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Cassie scooped Emily from the high chair and settled her on her hip. “I’ve no doubt Dad is weighing in with his opinion. I need to give her a bath. You sticking around?”
Shaking her head, Tessa sighed and started across the living room. “I think I’ll head home and make some dinner. It’s not often I get to cook for Grant, and he’s worked so hard lately. He needs to relax.”
Cassie squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t want to hear about you two relaxing. Just a simple no would’ve answered my question.”
With a naughty laugh, Tessa grabbed her keys from the entry table and waved. “See you tomorrow.”
Once Cassie was alone, she couldn’t help that her thoughts drifted to Ian, to the days they’d spent at his home in L.A. and to the fact he’d taken such good care of her sweet Emily.
Yes, the man may be five years her junior, but so what? Her ex-husband had been two years older and look how well that had turned out. Cassie couldn’t hang a single argument on age, not when Ian went above and beyond to show her just what type of man he was.
After Emily was bathed and dressed in her lightweight sleeper, Cassie set some toys on a blanket and let her daughter have some playtime before bed. Settling on the couch, curling her legs to the side, Cassie rested her elbow on the arm of the sofa and watched Emily smack soft yellow and red cubes together, making them jingle.
Exhaustion consumed her, but how could she not be tired? Her plate was not only full—it was overflowing. Physically, mentally, she was drained. Her head was actually pounding so fiercely her eyes ached. Maybe she could just lay her head on the arm of the couch while Emily played for a bit longer.
Adjusting her arm beneath her head, Cassie closed her eyes, hoping to chase away the dull throb.
* * *
After the flash of panic in seeing Cassie slumped over the arm of the couch and Emily holding herself up against the edge of the couch by her mama, Ian realized Cassie had merely fallen asleep.
“Hey, sweetie,” he said softly when Emily smiled up at him, flashing her two little baby teeth. “Your mama is pretty tired. Why don’t we let her sleep?”
Ian scooped Emily up, set her in her Pack ’n Play across the room and made sure she had her favorite stuffed horse. He had to ignore her slight protesting as he crossed back and gently lifted Cassie into his arms. Murmuring something, she tilted her head against his chest and let out a deep sigh. She was exhausted and apparently couldn’t even keep her eyes open. It was so unlike her to fall asleep with Emily still up and not confined to one area.
A small bedside lamp sent a soft glow through her bedroom. After gently laying her down, he pulled the folded blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it over her curled form. Smoothing her hair from her face, Ian frowned and leaned in closer to rest his palm across her forehead.
She wasn’t burning up, but she wasn’t far from it. Careful not to wake her, he peeled the throw back off her to hopefully get her fever down. Her cheeks were pink and the dark circles beneath her eyes were telltale signs of an illness settling in. He had a feeling Cassie would only be angry to know she was getting sick.
He went into her adjoining bath, got a cool cloth and brought it back out, carefully laying it across her forehead. She stirred and her lids fluttered open as she tried to focus.
“Ian?”
“Shh.” He curled a hand over her shoulder to get her to remain down. “It’s all right. You need to rest.”
“Emily...” Cassie’s eyes closed for a moment before she looked back up at him. “I don’t feel very well.”
“I know, baby. I’m not going anywhere and Emily is fine. Just rest.”
He had no clue if she heard him; her eyes were closed and her soft, even breathing had resumed.
The woman worked herself too hard. Not that he could judge. After all, he hadn’t grown to be one of Hollywood’s most sought-out agents at such a young age by playing assistant and errand boy. No, he’d done grunt work, made his career his since he’d left home determined to prove to his free-spirited mother and domineering father that he could manage on his own and succeed way above anything they’d ever dreamed.
And he’d done just that.
But now that he looked down at Cassie resting peacefully, he couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t more in store for him. Work was satisfying on so many levels, but it didn’t keep his bed warm, didn’t look to him for support and compassion and sure as hell didn’t make his heart swell to the point of bursting.
Cassie and Emily, on the other hand...
After clicking off the bedside lamp, he went straight to the hall bath to wash his hands. If Cassie was contagious, he didn’t want to get her daughter sick. Granted, the child had been with her mother all evening, but still. Weren’t people supposed to wash their hands before dealing with kids?
