Third Time's a Charm (Holland Springs #3)(13)

Smiling, Rose took Ivy from him. “She’s always hungry,” she said with affection and the baby smiled up at her.

A tightness settled in his chest. “About last night—”

“Forget it. You can stay,” Rose said, pre-empting his apology. “We need the money and for once I won’t let my…pride get in the way.” Her ocean-blue eyes met his and he swallowed.

“Care to show me around your house? We were slightly distracted last night.”

She wrinkled her nose, her brows drawing together. “You corner me in the hallway and call it a slight distraction?”

He grinned. “No, I call that fun.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You better call it not happening again.”

“Damn, I thought it was one of the perks of living here.” It really was fun to tease her. To try to make her react to him. He’d bet she was one hell of a poker player. She rubbed the gold cross at the hollow of her neck. Now that would be a dead giveaway of a bad hand. But he’d probably be the only one to know that.

“Could you hold Ivy while I fix her bottle?”

“Sure.” He held out his arms, once again settling the baby in his arms. “Where’s her father?”

Rose rummaged through the cabinets, finding the parts of the bottle she needed and putting it together. “Who knows.”

Okay, so he wasn’t expecting that answer. Something wasn’t right. “I expect you would, as Ivy’s mother and sole supporter. Shouldn’t you take him to court for child support?”

Shaking the bottle of powdered formula and water, she turned and leaned on the counter. “It’s not really any of your business, Alexander.”

No, it wasn’t, but men should take care of their responsibilities. And Ivy was a responsibility that Rose was shouldering alone. “Sasha,” he corrected, adjusting his hold on Ivy. “Hand me the bottle and I’ll feed her.” When she hesitated, he said, “You look dead on your feet, love. Let me help you.”

Thankfully, she was a woman who didn’t want to cut off her nose to spite her face and handed him the plastic bottle and a cloth. “Feed her half and then burp her. Then feed her the rest and burp her again.” She showed him how to hold the bottle so Ivy didn’t suck in air and have a tummy ache. Wanting her to stay close, he began to make up ridiculous questions.

“What if she wants something stronger like bourbon? Or what if she demands I take her shopping? I can’t stand Baby Gap. The clothes are juvenile.”

“They’re supposed to be,” Rose laughed as she straightened. She walked to the living room and sat down on a sofa that had seen better days. “Just do what I showed you and you’ll be fine. I’m going to be right here if you need me.”

The next thing he knew, Ivy had sucked down half of the formula and soft snores were coming from the direction of the couch. “Looks like mummy needed to sleep.”

Ivy burped her agreement.

***

The sound of shouting woke him up from a dead sleep. Blackbeard dug his claws into his chest and hissed.

“Off, damn cat,” he growled. Blackbeard jumped off the bed, using his pectorals as a spring board. That would leave some marks. He rubbed his chest before sitting up and rolling his shoulders.

Rose shrieked his name.

He jumped up and ran out of his room, nearly colliding with her.

“What did you do with my baby?” she sobbed.

“Jesus, Rose, calm down.” He gently grabbed her shoulders.

“Calm down?” She jerked out of his grasp. “I wake up to find Ivy missing, and—”

“She’s in her crib.”

Rose brushed past him and he followed.

“She was here the whole time?” she asked as he entered the room. Rose stood at the side of Ivy’s crib, her hand at her throat and rubbing her cross pendant.

He nodded. “You fell asleep, she fell asleep and then I fell asleep with that damned cat of yours. It all seemed appropriate at the time. However, I refuse to do it again. Blackbeard’s an unaccountable and unrepentant bed-hog.”

Rose looked as if she couldn’t decide between crying some more or laughing. Possibly she was mulling over how to best kill him. “You did this so I could take a nap?”

“It was nothing,” he said with a quick shrug of his shoulders.

She nearly toppled him over with her hug. “Thank you,” she breathed, “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in the longest time.” Her hands wound tighter around his neck and he lifted his own to hug her back. To feel her sweet curves. To pull her closer , wanting to sweep her up into his arms. Into his bed.

Get a hold of yourself, man. She’s not for you. “You’re welcome.”

“I’m sorry I thought you took Ivy.”

“And I’m sorry I didn’t leave you a map with an ‘Ivy is here’ sticker on it.”

She giggled and sniffed, tightening her grip even more.

He gently pried her arms from around his neck. Or at least tried to. “You can let go of me now, Rose. I have a great affinity for oxygen.”

“Huh?”

“I can’t breathe,” he wheezed.

“Oh!” Cheeks pinkening, Rose stepped away and pulled him out of the room. “Close the door,” she whispered and he laughed. “What’s so funny?”