“You’re growing,” he murmured, kissing the top of Hannah’s head. “I can see the difference already.” He turned his attention to Dakota. “You look good, too, by the way.”
She grinned. “Gee, thanks. I appreciate the compliment, even if it is an afterthought.”
She led the way into the living room. Finn settled on the blanket, with Hannah on his lap. Dakota sat across from him.
He’d always had the kind of looks that made her think of tangled sheets and late mornings spent in bed. But there was something about seeing a strong, confident man holding a baby. She’d never experienced it before but now she totally got the appeal.
“How are things on the show?” he asked. “I talked to Sasha a couple of days ago and he was complaining that they needed to go on a hot date.”
“Bad choice of words. After the fire incident, I’m thinking even Geoff is hesitant to let those two loose.”
“I think that’s why they’re staying close to home. Nothing’s been scheduled with Stephen and Aurelia. I don’t think they’re interesting enough for Geoff.”
“Probably not. He’s getting frantic about keeping the ratings up. He mentioned he would love an explosion at the Tulip Festival. I told him there was no way that was going to happen. So how’s the flying? Miss those Alaska mountains?”
“Not as much as I would have thought. There are plenty of people who would rather fly to Fool’s Gold than drive. I don’t get it—the drive is beautiful, and I say that as a pilot. Still, it’s keeping me busy. I’ve flown a few cargo flights and had an interesting afternoon taking a whooping crane from San Francisco to San Diego. The bird I flew is supposed to be a hot breeder.” He chuckled. “He didn’t look any different to me, but I’m not a girl whooping crane.”
As he talked, Hannah reached toward one of the small stuffed animals on the floor.
“Do you want that?” Finn asked. He picked up the small pink stuffed elephant and handed it to her.
“Ga ga ga.”
Dakota stared at the little girl. “Did you just say ga?” She turned to Finn. “You heard that, right? She spoke.”
Finn rolled onto his back and held the little girl up in his arms. “Look at how smart you are. You can say ga.”
Hannah squealed with delight as Finn continued to hold her in the air. When he rolled back to a seated position, she reached for her elephant. He handed it to her.
Dakota couldn’t stop grinning. “I know I had nothing to do with it, but I feel so proud.”
“It’s a parent thing.”
That’s right. She was a parent now. “I need to remember what this feels like so that when she’s fourteen and driving me crazy, I have something to fall back on.”
He chuckled. “You are a woman with a plan.”
They watched the little girl. She seemed mesmerized by her pink elephant.
“One of the guys I flew in told me there’s talk of building a casino just north of town,” Finn said.
“I heard about that. Apparently it’s going to be a very upscale facility. More tourists are always a good thing.”
“I also heard plenty of talk about the man shortage. You know the world thinks Fool’s Gold is filled with desperate women.”
Dakota winced. “It’s been an ongoing problem. I told you about the grad student who wrote about the man shortage in her thesis. The media picked it up and went crazy. That’s why we have Geoff here, doing his show. Demographically, men might be outnumbered, but we are hardly desperate women.” She looked at him. “Although it does explain my attraction to you.”
“You’d want me no matter how many men were in town.”
“There’s certainly nothing wrong with your ego.”
“Or any other part of me.”
He was right about that, Dakota thought, remembering the feel of his body against hers. But she wasn’t going to admit it.
“There seem to be plenty of guys in town,” he said. “Is there still a shortage?”
“I’m not sure. They were coming in by the busload last fall, but I don’t know how many of the men stayed. Still, the town is fine. That’s what made all the media attention so frustrating.”
“It’s a good town,” he told her. “You’ll get through this.”
“Mayor Marsha is counting the minutes until Geoff and his production company leaves. She’s afraid of what they’ll want to do next. I’m pretty sure Geoff finds Fool’s Gold quiet and boring. We don’t want him writing our tourist brochure, that’s for sure.”
As they were speaking, Hannah started to lean more heavily against Finn. Her eyes began to close in that familiar way.
