Baby Mine (Stubborn Texas Siblings Book 1) (7 page)

While Madeline was healing, she’d had a long string of visitors who had kept Eric hiding out in the barn or working the fields in order to give her some privacy. He was afraid to get too close to her until her body had recovered from giving birth, for fear of losing his fine grip on his control over his libido.

His house had seen more well-meaning females in the last
three and a half weeks than it had ever seen before. Victoria had never been a socialite. She’d spent most of her time out with the animals or with Eric. One time she’d gone out on a girl’s night out, but she’d met her friends down at the dance hall where they’d gone line dancing.

Sitting atop his horse
at the top of the hill where he’d rode to fix a broken fence; he looked down at the house. It was the first time Madeline had been alone while she was awake since they’d brought Lillie Rose home. When he’d left the house that morning, she’d been kneeling on the floor hovering over the baby, rubbing their noses together in an Eskimo kiss. He’d wanted to pull her into his arms and give her a real kiss, and he’d needed to get out of the house before he acted on the impulse that had just about brought him to his knees.

He’d been so desperate to get out of the house, he’d actually ran out the back door without a shirt and as a result, he could feel the hot Texas sun beating down on him, burning his exposed skin. At least the pain gave him something else to concentrate on, other than his intense
desire for the woman he’d forced to move into his house with him.

Jeff had laughed and given him grief over the fact that since they’d brought the baby home, he hadn’t made a single trip down to the cemetery.
Eric hadn’t even stopped to think about it until his little brother had pointed that out and the guilt that had swamped him had nearly driven him to ride out to Victoria’s marker right then and there. The only thing that had stopped him had been hearing Lillie Rose squeal while Madeline was laughing. He’d been so distracted by that sound filling his previously silent home; he’d managed to forget all about heading down to the cemetery to mourn.

Her voice carried on the breeze and he listened to her singing a lullaby. His eyes fluttered closed and he let the words wash over him, soothing his otherwise frazzled nerves. He knew, sooner or later, she’d be going back to work, and when that happened, he might not be quite as impressed with her natural mothering instincts, but right now, he thought Madeline made a fantastic mother. Lillie Rose hardly ever cried. Overall, she was a happy baby, and he knew that it was thanks to all the love and attention
the baby received from Madeline.

He had spent a few days in the house with
the baby, while Madeline went out with her friends, and he’d loved every second he’d gotten with the precious baby girl. She was so sweet and when he was with her, he felt needed in a way he’d never felt before. His eyes drifted to the garden that Madeline had insisted he plant and a smile played at his lips as he recalled the reason she’d given him for her choice of names for their daughter. Madeline may be a scientist, but she had a big heart too. That wasn’t something he’d expected of her. It was nice being surprised.

Having been married to a woman he’d known his whole life had been nice… but there had been no surprises because he’d known exactly what to expect of his wife. He hadn’t even realized that he missed being surprised with her. They’d had a good life together and he knew he’d made her happy because she’d told him every day. The thrill that came with not knowing how Madeline would respond to something was so amazing, he could hardly wait to do something new and different just to see what she would say and do.

His mind had been dwelling on how she would respond if he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, pretty much nonstop for the last nine months. She was a distraction that he’d fought hard. It had gotten so out of control, he’d actually gone down to the local honky-tonk with the intention of trolling for women, just to get his mind off the stunning woman he was living with. It had been a disaster of epic proportions. Thankfully, Jeff had been there with him and Eric had nursed his beer and just sulked at the bar; his mind back at the house with Madeline. His little brother had entertained the girls that had surrounded them and he’d left the bar, more than ready to head back home and spend time alone while Jeff spent the night flirting.

He’d never been drawn to anyone other than Victoria before Madeline, so he wasn’t sure what had made him think he’d be successful in using another woman to get his mind off the sexy woman that currently had his undivided attention.
In order to remember what his wife looked like, he’d been forced to pull the old photo album out of the cedar chest where he’d stored it and spent hours staring at the pictures with tears running down his face. Either that, or go into his living room and stare at the picture of their wedding that hung over the fireplace.

In the end, he’d packed the album back in the chest and gone out to spend a few hours with Madeline and Lillie Rose. That had been the last time he’d done such a thing, because that was the moment he’d realized just how dangerous his desire for
Madeline could be for both of them. Ever since then, when she was awake, he tried his hardest to stay outside.

He looked over the horizon at the crimson
, yellow and orange glow that represented the setting sun. Madeline had Lillie Rose on a schedule that was so strict, he had it memorized. She’d have the baby down in her crib after being bathed and fed soon and then Madeline would head to the kitchen to eat before heading for the bathroom where she would soak in a bubble bath until she was drowsy.

