Mother's Day Babies (Holiday Babies Series) (11 page)

Lou strode to her, wrapped his
arm around her waist, and placed a quick kiss on her parted lips. She hadn’t
had time to react and he enjoyed a taste of her sweet mouth.

“Lou, we’re in the middle of a
hospital.”

“So? Greeting you with a quick
kiss is not a sin.”

“Not exactly quick.” She licked
her lips. “I could taste beer on your mouth.”

“You could? Really?” Did the
woman realize the power of her words on his anatomy? “Would you like another —”

“Lou, stop it.” Her cheeks
blushed but she didn’t scowl. “Tell me what you did with the lawyer. Did you
meet the Morevs?”

“No. Let’s go to the nearest
restaurant and I’ll tell you all about my day.” They strolled out of the
hospital and settled in a lunch place, not too far. “What do you want to eat?”

“I’ll have a salad. Madelyn put
me on a strict diet before I went to Paris. I’d better get back on it. I’ll
have water now and later a cappuccino. You?”

“A turkey sandwich sounds good.
And a beer since you like its taste on my lips,” he added with a wink.

“A playboy is always a playboy.
You’re incorrigible.” She chuckled and fluttered her napkin on her lap. “So
tell me what you did. You seemed pleased with yourself.” Ready to listen, she
folded her hands on the table.

“Jack O’Brien, my lawyer’s
partner from the New York office, had invited the couple to meet with him. I
sat in the waiting room with a newspaper. I wasn’t ready to let them see me.”

“Why not? I thought you’d want to
meet them.”

“No way. With my position at the
TV station, I don’t need someone to spread rumor about Lou Roland’s daughter
becoming a surrogate because her father left her without money. Can you see the
nice scandal to be exploited by my competitors?”

“Lou, she’s not using your last
name,” Barbara reminded him. “How can they link her to you?”

“Still, I d rather be safe. We,
reporters, are good at digging dirt. Anyway, they look like a nice couple. They
immediately signed the release but wanted Monica to keep the money. They said
it wasn’t fair for her not to be paid after they put her through the trouble of
a pregnancy and left her to cope with two babies. O’Brien called me. I insisted
he give them my check with the full amount. I’d rather we don’t owe them a
penny, even if they feel it’s her due.”

Barbara offered him a delighted
smile and squeezed his hand. “Wonderful, so now the babies are officially
hers.”

“Yes, I hope she’ll do the right
thing and put them for adoption.”

“I doubt it.” Her frown convinced
him that she too wanted Monica to keep her newborns. How like women to be
sentimental and support each other.

“Did you talk to her?”

“Yes, I did. She really loves
them, Lou. She’s ready to take care of them with a little bit of help.”

“A little bit? Barbara, you’re
not realistic. I’ll talk to her this time and make sure she’ll listen.” How
like Barbara to soften and not see the whole picture.

When they entered Monica’s
hospital room, they found her propped against her pillows, her newborns cradled
in her arms. Her high cheek bones and pert nose reminded Lou of her mother, but
her brown hair pulled in a ponytail and her face void of makeup lent her a
softer aura Jennifer had never possessed.

“May I introduce you to your
grandsons, Christopher Ramsay Roland and Louis Carl Roland.” Her lips harbored a
sweet smile but her baby-blues sparkled with a mix of pride and challenge.

Lou’s jaw sagged. Emotion paralyzed
him. Speechless, he stared at her, trying to collect his thoughts. Had he heard
right? Had this young woman who’d claimed many times Lou wasn’t her father now
named one of her sons after him? How often had he wished he had a son or a
grandson to play with and spoil? And here she’d offered him two, one who
carried his full name.

“Do you want to hold, Baby Lou?”
Monica asked with a hesitant voice, but Barbara took one baby from the young mother
and planted him in Lou’s arms.

The newborn squirmed and cuddled
against Lou’s chest. Something snapped inside him. Or maybe a grandfather instinct
surfaced from under the hardened executive skin and rattled the breath in his
lungs. Lou touched his lips to the soft duvet on the tiny head.

“Here, give me Baby Lou, and hold
Chris. Monica named him after the son I lost, Christopher Ramsay.” Barbara’s
eyes filled with tears.

Wow, his daughter was one smart
cookie. She’d garnered a wonderful grandmother for her twins. Lou accepted the
exchange of babies and cradled Chris. The baby chirped and Lou chuckled. “He’s
so cute.”