“Someone’s getting sleepy,” Dakota said, scrambling to her feet. She glanced at the clock. “It’s a little past time for her nap. I don’t want to put her down too late. She’s nearly sleeping through the night.”
Finn handed her the baby, then stood. “Not something you want to mess with.”
“Exactly. Sleep is still precious. More so for me than for her.”
Dakota headed for her daughter’s room. Finn trailed along behind her. She checked the baby’s diaper, then put her in her crib and turned on the mobile.
Finn moved next to her and touched Hannah’s cheek. “Sleep well, little girl.”
The baby sighed and then drifted off to sleep. Dakota picked up the monitor and stepped out of the room. Finn closed the door behind them.
“How long does she sleep?” he asked.
“About two hours. Then we have dinner and I read to her some more. The evenings are—”
She had more she was going to say but never got the chance. They were barely in the living room when Finn put his hand on her waist and drew her to him. She went without thinking and was glad she did when his mouth settled on hers.
Her first thought was that it had been too long between kisses. He’d been busy with flying, and she’d been adjusting to being a mother. But when she felt his tongue on her bottom lip, her thoughts faded as she lost herself in the fiery passion that lurked whenever he was near her.
He tasted of coffee and mint. His body was strong and hard against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to get closer, to feel all of him. His heat surrounded her.
More, she thought hungrily. She wanted more.
Still holding on to the monitor, she led the way into her bedroom. She put the monitor on her dresser and checked the sound, then turned to him.
Neither of them had said anything. She suspected neither of them had planned this moment. But if the desire in his eyes was anything to go by, he wasn’t going to object, and she knew she wanted everything he had to offer.
He stepped toward her. She moved into his arms.
Perhaps this wasn’t the smartest decision she’d made that day, but she was okay with that. There might be consequences for giving herself to Finn when she knew that eventually he would leave. She would worry about that later, she promised herself, getting lost in his kiss and the feel of his hands on her body. For now, there was only the man and the way he made her feel.
FINN WAS AWARE of Dakota’s even breathing. It might only be four in the afternoon, but she was exhausted. He would like to take credit, but an hour of passionate lovemaking was nothing when compared to caring for a six-month-old baby.
He doubted she slept for more than four hours at a stretch. So when he heard the sound of Hannah stirring, he got up from the bed and turned down the monitor.
After pulling on boxers and jeans, he walked barefoot into the baby’s room. Hannah smiled when she saw him and raised her arms, as if she wanted to be picked up. He obliged her and held her tiny body against his bare chest.
“Did you sleep well, pumpkin cheeks? Your mama is getting some rest right now. So we’re going to be very quiet.”
He walked over to the changing table. After taking care of her diaper, he carried her into the kitchen and checked the refrigerator. Knowing Dakota as he did, he wasn’t surprised to see several bottles already prepared.
“You have to admire a woman who knows how to take care of business,” he told the baby.
A pan of water sat on the stove. He turned on the burner and waited for the water to heat. He briefly glanced at the microwave. A pan of water might be old-fashioned, but it was more reliable.
While they waited, he rocked the baby in his arms. She kept eye contact with him and offered a tentative smile.
“You are going to be a heartbreaker one day,” he told her. “Just like your mother.”
Dakota was more than that, he thought, remembering the taste of her, the feel of her skin. She was a temptation. Not just because of how she got to him in bed, but because he enjoyed her company. She was the kind of woman a man looked forward to coming home to. Under other circumstances…
No, he told himself firmly. She was not for him. He had a life, and it didn’t include a woman and a baby. He’d been the responsible guy for the past eight years. Now that his brothers were nearly grown, he was going to be free. And he had plans. A new business to build. The last thing he wanted was to be tied down.
When the bottle was heated, he tested the milk. Assured that the temperature was correct, he returned to Hannah’s room and settled in the rocking chair.
The little girl latched on to the bottle eagerly. As she ate, he watched her watch him. There was something about her big brown eyes. He smiled at her. She raised her hand and grabbed on to his little finger, holding tight. Deep inside, he felt something shift, almost as if making room.
