Sunrise Point (Virgin River #19)(77)

“Course not,” he said, hanging his jacket over a kitchen chair. And he sat in the little living room with Fay while Nora fixed Berry a glass of milk, then disappeared into the bedroom with Berry, where there was a little more crying going on. Berry fought and cried, Nora murmured.

So this was what life would be like with children, he thought. Every hand would be needed at some points. And what if there were more children? A man might get to feeling pretty neglected.

Fay took about twenty minutes with the bottle, but her eyes were drifting closed. When her eyes were open and she looked up at him, she smiled sleepily. God, she was beautiful. He wasn’t that crazy about children in general, but this one and her crabby older sister, they were certainly growing on him.

He kicked off his boots to get comfortable. When she had finally fallen asleep in his arms he noticed there was quiet from the bedroom. He assumed Nora would join him in the little living room soon, but there was no hurry. Holding the baby while she slept felt surprisingly good; it made him somehow feel bigger and stronger. It was an odd feeling, as if all his resources were being called on to keep them safe.

Finally, too much time had passed without Nora joining him, so he quietly poked his head into the bedroom. Well, that explained it. Nora and Berry were cuddled on the mattress, asleep. He meant to put the baby down in the port-a-crib and gently wake Nora to say good-night.

Instead he put the baby down and lay down on the other side of Berry, who was framed by Nora and Tom. He pulled the quilt from the bottom of the mattress over all three of them and thought, I’ll just lie here for a little while…

The bed was too small, too low, the mattress too thin, and he’d never felt better in his life. He just couldn’t bring himself to move. The baby snuffled in her bed while Berry curled against him and softly snored; he could smell her sweet breath; Nora hummed in her sleep and sometimes talked, but it was in an indecipherable language. His sleep was not deep or constant—he was acutely aware of the children, of Nora.

And then he heard birds just as he felt something in his hair. He opened his eyes to predawn light breaking through the slats in the blinds and Nora was running fingers through his hair.

“I didn’t think you had enough hair for bedhead,” she teased in a whisper.

“I think maybe you had too much picnic, too,” he whispered back. “You were going to quiet Berry and instead Berry put you to sleep.”

“Children can show you a kind of tired you just didn’t think possible. Did you mean to spend the night?”

“Not at first. I woke up a lot. Sometime in the night I decided I just wasn’t going anywhere. I have to go now, however.”

“Is Maxie going to be upset? Worried?”

He shook his head. “It’s rare, but I have been known to get in at dawn. Whatever she feels about that, she doesn’t let it show.”

“Can I get you a cup of coffee?” she asked.

“Will she be all right without us here?”

Nora nodded. “When she wakes up, she’ll come right into the other room. I’ll make coffee.”

A half hour later Tom was saying goodbye at the front door. “The neighbors will all have seen my truck in front of your house all night.”

“You’re admired around here, Tom. I don’t think my neighbors will worry that I’m getting mixed up with a bad person. And we’re just friends… .”

His lips curved in a lazy smile. “There are friends and there are friends,” he said. Then he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. He tested her lips once, then again, then a third time and then took her mouth by storm. Her arms went around his neck to hold him close and she opened for him and God, he wanted to pass out, it felt so good.

But he made himself stop. “Gotta go,” he said, and realized his voice was hoarse. “I have to work twice as hard today since I gave you a weekend off,” he teased.

“If you need me to work, you know I’ll come.”

“I need you to rest and enjoy Jed’s visit. I can’t wait to hear about what he brings this time. If he’s smart, he’ll bring Berry a pony.” Then there was a little kiss on the lips and he was gone.

Chapter Seventeen

Maxie was standing in the kitchen when Tom walked in. She regarded him through narrow eyes and, lifting one brow, she asked, “Breakfast? Or have you eaten?”

“I’m starving, but if you’re going to glare at me, I’ll fix my own.”

“I haven’t said a word. Nor have I glared.”

“What are you doing right now?”

“Struggling to stay awake. I didn’t sleep well.”

“All right, here’s what happened. The little girls were train wrecks—too much sugar, not enough naps. Nora bathed them and I did a bottle while she quieted Berry and we fell asleep along with the kids. In our clothes. I shouldn’t have to tell you that, Maxie. I’m old enough to sleep anywhere I want.”

“Yes, you are. But I like that girl a lot and she’s had some pretty impressive struggles. I’m not going to tell you not to go near her—I want you to. At least you’re looking at the possibilities. But Tom, you be careful. Don’t hurt Nora.”

“I would never deliberately hurt anyone.”

“I know, I know,” she said tiredly. “It’s so hard. I want you to use caution, to take your time. I also want you to get me beyond the suspense! I’m old!”