When Kade looked at her like that, she remembered how she’d ended up pregnant in the first place. The man oozed an earnest sexuality that still packed a wallop. Evidently time away from his intense eyes and devilish grin hadn’t made her immune to his considerable charms because she found herself agreeing. “Okay.”
Eliza squirmed and emitted a disgruntled cry.
Rather than retreat from her squawking, Kade tenderly touched Eliza’s plump cheek. “Hey there, beautiful girl. What’s got you fussin’? You hungry?”
Skylar melted a tiny bit at his immediate acceptance and interest in his daughter. “She’s always hungry when she wakes up.”
“I imagine.” He kept stroking Eliza’s face, staring at her with an expression resembling awe.
“You wanna hold her?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe.”
“You have held a baby before, right?”
“Not for a long time. And never mine.”
Sky shifted sideways and gently placed Eliza in his arms.
Kade stiffened.
“Relax.”
“Am I doin’ this right?” His panicked gaze sought hers. “Or am I squeezin’ her too tight?”
“You’re doing fine, Daddy. Just make sure you support her head.” Sky fussed with Eliza’s blanket and murmured,” She likes to be snuggled close to your body.”
“Like this?”
“Uh-huh.” She studied his rapt face, bowled over by the raw emotion he didn’t bother to hide. “Be warned. She is squirmy.”
“She don’t weigh much, does she?”
“You won’t be saying that when you’ve been walking the floor with her all night because she won’t stop crying. Those fifteen pounds feel like a hundred.”
He smiled and brushed his thumb across Eliza’s plump cheek. “I can’t wait. I can’t wait to do it all. Good Lord, she’s so beautiful.”
Not the response Skylar expected and it brought a lump to her throat. “I’ll warm up a bottle.”
That terrified look returned. “You’re leavin’ me alone with her?”
“I’ll be in the back if you need anything.”
After grabbing a bottle from the mini-fridge, Skylar heated a pan of water on the hot plate. She considered Kade’s suggestion of moving in with them. Much as she’d been inclined to argue, it made sense. Not only could she use his help, she’d never intended to deny Kade contact with Eliza. She’d been too startled by his mother’s unexpected appearance in the store this morning to ask Kimi McKay her oldest son’s whereabouts. But she’d been thinking about it ever since. Wondering how she’d react when she saw him again.
Skylar remembered every little detail of the last time she’d seen him on that sultry evening last summer, sadness from a family tragedy had been weighing on him. They’d been on their way to dinner and the heavy silence in his truck had gotten too much for her to bear. She’d said, “Will you think I’m pandering if I say I’m worried about you?”
“No. It’d be nice to have someone worry about me for a change.” He’d shot Skylar a sheepish look. “Sorry. Just feelin’ low. Never thought I’d be thirty-one, single, and livin’ back at home, wonderin’ if my future is as bleak as it looks right now.”
He seemed embarrassed by that admission as he parked at the far edge of the lot at the restaurant. “Hang tight. I’ll come around and help you out. The damn interior light is broken. It’s awful dark out here for you to be stumblin’ around in them ankle breakin’ shoes.”
He opened the door. Skylar swung her legs to the running board, but didn’t hop right out.
“What?” His hands tightened on her waist.
“You look like you could use a hug.” She wreathed her arms around his neck. Scooting forward, she trapped his hips with her knees, which brought them pelvis-to-pelvis, chest-to-chest and almost mouth-to-mouth.
“Skylar—”
“Ssh. It’s okay.” She kissed him, wanting to chase away his melancholy. He relaxed into her like she’d given him exactly what he’d needed.
He was so sweet. So big and solid and sturdy. Such a contradiction with his hungry kisses and tentative touches. And he smelled like a million bucks. If she could bottle that elusive manly scent, she’d be filthy rich. He tasted of tobacco and toothpaste and Sky decided she could stay right there pressed against his firm body, secure in his strong arms, all night.
The kiss intensified. His rough palms slid up her thighs. She didn’t bat away his roving hands. Neither did she protest when he cupped her breasts and stroked his thumbs across her hard nipples.