There had been many hours that Eric had pictured her sprawled out in the bathtub surrounded by white foam
; candles lit and soft music playing in the background. It had been all he could do to stay away the few times he’d come into the house, thinking she’d headed to bed only to hear the soft strains of her voice, singing along with the music.

Sighing heavily, he knew he couldn’t continue to fight the draw he felt towards her for much longer. The longer he spent wanting her, the more danger she’d be in when he finally gave in to pull her in for a kiss. He didn’t want to frighten her. Having never been with a man before, he knew that he had to move slowly towards the physical side of their relationship. She may give in to him, but he needed to make sure that when he caved and ended up taking her to his bed, she would want to stay around after the fact. He couldn’t take the chance that she’d take Lillie Rose and leave.

Even if he hadn’t promised Victoria he’d raise any child born of those embryos, he’d still want to make sure the baby stayed with him. He’d fallen hard and fast for that sweet little slice of Heaven. One long look and his heart had belonged to her. The first time he’d held her in his arms, he had felt so unworthy of her; his tongue had swollen in his mouth making it nearly impossible to swallow.

He knew he’d never survive watching Lillie Rose leave. The scary part was, he wasn’t sure he’d do much better if Madeline decided she couldn’t live there with him any more either
, and he hadn’t even kissed her. Yet. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that it wouldn’t happen eventually. His need for her was too out of control already. It had been from about five seconds after she’d opened her door; before he’d even realized that she was the one he was looking for.

His eyes were still glued to the window and he could see Madeline carry the baby down the hall towards the bathroom. A smile played across his face and he kicked the horse in the side to head back towards the barn. As unpredictable as Maddie was, it was nice to know that in some things, he had her pegged.

He’d just finished unsaddling his horse and hosing him down when he saw her walking out onto the front porch. The soft reflection of the moon shone brightly on her hair, giving her an unearthly glow. She looked so soft and inviting, leaning against the railing. When their eyes connected across the field, Eric’s hand stilled on the horse’s mane and he had to work hard to swallow the lump that formed in his throat.

Giving in to the longing, he walked towards her; his footsteps faltering when her lips spread into a welcoming smile. He stood hovering over her; his breathing had sped up to the point where if he wasn’t careful, he might hyperventilate.

“Was there something you needed?” he asked; his eyes fixed on her lush lips, trying to hide the groan that escaped when she licked them in anticipation of the kiss she knew he wanted to give her.

Her eyes were wide and her pupils dilated as she looked up into his face. Eric reached up and removed his hat with his left hand and his heart raced in his chest as he watched her lips move when she answered him.

“After I got Lillie Rose to sleep, I wanted some fresh air… It’s so peaceful and welcoming out here. I love listening to the sound of the animals. I thought there was something I might be able to do to help…”

Eric’s hand was shaking as he lifted it, to wrap around her waist, settling it on the small of her back. “You must know by now, what being close to you does to me,” he told her huskily. “There’s really only one thing you could do to help me with that,” he admitted; his eyes going purposefully to her lips as he touched his own with his tongue.

“You’re just lonely,” she whispered softly. “Any woman living here in your home with you would make you
feel this way… After all, it’s been a long time since…”

“No,” he said, interrupting her. “There’s only ever been one other woman who made me feel like this… and I’m not sure I ever felt this intense even around her, and believe me, the guilt that eats me up about that is so overwhelming that it’s all I can do to live with myself.”

“But, I’m not at all pretty,” she whimpered when he began to lower his head towards her; the intension of kissing her was as clear as the full moon in the sky.

“You’re gorgeous,” he corrected just before he closed the distance between them and brushed his lips against hers. The kiss was light at first but then he groaned when she slumped against him and the kiss became harder
and needier. He licked her lip and when she opened her mouth, he swept his tongue inside to tangle with hers.

Eric wrapped his arms around her
waist and pressed his body hotly against hers. A soft sob came from deep in Madeline’s throat and his heart felt like it was going to pound right out of his chest. Lord only knows where that kiss might have gone if Lillie Rose hadn’t chosen that moment to wail.

After the kiss broke, she stepped out of his arms; her eyes clouded over with the desire that had rocked her world. “Sorry… I thought she was down for the night…” With that, she turned and ran inside.

As Eric watched her go, he wanted to follow her with everything in him, but he knew that this interruption was probably for the best. If he had any hope of taking things slowly with Madeline, he needed to take a giant leap backwards, and fast.

It felt as if his body was on fire, and all it had taken was a kiss. He didn’t even want to consider what would happen to him if he ever gave in to the longing to take her to his bed. He’d never be the same.

Eric stood back as Madeline tucked Lillie Rose back into her crib. As much as he wanted to be an active part of the baby’s life, he knew he dare not go anywhere near her in his current mood. His body was primed and ready for action and he knew that in order to keep the peace and assure a future with his daughter, he needed to make his excuses and find it in him to walk away and leave Madeline alone for the night.