Ridiculous, he told himself.
When she’d finished eating, he grabbed a towel from the pile by the rocker, put it on his shoulder and burped her. She snuggled close. He held her as he rocked, humming tunelessly.
“Your mom said that she reads to you now. I saw the book about the bunny. I guess that’s more appropriate than Car and Driver. Although you might be into cars. It’s probably too soon to tell. And we should check on your mom. Last I saw, she was na**d.” He grinned. “She looks good na**d.”
“I’ll have to take your word on that.”
Finn looked up and saw Dakota’s mother standing in the doorway. He stood, then wondered if that was a mistake. He was wearing jeans and nothing else, holding Dakota’s baby in his arms. Dakota was in her room, probably still asleep. And na**d, as he’d so helpfully pointed out.
Although he was usually good on his feet, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.
Denise approached and took the baby. “I suppose I should have called first. Dakota’s asleep?”
He nodded.
He felt like a seventeen-year-old caught making out with his girlfriend. Except he wasn’t seventeen, and they’d done a whole lot more than kiss.
Getting dressed seemed to be the first priority, he thought, wondering how he could get around Denise without being obvious. Then he heard a sound in the hall.
“Did you take care of Hannah?” a very sleepy Dakota asked, walking into the room.
She’d pulled on a robe and nothing else. Her hair was mussed, her mouth swollen from his kisses. She looked rumpled and satisfied, and then completely shocked when she spotted her mother.
“Mom?”
“Hello. I was telling Finn that I should have called first.”
“I, ah…” Dakota grinned. “At least you didn’t show up two hours ago. That would have been awkward.”
Her mother laughed. “For all of us.” She stepped out of the way. “I think Finn was trying to get past me without being obvious.”
“I thought I’d get dressed,” he murmured.
“Don’t put on a shirt on my account,” Dakota’s mother told him and winked.
“Mom, you’re going to frighten him.”
“I can handle it,” he said, wondering if he was telling the truth.
He excused himself and escaped into Dakota’s bedroom. Once there, he dressed quickly. He was stepping into his boots when Dakota showed up.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “She didn’t have a habit of stopping by before I had Hannah. I didn’t think she would today.”
“It’s okay.”
She shrugged. “It’s embarrassing.”
“I’ll survive.” He pulled on his boots, then straightened and kissed her. “You okay?”
“Uh-huh. Thanks for letting me sleep.”
“You needed it. Hannah is fed.”
“I could tell. She has that look of happy contentment.”
He touched her cheek. “So do you.”
He was a good man, Dakota thought, as she walked Finn to the door.
Her mother was hiding out in the kitchen, which Dakota appreciated. Saying goodbye in private would be a lot easier. Of course, she still had to face her mother and explain what was going on.
“I’ll see you soon,” Finn said.
She nodded and hoped he was telling the truth.
Dakota returned to the kitchen where she found her mother playing with Hannah.
“I’m glad you got some rest,” her mother told her. “I know how tired you’ve been.”
Dakota waited, but her mother didn’t say any more. “You have to want to know about Finn.”
“I think I know enough already. He’s the kind of man who looks good holding a baby. Should I worry about you?”
“No. I’m protecting my heart.” For a moment, she allowed herself to wish that she didn’t have to. That, in addition to looking good holding a baby, Finn was the kind of man who stayed. But she knew the truth.
“Are you sure you’re not already in love with him?”
She grinned. “Gee, thanks. I appreciate the compliment, even if it is an afterthought.”
She led the way into the living room. Finn settled on the blanket, with Hannah on his lap. Dakota sat across from him.
He’d always had the kind of looks that made her think of tangled sheets and late mornings spent in bed. But there was something about seeing a strong, confident man holding a baby. She’d never experienced it before but now she totally got the appeal.
“How are things on the show?” he asked. “I talked to Sasha a couple of days ago and he was complaining that they needed to go on a hot date.”
