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“He had a long nap. His diaper is probably soaked.”
“No ‘probably’ about it.”
Audra reached for the baby but stopped herself. If their disagreement had led him to a change of heart, if he was really going to be the kind of dad this little boy needed, then he could start now.
“The diapers are in the top drawer of the changing table.”
Panic flared in his eyes. “You’re not going to change him?”
“Diaper changing is good bonding time.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
“My sister sang to her kids when she changed their diapers. When I babysat I realized singing’s a good way to get everybody’s mind off the messy business and onto something fun.”
“I’m not singing to a baby.”
“It’ll be fun.” She set the flowers on a handy table. “After I get a vase I’ll teach you some cute songs—”
“Let me rephrase that. I’m not singing in front of anybody. Not even Joshua. I have a wickedly awful voice.”
“No, singing career for you, huh?”
“Unless you want dogs in three states to howl.”
She laughed. “The pitch that can only be heard by dog ears. You must be bad.”
He handed Joshua to her and wouldn’t meet her eyes as he said, “And I don’t know how to change a diaper.”
She figured as much. But she wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. “That’s okay. I’ll teach you.”
Rather than her offer reassuring Dominic, it seemed to panic him further. “How about if I go to my room, put on a clean shirt, send a maid with a vase, and come back for playtime?”
She wanted him to stay, but even she could see that changing a diaper the very first time he came into the nursery had overwhelmed him. Still, he’d said he would come back. This time yesterday, the wet shirt would have been an excuse for him to leave for good. Having him say he would return was progress.
“Okay.”
Dominic left the room, and Audra kissed the baby’s nose. “You’re going to have playtime with your new daddy.”
She laid the baby on the changing table, quickly realized he was a little worse off than she’d first imagined and headed for the bathroom. Holding the naked baby with one arm, she put the baby tub in the bathtub and started the warm water for him. Within seconds Joshua was up to his tummy in soap suds, happily slapping the water.
“Audra?”
“In here.”
Dominic appeared at the door, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, his short dark hair disheveled just enough to be sexy, his dark eyes sparkling with their ever-present glimmer of mischief.
Tingles of warmth exploded in her stomach just from looking at him. He was cute. He was sexy. And now it appeared that he was owning up to his responsibilities with the baby. A natural urge to flirt with him bubbled up in her, but she squelched it. His willingness to spend a little time with the baby didn’t translate to change in every area of his life. She couldn’t get involved with Dominic. Flirting was out of the question.
Plus, he wasn’t here for her. He was in the nursery to be with the baby. The most important thing in his life should be this little boy.
“He’s already had a minute to play, so I’ll just wash him up and bring him to the nursery.”
Dominic said, “Okay,” and stepped back, out of the bathroom.
Audra quickly washed Joshua, rolled him in a soft terry cloth baby towel and carried him into the nursery. “Would you like to dress him?”
“You’re doing fine without me.”
Once again she decided his refusal had more to do with inexperience than lack of desire, but she also realized that if he didn’t stop making excuses, he might never grow accustomed to holding and caring for this child. And he had to. Joshua had been bounced from home to home since his parents’ deaths Now he was in his permanent home, but yet another primary caregiver, Audra, would be leaving. Dominic had to get involved with Joshua so the baby would have one stable, consistent, committed person in his life.
She turned away and made her voice as casual as possible as she said, “Okay. I’ll dress him. Then you read to him.”
“Great.”
She faced him again, confused by his quick acquiescence. She’d expected to have to persuade him. Instead, he’d easily agreed. The corners of his mouth tipped up sexily. His eyes sparkled. But there was something different about this smile than the ones he’d given her Friday night. Today he wasn’t flirting. He was simply being himself. The Dominic her mother had always described. Fun. Friendly. Flirty. But not flirting. If stepping away from the baby when he was uncomfortable was his way of saying he wouldn’t even try doing what he didn’t know how to do, then his smile right now said he would do the things he was comfortable doing.
