Home? She’d said home. Her words echoed in her mind, and she looked up at him in concern. Subconsciously, she already considered this home.
“I wish you’d consider this your home, Rachel, regardless of where you live. Nothing would make me happier even if we’re taking this slow, like we agreed.”
He gave her a hug and a kiss. They were interrupted by the doorbell.
“I’ll bet that’s Charlie with the key.” He pulled on his leathers and T-shirt before quickly closing the door.
She slipped into his robe, which hung on a hook in his closet, and began to pull clothing from the Macy’s bag. Dang it. Grace had removed all the price tags. Rachel was going to have to do something special for Grace because she knew Grace would never accept repayment. She’d guessed pretty accurately on sizes, and Rachel loved her style.
They were all in bright colors and sexy styles. Empire waists with low-cut necklines, sexy, slinky V-necks, sheer sleeves and beading. There was also a long derriere-hugging denim skirt she could wear with her boots. She chose the skirt, a blouse with a deep overlapping surplice neckline and a built-in halter top underneath, a black push-up bra and, bless her heart, a black satin G-string. Man, she loved Grace!
She gathered everything up and listened at the bedroom door to hear whether or not someone was still there. She didn’t hear anything, so she opened the door and took the new clothing to the bathroom. The house was quiet, and she assumed he’d stepped outside to talk to Charlie. She walked to his living room window and peeked out.
Eli was outside in the front yard, talking to Charlie. Charlie pointed at the roof and at something located on what was now her side of the duplex.
He must be planning repairs. While they spoke, a Toyota sedan pulled up along the curb. Curious, Rachel stayed at the window to see who it was. She was not overjoyed when an unfamiliar young woman got out of the car. She
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had short, curly jet-black hair, and she was tiny. She was also very pretty in a pixie-like sort of way. Rachel focused on Eli. He shook hands with Charlie, who was making his exit as this new visitor arrived.
He turned, his back to the house, with his big muscled arms crossed over his chest. His stance was wide and unmoving. Then he tilted his head to the side. Rachel wished she could see his face. The young woman held her hand up to shade her eyes from the late afternoon sun and smiled sweetly at him. She stood in the open door of the car and removed an overnight bag and placed it on the trunk of the car.
Oh. Hell. No. Not so soon.
64
Heather Rainier
Chapter Seven
As Rachel watched in growing trepidation, the young woman slung
another bag over her shoulder and walked around to the other side of the car.
Oh, no. The second bag was a diaper bag. This was going to be interesting.
She placed it on the trunk also and opened the passenger side door and leaned in momentarily. When she stood back up, she held a newborn infant in a fuzzy blue sleeper against her chest. The baby also had jet-black hair and was snuggled up to the pretty young woman, fast asleep.
Rachel’s heart began to pound, and the muscles in her throat refused to work, so she couldn’t swallow. A cold chill skated over her skin, and she willed herself to breathe deeply, knowing it was just adrenaline. She trusted him, and there had to be more to this than what she saw.
The young woman spoke to Eli from the open door of the car. As she spoke, she became emotional. By this point, Eli had walked slowly to the car and then gently enfolded the young woman and the baby in his arms.
She cried while he held her and patted her back. He spoke to the young woman and gestured with his hand toward the house. The young woman wiped her face with one hand and smiled at him.
Rachel watched, her heart aching as he took the tiny little infant boy with shiny black hair from his mother. He snuggled him up high on his chest, under his jaw, held him with one big hand, and gently guided her to the duplex before he grabbed the two bags off the trunk and closed the car door with his boot.
Rachel turned and hurtled into the bathroom, stripped his robe off and quickly turned on the shower, jumping in even before it was warm, gasping at the shock of the cold water on her skin. She needed a few minutes to process this latest development. Was that his baby? Was that an old girlfriend? She had cried and looked so vulnerable. He comforted her like
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someone who was emotionally invested in her. He had not acted unhappy to see her. He might have been surprised but not unhappy.
As she bathed, she was reminded that she and Eli had made love earlier.
She was very sensitive, though not all that sore. He’d been so sweet to her and so careful with her. She knew he wouldn’t take her trust and the intimacy they now shared for granted in light of this new visitor. At least, she hoped not. Whatever the case, whoever she was, it was too late for Rachel. Her heart was lost to him, and when she thought of it, it beat a hollow rhythm in her chest.