Her silhouette was dimly lit after she turned off the lights. Swallowing back a curse, Eric turned away from her. “I’ll be saying goodnight now,” he mumbled softly. He backed up until his back bumped against the wall and he stumbled, almost falling. A
nervous smile played at the corners of his lips and he turned and walked away before he gave in to the intense longing to take her back in his arms again.

Early the following morning, the doorbell rang at the same time as Lillie Rose started to cry. Eric met Madeline in the hall and he wanted to pull her back into his arms, the way he had the night before. The baby cried out again and he offered her a lame
grin.

“I’ll get the door,” he offered quietly. Madeline smiled at him, ducked her head and whispered her agreement as well as a word of thanks before ducking in to the nursery. He’d seen the rosy tinge her cheeks had taken on and the way her eyes had heated in that brief moment she’d allowed herself to look at his face. It had been a long time since he’d felt this way, but he found that he kind of liked it.

Trina was standing there, leaning against the side of the house, grinning widely. “I’m here to take Maddie out on the town. The others want to spend a little time with her before she heads back to work and they’ve elected me to come get her. I’m not taking no for an answer,” she said stubbornly.

Eric laughed and held the door open to let her into the house. “I’ll go let her know you’re here. There’s no reason I can’t take care of the baby for a few hours while you ladies
go have a little fun.”

He went into the nursery and stood there, looking at where Madeline sat in the rocking chair breast-feeding the baby and cleared his throat. He had to shift slightly to adjust his suddenly
stiff erection. “The door was for you,” he said, cringing at the gritty sound his voice had come out in. “Trina is insisting on kidnapping you for a girl’s day out.”

She looked down at the baby whose mouth was still making a sucking motion despite the fact that she’d fallen asleep and was no longer actually eating. “But…”

Eric held his hand up, stopping her before she could argue. “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my daughter for a few hours while you go out with your friends, Madeline”

“I suppose,” she said, hesitating.

“What?” he asked, taking a step closer to her. “Don’t you think I can handle being alone with the baby for more than a few minutes? I assure you, I’m quite capable.”

“I’d rather be here…”

He stepped even closer and pulled her up to her feet, taking the baby out of her arms and carefully placing her in her crib before taking Madeline in his arms.

“And I’d rather have you here too,” he admitted huskily. “But I think it’s important for us to take our time, which right now, I’m not so sure I’m capable of if we’re here alone.”

“Eric,” she whimpered when he gave in to his instinct and bent his head to nibble on the curve of her neck. Trina called her name from out in the other room and he reluctantly stepped away, looking down at the floor. “Go… before I can’t let you go anymore,” he demanded, refusing to look at her.

Madeline had issues walking out to the living room. Her legs had gone soft the moment his lips had touched her skin. Ignoring her draw to the sexy cowboy had been hard enough for her before, but now that he was touching and kissing her as well as giving her looks hot enough to melt the skin off her bones, she was really struggling to keep
from stripping down to nothing and begging him to show her what the big deal about sex was.

Trina was waiting for her and offered her a wide smile when Madeline grabbed her jacket. “I don’t want to be gone too long,”
Madeline said, hoping the husky tone of her voice didn’t spark too many questions from her friend. She wasn’t ready to explain what was going on between herself and the sexy cowboy; not when she wasn’t sure the answer to that question herself. All she knew was that he made her feel things she’d never felt before, and it wasn’t just because he was a cowboy. At least, she didn’t think that was the only reason.

They went to walk out the door and Madeline stopped in the doorway to look at Eric. “I expressed some milk and left it in the fridge door if you need it. There are diapers and wipes under the changing table. Her pacifier is in the diaper bag along with her favorite blanket. There’s an
emergency contact list stuck to the outside of the freezer with a magnet.”

“Mad
eline… you’re only going out for a couple hours, not weeks. We’ll be fine, just go.”

Trina tugged her out the door and towards her car before she could respond; leaving Eric chuckling in her wake.

They all sat around a table at their favorite restaurant; her friends all talking a mile a minute as they usually did. The only difference was, today Madeline wasn’t hanging on their every word or wanting to join in their banter. Right at that very minute, all she could think about was getting back out to the ranch. To Lillie Rose. Of course, her daughter wasn’t the only one she wanted to see. Eric and his addicting kisses drew her like nothing else ever had.

“So how are things with the surprise Daddy?” Patricia asked, sipping her coffee.

“Yeah, do tell… I’ve seen the way you look at him,” Sydney taunted, grinning as she scooped up a forkful of banana cream pie.

“And I’ve seen the way he looks at you,” Trina added, leaning forward, ignoring her strawberry shortcake.