“Bad choice of words. After the fire incident, I’m thinking even Geoff is hesitant to let those two loose.”
“I think that’s why they’re staying close to home. Nothing’s been scheduled with Stephen and Aurelia. I don’t think they’re interesting enough for Geoff.”
“Probably not. He’s getting frantic about keeping the ratings up. He mentioned he would love an explosion at the Tulip Festival. I told him there was no way that was going to happen. So how’s the flying? Miss those Alaska mountains?”
“Not as much as I would have thought. There are plenty of people who would rather fly to Fool’s Gold than drive. I don’t get it—the drive is beautiful, and I say that as a pilot. Still, it’s keeping me busy. I’ve flown a few cargo flights and had an interesting afternoon taking a whooping crane from San Francisco to San Diego. The bird I flew is supposed to be a hot breeder.” He chuckled. “He didn’t look any different to me, but I’m not a girl whooping crane.”
As he talked, Hannah reached toward one of the small stuffed animals on the floor.
“Do you want that?” Finn asked. He picked up the small pink stuffed elephant and handed it to her.
“Ga ga ga.”
Dakota stared at the little girl. “Did you just say ga?” She turned to Finn. “You heard that, right? She spoke.”
Finn rolled onto his back and held the little girl up in his arms. “Look at how smart you are. You can say ga.”
Hannah squealed with delight as Finn continued to hold her in the air. When he rolled back to a seated position, she reached for her elephant. He handed it to her.
Dakota couldn’t stop grinning. “I know I had nothing to do with it, but I feel so proud.”
“It’s a parent thing.”
That’s right. She was a parent now. “I need to remember what this feels like so that when she’s fourteen and driving me crazy, I have something to fall back on.”
He chuckled. “You are a woman with a plan.”
They watched the little girl. She seemed mesmerized by her pink elephant.
“One of the guys I flew in told me there’s talk of building a casino just north of town,” Finn said.
“I heard about that. Apparently it’s going to be a very upscale facility. More tourists are always a good thing.”
“I also heard plenty of talk about the man shortage. You know the world thinks Fool’s Gold is filled with desperate women.”
Dakota winced. “It’s been an ongoing problem. I told you about the grad student who wrote about the man shortage in her thesis. The media picked it up and went crazy. That’s why we have Geoff here, doing his show. Demographically, men might be outnumbered, but we are hardly desperate women.” She looked at him. “Although it does explain my attraction to you.”
“You’d want me no matter how many men were in town.”
“There’s certainly nothing wrong with your ego.”
“Or any other part of me.”
He was right about that, Dakota thought, remembering the feel of his body against hers. But she wasn’t going to admit it.
“There seem to be plenty of guys in town,” he said. “Is there still a shortage?”
“I’m not sure. They were coming in by the busload last fall, but I don’t know how many of the men stayed. Still, the town is fine. That’s what made all the media attention so frustrating.”
“It’s a good town,” he told her. “You’ll get through this.”
“Mayor Marsha is counting the minutes until Geoff and his production company leaves. She’s afraid of what they’ll want to do next. I’m pretty sure Geoff finds Fool’s Gold quiet and boring. We don’t want him writing our tourist brochure, that’s for sure.”
As they were speaking, Hannah started to lean more heavily against Finn. Her eyes began to close in that familiar way.
“Someone’s getting sleepy,” Dakota said, scrambling to her feet. She glanced at the clock. “It’s a little past time for her nap. I don’t want to put her down too late. She’s nearly sleeping through the night.”
Finn handed her the baby, then stood. “Not something you want to mess with.”
“Exactly. Sleep is still precious. More so for me than for her.”
Dakota headed for her daughter’s room. Finn trailed along behind her. She checked the baby’s diaper, then put her in her crib and turned on the mobile.
Finn moved next to her and touched Hannah’s cheek. “Sleep well, little girl.”
The baby sighed and then drifted off to sleep. Dakota picked up the monitor and stepped out of the room. Finn closed the door behind them.