Sighs of relief echoed in the
room and caught his attention.

“Aren’t you pleased I gave your
name to my son, Lou?” The familiar pout and insolent tone brought him back to
his senses. That was the Monica he knew well.

The impudent girl had named the
babies before they decided together on their futures and she gave them his full
name and Barbara’s surname. Clean names that had never been touched by gossip.
How on Earth could he put them for adoption now without stirring a huge
scandal?

He studied Monica’s features. Too
early to decide if the babies resembled her. But he’d seen the biological
father. A decent man. No worry about the boys inheriting bad genes. Lou
wouldn’t blame Ian Morev for giving in to temptation and sleeping with a pretty
manipulative young woman. Lou, himself, had done it way too often.

“Did you fill the birth
certificates?”

“I did. There’s no way I’m
putting them for adoption. No way,” she insisted, her chin tilted in stubborn defiance.
“They are going home with me tomorrow. The neonatologist said they are doing
well and can be discharged now. Both,” she repeated with a determined look.

“Listen, Monica.” He kept Baby
Chris in his arms but raised a hand to prevent Barbara from interfering. “I
don’t want to deprive you of your children. But I want to be sure these babies
will not be neglected, because you’re too young, inexperienced, careless,
and...” He swallowed the word
selfish
. She’d given up her college and
tuition to nurse her ungrateful mother.

“I’m young and inexperienced, but
I’m not careless. Besides, Mrs. Ramsay has promised to stay with me and help me
at the beginning.”

“She what?” Good thing he hadn’t
dropped the little bundle. “Barbara, what is she talking about? You can’t do
that.”

“Why not? I love babies. Monica
needs our help. You’ll supply the financial part. I’ll handle the practical and
emotional support. Don’t worry. She’s already learned to breastfeed and will
soon become an accomplished mommy.”

“’I don’t doubt it if she has you
for a mentor. But seriously, Barbara, it’s too much. I can’t accept—”

 “Hush, Lou. Monica is very dear
to me. She’s your daughter and I appreciate her strength of character.” Barbara
smiled at the young mother who beamed.

They sure got along well.
Together they’d managed to trick him into abandoning the adoption idea. But he
wasn’t upset. On the contrary he wanted to gather Barbara in his arms and thank
her the only way he knew well.

 He stepped toward her and held
her hand to his lips. “You’re an angel. My angel.”

“Oh Lou, you should learn to kiss
her better.”

He scowled at his impudent
daughter, and then reconsidered. “Hold your baby and let me show you I can do
better.”

Monica burst out laughing as he
handed her Baby Chris and enfolded Barbara in his arms in spite of her
protests.

“Lou, we are in a hospital room.”

“We’re not going to shock this
patient. She’s beyond redemption herself.” He didn’t give her a chance to say
more and crushed her mouth with a searing kiss.

When he released her it took him several
seconds to recover his senses. He turned to Monica who stared at them, gaping.

“Okay, young lady, we’ll give you
a chance to prove yourself. Remember, these babies are human beings, not toys
to be played with and rejected when you get tired and fed up of their tears and
screams.”

Monica nodded and kissed each
soft head.

“Now, I’ll take Barbara to visit
your apartment. We want to see if it needs cleaning before you are discharged
and bring the babies.”

Monica grimaced. “Oh it’s a mess.
I’d rather you not see it. I’ll fix everything when I go home tomorrow.”

“Really? And who will take care
of your kids meanwhile? I’ll ask the building janitor to bring a cleaning lady.
She’ll put it in good shape today.”

“Good idea, Lou,” Barbara said.
“Monica, you better rest as much as you can today. Serious work starts
tomorrow. I’ll go with Lou and see what we need to get to make the place
comfortable for you and two newborns.”

****

In a flurry of activity, Barbara
supervised the cleaning of the apartment, wrote a list of items for Lou to buy,
checked on each of her daughters, and brewed a strong coffee using the four-cup
coffee maker sitting on the kitchen counter top.

“Barbara, I got everything on
your list.” He waved the sheet of paper she’d given him. “The two pots, the
frying pan, the three baking pans.” He huffed and shook his head. “Seriously,
how are you going to cook in this microscopically small kitchen?”

“I’ll manage. I just need
utensils. She has nothing here.”