Madeline’s hand was shaking so badly, she accidently dropped her fork and the sound of it clattering to the empty plate seemed to echo in her head.
“Things are going fine… Eric’s a good Dad,” she found herself saying, working hard to avoid their anxious stares.

“I’m sure he is. Anyone with two functional eyes in their head can see that he’s completely crazy about that baby of yours,”
Patricia snickered. “But we meant as a man. I’m not blind, Maddie. I can see the sexual chemistry between you. It’s powerful enough, if it was capable of doing so, it could light up an entire hospital by itself. What I want to know is if he’s done anything about the way he clearly feels about you yet.”

A deep blush covered Madeline’s cheeks and Trina grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly in her own. “Oh
my gosh… he has! Tell all,” she said excitedly; scooting forward to the edge of her seat, searching Madeline’s eyes with her own.

“He… um… he kissed me,” she admitted, looking down at her napkin as if it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen in order to keep from looking any of her friends in the eyes.

“And?” Sydney prompted excitedly. “Is the sexy cowboy as hot to the touch as he is to look at?”

“How far did things go?” Georgia asked at the same time; her eyes wide and sparkling with excitement.
“Did he rock your world?”

“I know about your cowboy fantasy,” Trina teased, grinning widely. “Tell me, was it everything you’d dreamed it would be?”

“Geez, you guys … You make it sound like I’m some kind of easy lay or something,” Madeline whispered, still not looking up. She didn’t want them to see how much she wished she could say yes to all of their questions. “It went no further than a few kisses… Although, I will admit that they were hot enough to melt a woman into a puddle of goo at his feet.”

“Now we’re talking a few kisses,” Trina observed, grinning widely. “Just how many are a few? And how intense are we talking?”

“Can we talk about something else? Anything else? Please???” Madeline asked, dabbing her napkin against her lips even though she didn’t need it. It was a nervous reaction. Something to do with her hands.

“No way,”
Patricia denied. Everyone else at the table nodded their heads in agreement and Madeline closed her eyes against their intense scrutiny.

“There was only one actual lip to lip kiss, alright? The others were … elsewhere.”

“Where exactly is elsewhere, Maddie? Are we talking your naughty bits?” Trina asked, not willing to let her friend get away with keeping the facts close to the vest.

“My neck… and no, it went no further. I didn’t come out with you guys to bare all my secrets. If I’d known you all just wanted some juicy gossip, I would have stayed at home with my daughter.”

The other women around the table started laughing; a few of them were coughing because they couldn’t catch their breaths. Madeline looked from one of them to the other in confusion, finally settling her eyes on Sydney. “I give… What’s so funny?”

“Oh honey… we all know that as precious as that baby girl is, she isn’t the one you would have stayed back at the ranch for. At least not the only one
; and I don’t blame you in the least. If my man looked like that, I’d never let him out of my sight. Not for a bloody minute.”

“Your sight?”
Patricia teased, laughing so hard, her soda sprayed out of her nose. “I’d never let him out of my bed. I might even go as far as to handcuff him to the headboard to make sure he couldn’t escape. That man is so hot, he sizzles.”

“That man,” Madeline said through gritted teeth. “Is still mourning the death of his wife. She was the love of his life. She may have been gone for quite a few years now and he may be ready to move on from her physically, but you all know as well as I do, that when and
IF
I ever go there with a man, it won’t be just for sexual satisfaction. If we ever went there, it would have to be because he allowed himself to love me and me him… which I’m not sure he’ll ever be able to do. I have no doubt that it would take very little for me to fall for him,” she admitted hoarsely. “I have to be very careful with him and you all know it. I don’t have just me to think about any more. Heck; you know I had all but given up on the idea of ever having a man in my life in that way. That’s why I went the route I did with the fertility clinic. I never expected to find myself facing something like this. I’m taking it one day at a time.”

Madeline stood up and looked around the table. “Now… if you don’t mind, now that you’ve satisfied your morbid curiosity, I’d like to go home to my baby girl. I have no doubt, when I get there, Eric will make a bee line for the back door to go work with his animals. That’s where he spends most of his free time, despite your suspicions.”

Trina stood up and offered her friends a smile. “I’ll take you,” she offered. Arm and arm, they made their way back out to the car. Madeline was thankful for the soft strains of country music filtering through the tinny sounding speakers as they drove. She’d spent more than enough time talking about something she had no way of knowing where it was going. She was anxious to hold Lillie Rose in her arms. Her sweet baby girl didn’t ask questions or demand explanations she didn’t have to give.

As the miles of desert passed by in a blur as they sped down the interstate, Madeline was hopeful that her friends gave her some time and space. As much as she loved them,
she had no desire to spend any more time with them. Not if it meant being away from Lillie Rose… and if she admitted it, she longed to stay close to Eric too. That was a realization that she had no intension of sharing. Not with anyone.