The Christmas Baby Bump by Lynne Marshall Read Free Book Online Page B

package. Once he sent Robbie back to his stepmom and dad, he’d have time to enjoy her company up close and, hopefully, very personal. Especially after that kiss confirmed what he’d suspected since the first day he’d seen her—they had chemistry. And knowing she didn’t want to get involved with anyone any more than he did sounded like the perfect setup.
    “Okay. I get it. But when my parents get back from Hawaii, and Robbie goes home, I’d like to make an official date with you.”
    He hadn’t removed his hand, and hers turned beneath his. Now palm to palm, a stimulating image formed in his mind. He wished he could take her home and ravish her right on the spot, but she was skittish and he needed to take things slowly.
    “Fine.” She flicked her lashes and glanced quickly into his eyes, then slid her hand away.
    Still high from their kiss, new desire stirred in him. From the jolt he felt, she could have been throwing lightning bolts instead of batting her lashes. They definitely had chemistry.
    “Fine?” he said. “Well, then, let’s make that date right now, so I’ll have something to look forward to.”
    On Saturday night, Phil watched Robbie sleep. The little guy flipped and flopped and in between he coughed.His eyes popped open for the briefest of moments, fluttered, then clamped shut as if trying desperately to stay asleep, but the constant irritation of that cough gave him a good battle. The restless spectacle put a hard lump smack in the middle of Phil’s throat.
    Robbie’s world would become difficult enough as he got older and realized that other kids looked at him differently, and maybe they wouldn’t play with him because of him having Down syndrome.
    “Sweet kid,” he mumbled against an alien yet firm tugging in his chest. What was happening to him?
    He adjusted the covers for the umpteenth time beneath his little brother’s chin before taking a stroll to the kitchen for a glass of water. It had taken a few days, but they were starting to get into a routine at night. Robbie had filled him in on the rule about reading a picture book before bed. Phil had complied. Heck, he even enjoyed some of them. After a couple of nights, Phil was even able to sneak back to his own bed.
    Robbie drifted in a sweet oblivious tide of ignorance and bliss hanging out with other toddlers. How much longer would it last? And as long as it did last, Phil wanted nothing more than for him to be well rested and on his best play-pal game at preschool.
    When Robbie didn’t sleep, Phil didn’t either. How in hell had Roma and his dad managed the last four years?
    And when Phil couldn’t sleep, his mind drifted to Stephanie—the last person he needed to think about if he had any hope of getting rest. Maybe he’d taken advantage of the situation by kissing her at the beach, even though she’d done her share of participation with that kiss. It had been a whim. She’d looked so damn sweet and vulnerable, completely different from work.Well, he’d wanted to kiss her, and he had. And he was glad.
    He hadn’t given a no-strings-attached kiss like that since high school. Stephanie’s wounded and fragile air made him extra-cautious. It also drew him to her. Ironically, he only had two months, but he vowed to take things slowly, to give her plenty of leeway. Even if it killed him.
    He scratched his chest and paced back and forth across the kitchen. Stephanie was sleek, not flashy; intelligent, but not street-smart. Her hair changed colors in the sun from brown with a hint of red to full-out copper. Her eyes often looked like honey. And she was sweet, in a withdrawn sort of way.
    He scraped his jaw. Did any of the description make sense? All he knew for sure was a deep gut reaction happened each and every time he saw her. That was not normal. For him.
    What he’d give for a little affectionate nuzzling with her right about now, especially if it quickly evolved into hot and panting sex. But he was going to take it slow.