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Disbelief struck her mute.
“Did you change him?” he asked without changing the soft pitch of his voice.
“Of course I changed him.”
Her defensive retort earned an apologetic glance. “Just checking.”
He continued walking, and in less than five minutes, the baby was sleeping in his arms. Dean raised his eyes from the infant’s relaxed face, and her heart tripped at the sight of his triumphant smile.
“That’s totally not fair,” she complained.
He shrugged slightly, but still looked mighty pleased with himself. “What can I say?”
“Nothing,” she shot back without any real resentment. Then she closed her eyes for a brief, blissful moment before reopening them to whisper, “Don’t say a word. Just be quiet.”
For a few seconds, they stood there together, watching the baby. She was enjoying the blessed silence when Dean lifted his right hand to adjust the blanket. Her gaze focused on his fingers, noticing a couple of his knuckles looked a little like her face.
“Did you do something to your hand?”
He stilled, then gave a one shouldered shrug while returning to a two-armed cradle, his right arm underneath the baby. “I hit it on something. It’s not a big deal.” His thick lashes lifted, givin
g her a full-on view of his chocolate brown eyes as they focused on her right eye. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” She drew in a shallow breath, struggling against the sudden heat his concern triggered. The baby offered a great distraction, so she stepped forward. “Here, I can take him now. Maybe I can go lay him down.”
The slight jostling during the handoff woke him up and he started crying yet again. Gina cringed as she muttered, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
After a minute, she felt like a total failure and set him back in Dean’s arms. Muscled arms she couldn’t help but notice must get regular workouts in his home gym. Maybe she’d be lucky enough to catch a show while decorating the adjacent game room in a few weeks.
His magic touch yielded results with the baby in no time, and her bemused frown received a sheepish smile. “I have a confession to make.”
“What?”
“When my mom married my stepdad, she didn’t have to work anymore, so she started volunteering at the local children’s hospital. She loved the preemies and newborns, and I used to go with her after school sometimes, so I’ve had lots of practice.”
She pictured him as a teenager in high school helping care for sick babies. After last night and right now, it didn’t surprise her one bit. “Well, in that case, I hope you weren’t planning on leaving anytime soon.”
He gave a soft laugh. “No, I’m good.”
When his gaze met hers again, her stomach filled with flutters of anticipation. Whatever it was that charged the air when she was near him was out in full force. It made her want a repeat of their last kiss, but a lot less gentle. Last night had been perfect and exactly what she needed in that moment, but right now, she wanted the passion he’d held back.
As heat warmed her face, she quickly diverted her attention. “You said you skipped the dinner party, so I take it you didn’t eat?”
He shook his head. “I’ll grab something on my way home.”
“That could be a while. If you’re okay with him, I can make us a couple grilled club sandwiches.”
“I’m definitely good with him.”
The immediate response made her grin as she started across the room. “Want something to drink? Ice tea? A beer? Wine?”
“Ice tea would be great. Thanks.”
She hurried to the kitchen to pour a couple glasses of the sweetened tea Britt kept in the refrigerator. As she returned with his glass, her step slowed at the sight of Dean in Joel’s leather lounge chair, rocking slightly with the baby cuddled close to his chest.
She paused in the shadow of the large archway between the foyer and the living room. His head was bent, and his brown hair tumbled across his forehead as he watched Cody’s face in peaceful slumber. One tiny hand curled tight around Dean’s index finger. From this far across the room, she could hear him humming, though she couldn’t make out the tune.
Emotion swelled in her chest. What was it about a strong, handsome man holding a teeny, tiny baby that could melt a woman’s heart in a single moment?
