dry and tucked her robe around her.
She was too out of it to feel embarrassment, though something told her she should. Instead she just snuggled against him and let him pick her up and carry her into the bedroom. He’d already turned down the sheet and spread. He set her gently on the bed, then pulled the covers over her, his movements quick and decisive.
“Weren’t we going to have dinner?” she murmured, struggling to sit up.
He pushed her right back down. “You need sleep more. If you wake up and you’re hungry, call me. I’ll bring you a tray.”
“Okay.”
“Sleep tight, darlin’,” he whispered and then he turned out the light.
He didn’t leave the room at once, though. She sensed him standing over her. It was odd, she thought groggily. She hadn’t felt this cared for, this cherished in years. Not even with Kyle.
On that thought, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
It was daylight before she awoke. The pale, wintry sun was filtering into the room. She hadn’t felt this rested in ages, she thought, stretching languidly. No nightmares about the accident. Not a one.
She was still indulging in the wonder of that when she remembered. “Oh, my God, the baby.”
Ashley must be starving by now. As Sharon Lynn tightened the belt on her robe, she listened intently for Ashley’s cries, but there was only silence.
Then the rest of the memories flooded back—falling asleep in the tub, Cord rescuing her and putting her to bed. The thought of him touching her made her skin tingle. Blast, she thought with a touch of regret. She’d had a man’s hands all over her last night and she barely recalled a second of it. What a waste!
She crept into the living room, then came to an abrupt stop, the beginnings of a smile on her lips.
Cord was sprawled awkwardly on the sofa, one arm outflung, the other curved tightly around the baby resting stomach-down on his chest. They were both sound asleep.
Now there was an image to steal a woman’s heart, she thought, watching them.
Even as Sharon Lynn stared, Ashley began to squirm. Sharon Lynn reached down to pick her up, but before she could, Cord snagged her wrist with his free hand.
“Why don’t you come on down here and join us?” he inquired lazily.
She pulled away. “I thought you were asleep.”
“Just resting my eyes.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I was. How much sleep do you think I could get with this little one demanding food every fifteen seconds?”
“She’s not that bad.”
“Seemed like it. No wonder you fell asleep during your bath last night.”
The mention of that brought color flooding into her cheeks. She could feel the heat of it. “About that...”
He grinned, obviously enjoying her discomfort. “You gonna thank me for saving you from drowning?”
“How long was I actually in there?”
“Long enough for the water and dinner to get cold. I finally got scared that you’d slipped in, so I tapped on the door. When you didn’t answer, I decided it was time to invade your privacy.”
“The water was cold?”
“Like ice.”
“Any bubbles left?” she inquired hopefully.
His grin broadened. “Not a one.”
“Oh,” she said faintly.
“Not to worry, darlin’. I would have seen all there was to see when I scooped you out of there, anyway. Besides, it was purely a professional rescue operation.” He solemnly sketched a cross across his heart. “You were just a lady in distress.”
“Uh-huh,” she murmured, amused by the vehement defense. “Somehow it sounds like you’re protesting a little too much.”
“Would you rather I tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed myself?”
She told herself to let it drop, to let the incident rest, but she couldn’t seem to do it. “Did you?”
“Not half as much as I would have if you’d been awake and willing.”
Her face burned at that. Okay, she’d asked for it and now she knew. The man had wanted her. That should terrify her, right? But it didn’t. For the first time in ages, she felt like a whole woman again.
She felt alive.
Chapter Six
“What’s on the agenda for today?” Cord asked as he flipped pancakes, while Sharon Lynn sat at the kitchen table feeding the baby.
“I haven’t even thought about it,” she admitted. “It’s too cold to do anything outdoors. I suppose we’ll just stick close to home.”
He was shaking his head even as she spoke. “I don’t think so. We’re going shopping.”
She stared at him in astonishment. Men hated to shop. She knew. With the possible exception of her uncle Jordan, who always dressed impeccably, not a single Adams