love her so much.”
Molly laughed softly, her eyes shining with tears. “I know. Me too.”
“Hi, sweet girl,” he cooed at the baby. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other in a subtle rocking motion.
The fact that I remained standing and didn’t melt into a puddle on the floor was a miracle rivaled only by the miracle of new life sleeping in Corban’s arms. My knees were in danger of buckling and my heart felt as if it would burst right out of my chest. A breathtaking surge of emotion consumed me from within. Awe, happiness, and gratitude that I was here to witness this moment, mixed with a dose of lust so potent my cheeks flushed hot.
I had never been more attracted to Corban Nash than I was seeing him gently cradling his newborn niece.
“What’s her name?” Corban asked.
“Kaitlyn, but we’ll call her Kate.”
“It’s perfect.” He turned to me. “Do you want to hold her?”
My breath caught in my throat, my eyes darting between Corban and Molly. I was completely out of my depth, invading a family moment so beautiful and personal it made my eyes sting with the threat of tears. “I apologize for intruding. Corban and I were going to lunch when your husband called and then I stayed to keep him company in the waiting room. I realize you don’t know me well and this is all very private and I won’t stay long because I’m sure you’re quite tired. But I would very much like to hold your baby.”
I stopped, surprised at the torrent of words that had poured from my mouth. Especially the last part. But it was true. I did want to hold her.
“You’re fine,” Molly said with a smile. “I don’t mind that you’re here with Corban.”
“I should wash my hands. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for introducing any harmful microorganisms to her developing immune system.”
Molly and Martin shared a look—a subtle communication passing between them that I didn’t understand. I set my purse down and washed my hands thoroughly, then approached Corban with hesitant steps.
He carefully passed the sleeping baby to me. She weighed almost nothing, just a tiny body wrapped tightly in a blanket, a pink knit hat on her head.
Her eyes were closed, and a bit of dark hair peeked out from beneath the hat. She had round cheeks and a little bow of a mouth.
“She’s perfect,” I breathed.
Corban rubbed my back while I stared down at the baby, unable to look away. I’d always wondered if I lacked the natural biological instinct to procreate, since I’d never been one to gush over babies. But holding Kate in my arms ignited a tiny spark inside me. A little flare of desire I’d never felt before.
It was all quite overwhelming. After a moment, I carefully passed her back to Corban.
Watching him hold her, gently swaying from side to side, only made the feeling stronger.
I made an excuse to leave as soon as I could, congratulating Molly again and telling Corban to take his time. The cafeteria was downstairs, and I ordered us both lunch. I knew Corban would be hungry. He was always hungry.
The warm squishy feeling persisted while I waited for Corban. I’d experienced something profound today. Was it just holding a tiny human who was so new to the world? I’d never held a newborn before. And it stood to reason that watching Corban hold baby Kate would produce certain feelings. It was normal for a woman to react positively to seeing an attractive man with a baby.
It was just typical human biology.
Wasn’t it?
30
Corban
“Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don’t throw it away.” ~ Stephen Hawking
Patting my pants pockets—although I’d already checked there—I looked around my office for my keys. I couldn’t find them anywhere. They weren’t sitting out. I’d looked in all the drawers. Lifted the small stacks of paperwork, files, and folders off my desk. Checked underneath my keyboard and behind my monitor.
It was the end of the day, and I’d offered to bring dinner to Molly and Martin. They’d brought Kate home from the hospital yesterday, so I figured they’d appreciate a meal they didn’t have to cook themselves.
I groaned in frustration and got down on the floor, moved my chair aside, and felt with my hand. They had to be around here somewhere.
From this vantage point, I saw a pair of black men’s shoes and slacks appear in my doorway.
“Hang on.” I grabbed