Call Her Mine (Harmony Pointe #1)- Melissa Foster Page 0,13

a whole different way.

“What are you doing?” she asked a little breathlessly. “You have a better idea than the sink?”

“I’ve got about a hundred better ideas, but none of them are about the baby,” came out before he could stop it. She breathed harder, her breasts brushing temptingly against his skin with every inhalation.

“You’re not using that child as a wingman.” She stepped around him and escaped into his laundry room, returning a moment later wearing one of his clean T-shirts—and looking just as hot as she did in her bra.

Didn’t she know what she wore didn’t matter?

“We have to bathe her before taking her to see Vic.” She put the stopper in the sink and filled it with water.

“You can’t just stick her in the sink.”

She began opening cabinets. “Where’s that big popcorn bowl?”

“Are you insane? You’re not putting B in a bowl.” He stalked out to the living room, retrieved a thin throw pillow, and dropped it in the sink, pressing it beneath the water. “We’ll lay her on that.”

“You realize you just ruined your pillow.”

“I don’t care. I’ll buy a hundred more if I need them.” He lowered the baby from his shoulder and said, “Look at her, Rels. She doesn’t know if we’re good or bad, rich or poor. All she knows is we’re the ones she’s with right now. Whether she’s mine or not, I want to make sure that while she’s with us, she’s comfortable, happy, and safe.” He looked at Aurelia and said, “Like you.”

Aurelia didn’t know what was worse, that Ben was finally looking at her the way she’d always dreamed he might or that he might be doing it just so she wouldn’t leave him alone with the baby. His words, Like you, kept coming back to her, hitting her each time with a new dose of warmth. But he could have meant that as a friend. Lord knew neither one of them was thinking straight right now. They were both so afraid of doing something wrong as they bathed the baby that they hovered over her, their sides mashed together so they could reach her. Water splashed over the edge of the sink because of the pillow, but it actually worked pretty well, keeping the baby’s head out of the water and making it easier for them to bathe her.

When they were done, they dressed her in a long-sleeve pink-and-white-striped onesie and a pair of the tiniest pink leggings Aurelia had ever seen, both of which Ben had bought. He’d even remembered to buy socks. She’d known he would come through for the baby.

It took them only twenty-five minutes to figure out the right way to install the car seat and to get her in it properly, which was a miracle considering Ben questioned Aurelia’s every move and insisted on reading the directions three times. He drove so slowly to Vic’s office she didn’t think they’d ever arrive.

They parked around back and used the rear entrance because rumors in Sweetwater traveled faster than spit in the wind. Ben refused to carry the baby in the carrier part of the car seat. It might break. I’d rather she was in my arms.

As he carried her in, he said, “I feel like I’m making a drug deal.”

Vic was coming down the hall wearing scrubs the same royal-blue color as his eyes. He had short honey-brown hair and ever-present scruff. The handsome physician always looked like he’d just walked off the set of Grey’s Anatomy, even when he was jogging through town.

He looked at them like he was holding back a joke and pointed to his office as he said, “Go on in. I’ll just be another minute or two.”

They waited in his office, and Aurelia felt like she could finally breathe. Her heart had been racing since they’d found the baby, and over the last few hours Ben had made it beat even harder. She stole a glance at him, looking lovingly down at the baby cradled in his right arm. B looked even smaller against his broad, athletic body. She was whimpering a little, and he lifted her to his shoulder and rubbed her back, looking nothing like the man who had acted like the baby might burn him a few hours ago.

“Shh, peanut,” he said softly. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

Peanut? That language was hardly fair. What woman wouldn’t turn to mush seeing a big man like Ben Dalton get all squishy and lovey over a baby like that? He