“Why don’t you order from the
restaurants around here and ask them to deliver? I eat out every day.”

“Poor Lou, it’s not healthy.”
Grabbing the different items from the boxes he’d just opened she stowed them in
the cabinet under the counter. “I’ll make you my lasagna tonight.”

“No way. Tonight, I’m taking you
out to a nice place for dinner. You’ve worked hard enough all day, first
dealing with my stubborn daughter, then here organizing and cleaning.”

“Dinner out will be nice too.”
Any time spent with Lou was a nicely spent time. For how long would their cozy
arrangement last? A new anxiety she’d never known pinched her insides. His
official vacation would come to an end in a few days and he’d have to go back
to Atlanta. God, she would miss him so much.

“I guess we’re done here.” He
surveyed the living room where a relatively new brown sofa occupied one wall
and a two-foot table sat under the large window facing the neighboring
building. “I left the car seats in the trunk of the rental car. Tomorrow
they’ll deliver two bassinets and a changing table.” He scanned the room,
walked to the bedroom and returned with a dubious arch to his eyebrows. “Not
sure where they’ll put them though.”

Barbara chuckled. “We’ll manage.
I think the place is neat and relatively comfortable for mother and babies.”

Lou crossed his arms over his
chest. “But not comfortable for the generous mentor who’s volunteered to help.
Barbara, I don’t think you can stay overnight here. I insist you keep your room
at the Marriott.”

“We’ll see. Now can you drop me
at the hotel to change? I also want to check on Monica.”

“Monica is in good hands. I’ll
call her, just to make you feel better. Here talk to her.” He handed her his
phone.

“Sweetie, your apartment is
lovely. Do you need us to bring you anything?”

“Just have fun with my dad. He’s
a different man with you.” The chuckle on the other end of the line sent warmth
to her cheeks.

“Monica! Goodnight. See you
tomorrow.”

“What did she say to turn your
cheeks so pink?” Lou narrowed his eyes.

“She said to have fun.”

His head tilted, he squinted at
her and grinned. “Hmm, I think there’s more to it, but I plan for us to have
fun. Let’s go.”

An hour later, he knocked on the
door of her hotel room. She opened and smiled.

He stared and forgot to smile.
She’d donned a sleeveless black dress that revealed a nice cleavage. Her
emerald pendant dangled at the right place. “Lovely.” His gaze roamed over her
waist and hips. Her high heel sandals enhanced a perfect pair of legs. “Sorry,”
he muttered as he realized he was ogling her. “But you’re so damn beautiful.”

“Oh Lou, you’re going to make me
blush like a teenager.”

Starving for her, he wished they
could forego the dinner and stay in her room. With a gentle press on her back,
he pulled her against him. Her heady perfume swirled around them like an
enticing veil. “Would it mess up your lipstick if I kissed you?”

Her eyes glimmered with little green
stars. “No big deal. But you’ll have lippy all over your mouth.”

As if he cared. His lips captured
hers and lingered and savored the sweet taste of her mouth and the bold caress
of her tongue. Was it his imagination or had Barbara learned to loosen up and enjoy
his kisses?

She softly moaned and a fire
erupted in his groin. Aware that he’d soon lose control of his senses, he
pulled her back and heaved a deep breath. “Darling, I’d love to keep you in my
arms all night.” He cupped her cheeks and brushed a quick kiss on her lips. “We
can order dinner here.”
Say yes, darling
. He wanted her so badly but he
wouldn’t ply her with passion and have her resenting him later.

Her beautiful eyes, still dazed,
rested on his face. She blinked several times and wiped her forehead. “Oh dear,
let’s go, Lou.”

She still wasn’t ready for him.

****

Under Lou’s intense but quizzical
gaze, Barbara didn’t eat much although the steak was tender and the vegetables
crispy. Her body still tingled from Lou’s kisses and her foot tapped the floor
like an out-of-control drum. It’s been so long since she’d felt these crazy
feelings—this irresistible need to be surrounded by a loving man’s arms, by his
passion. For how long would she be able to keep her sanity and resist? But if
she gave in, then what next?

He was used to women ready to
follow him to bed. Did he always kiss his girlfriends with the same ardor? And
then dump them after a few months. Darn, she didn’t want to end up that way
when he acknowledged he considered her a very special friend and trusted her
with all his secrets.