling very much like the co-guardianship team they were supposed to be. “Violet’s doing a great job.”

“So are you,” Violet said in return.

Mitzy gave them both an odd look.

Clearly, Gavin thought, this was not what she had expected.

Not wanting to reveal the romantic turn his relationship with Violet had taken—for fear too much scrutiny too soon would ruin their fragile closeness—Gavin handed Ava over to Violet.

Working to get the conversation back on track, he asked Mitzy, “I gather you have some news for us?”

“I do.” Mitzy smiled at the newborn, who was now resting her head on Violet’s shoulder, trying to work up a burp as Violet gently rubbed her back.

“I have a file full of videos from all the interested adoptive parents and families.” Mitzy pulled a CD with Ava’s name on it out of her briefcase. She handed it to Gavin.

“As you know, the waiting list for infants is extremely long, so home studies have already been done on all of the perspective candidates on the disc. So anyone you see in the group would be readily approved by the court. It’s really a matter of which family you think would be the best fit for her.”

“We’ll look at them right away,” Gavin promised. Even though it felt as if he was doing Ava a disservice in sending her to live with someone else.

“Great.” Mitzy beamed her relief. “I thought we would have you pick the top three prospects and then introduce Ava to the families to see who is the most compatible.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Violet said lightly.

Except it wouldn’t be for her, Gavin thought, if he was reading her emotions accurately. And not for him, either.

“Will we be able to read through the background information on the applicants before we decide?” Violet asked, her expression matter-of-fact.

“Absolutely,” Mitzy reassured her. “We want you to feel completely comfortable with whichever family you choose to be Ava’s parents.”

* * *

“Y
OU
LOOK
STRESSED
OUT
,”
Gavin observed after Mitzy left.

Whereas he, she thought, looked relaxed as could be. Violet ignored the river of emotion pouring through her. She went into the kitchen to do the dishes and found there were none to do. Gavin had already taken care of that, too.

So she stood, with her hands braced on the edge of the sink, looking out the window at the street.

Leaves were beginning to change.

Going from green to gold, brown and red.

Violet swallowed around the ache in her throat. “It’s a big responsibility.” And one she still didn’t really want. How was she supposed to pick a family for the child she wanted to bring up herself? And wasn’t thinking that way selfish? When she and Gavin had agreed from the outset they would do what was best for Ava and give her over to a loving, stable family to raise?

His hands on her shoulders, Gavin turned her to face him. A day’s growth of beard gave him a rugged, manly appearance. He brushed his thumb across the curve of her cheek. “Is that all?”

Of course he saw right through her. He always did. Trying not to let his tenderness undo her composure, Violet inhaled a shaky breath. “I promised Tara I would go over to see Carlson and Wanda today.”

“You want me to go with you or to watch Ava?”

Resisting the urge to throw herself in his arms, Violet extricated herself from his grip and leaned against the counter. Their gazes locked and she felt another moment of tingling awareness.

She cleared her throat. “Actually, I thought I’d take Ava with me. The Willoughbys live just a few streets over. It’s a nice afternoon.” The fresh air might help her clear her head of all these ridiculously romantic notions. “I could put Ava in the buggy and stroll her over while you rest a while before your next shift.”

To her relief, Gavin didn’t argue. “Okay. I’ll leave my cell phone on if you need me to come get her.”

Violet nodded her thanks. She paused, aware her emotions were still a little raw. “About those videos Mitzy left... Tomorrow or the day after is soon enough to watch them, don’t you think?”

He smiled gently. “We can go over them together when we have a little more time.”

Relieved to be able to put that task aside, at least for the moment, Violet settled Ava in the buggy and readied to walk over to the Willoughbys’ home.

* * *

“
I
THOUGHT
I’
D
stop by to say hello,” Violet said when Wanda opened the door and stepped out onto the porch of the bungalow.

Today’s athletic suit was dark brown. The reading glasses she wore could not hide the redness around her eyes. It looked as if she had been crying. Given the situation, it was easy to understand why.

“Oh, you brought the baby!” The older woman walked down the steps to peer into the buggy, where Ava slept soundly. “I heard you and Dr. Monroe were taking care of a little one together.”

“Temporarily,” Violet said.

Wanda laid a hand over her heart. “Well, she’s just darling!”

That, Ava was, with her dark lashes resting against her soft, pink cheeks, and her rosebud lips pursed in a sweet little pout.

“It’s too bad the two of you can’t keep her.”

Yes, it was.

“But given the fact you’re not married, well...”

“It makes sense to find her a family with two loving parents,” Violet said.

Wanda nodded her understanding.

A brief silence fell.

Violet got straight to the point. “I talked with Dr. Warren.”

Carlson walked out to join them. “Then you know I’ll only go through with treatment if you are here to administer it, Dr. McCabe.”

Violet wasn’t surprised to see nothing had changed. The old man was as stubborn as he was smart. “Dr. Warren is an excellent doctor.”

Wanda dug in all the more. “
You’re
the one we trust.”

“Which is a problem in and of itself,” Violet said with sincere regret. “I’ve done you a grave disservice if I’ve left you with the impression that I’m the only member of the medical team you can trust. All the doctors, the nurses, the radiologists and aides contribute to the excellent care you receive.”

“You’re saying we should trust Dr. Warren.”

“She would never have been hired if she weren’t top-notch.”

Wanda shook her head. “But she’s not family to us. You’re family, Dr. McCabe. And we only want family looking after Carlson.”

Violet sucked in a breath. “Then give her a chance. Let her become family to you, too.”

* * *

“Y
OU
SHOULD
BE
flattered they think so highly of you,” Gavin said after he had woken from his nap and she’d told him about her meeting with the Willoughbys.

Violet sorted baby clothes, then put the pastels in the washer. “If I’d really been doing my job, they’d trust more than just me.”

He sent her an intuitive glance. “What’s really going on here?”

Violet measured baby laundry detergent into a cup. “It’s too much pressure.”

Gavin disappeared into the bathroom and returned with an electric razor. “You’ve been handling it so far.”