“How long does she sleep?” he asked.
“About two hours. Then we have dinner and I read to her some more. The evenings are—”
She had more she was going to say but never got the chance. They were barely in the living room when Finn put his hand on her waist and drew her to him. She went without thinking and was glad she did when his mouth settled on hers.
Her first thought was that it had been too long between kisses. He’d been busy with flying, and she’d been adjusting to being a mother. But when she felt his tongue on her bottom lip, her thoughts faded as she lost herself in the fiery passion that lurked whenever he was near her.
He tasted of coffee and mint. His body was strong and hard against hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to get closer, to feel all of him. His heat surrounded her.
More, she thought hungrily. She wanted more.
Still holding on to the monitor, she led the way into her bedroom. She put the monitor on her dresser and checked the sound, then turned to him.
Neither of them had said anything. She suspected neither of them had planned this moment. But if the desire in his eyes was anything to go by, he wasn’t going to object, and she knew she wanted everything he had to offer.
He stepped toward her. She moved into his arms.
Perhaps this wasn’t the smartest decision she’d made that day, but she was okay with that. There might be consequences for giving herself to Finn when she knew that eventually he would leave. She would worry about that later, she promised herself, getting lost in his kiss and the feel of his hands on her body. For now, there was only the man and the way he made her feel.
FINN WAS AWARE of Dakota’s even breathing. It might only be four in the afternoon, but she was exhausted. He would like to take credit, but an hour of passionate lovemaking was nothing when compared to caring for a six-month-old baby.
He doubted she slept for more than four hours at a stretch. So when he heard the sound of Hannah stirring, he got up from the bed and turned down the monitor.
After pulling on boxers and jeans, he walked barefoot into the baby’s room. Hannah smiled when she saw him and raised her arms, as if she wanted to be picked up. He obliged her and held her tiny body against his bare chest.
“Did you sleep well, pumpkin cheeks? Your mama is getting some rest right now. So we’re going to be very quiet.”
He walked over to the changing table. After taking care of her diaper, he carried her into the kitchen and checked the refrigerator. Knowing Dakota as he did, he wasn’t surprised to see several bottles already prepared.
“You have to admire a woman who knows how to take care of business,” he told the baby.
A pan of water sat on the stove. He turned on the burner and waited for the water to heat. He briefly glanced at the microwave. A pan of water might be old-fashioned, but it was more reliable.
While they waited, he rocked the baby in his arms. She kept eye contact with him and offered a tentative smile.
“You are going to be a heartbreaker one day,” he told her. “Just like your mother.”
Dakota was more than that, he thought, remembering the taste of her, the feel of her skin. She was a temptation. Not just because of how she got to him in bed, but because he enjoyed her company. She was the kind of woman a man looked forward to coming home to. Under other circumstances…
No, he told himself firmly. She was not for him. He had a life, and it didn’t include a woman and a baby. He’d been the responsible guy for the past eight years. Now that his brothers were nearly grown, he was going to be free. And he had plans. A new business to build. The last thing he wanted was to be tied down.
When the bottle was heated, he tested the milk. Assured that the temperature was correct, he returned to Hannah’s room and settled in the rocking chair.
The little girl latched on to the bottle eagerly. As she ate, he watched her watch him. There was something about her big brown eyes. He smiled at her. She raised her hand and grabbed on to his little finger, holding tight. Deep inside, he felt something shift, almost as if making room.
Ridiculous, he told himself.
When she’d finished eating, he grabbed a towel from the pile by the rocker, put it on his shoulder and burped her. She snuggled close. He held her as he rocked, humming tunelessly.
“Your mom said that she reads to you now. I saw the book about the bunny. I guess that’s more appropriate than Car and Driver. Although you might be into cars. It’s probably too soon to tell. And we should check on your mom. Last I saw, she was na**d.” He grinned. “She looks good na**d.”
“I’ll have to take your word on that.”
Finn looked up and saw Dakota’s mother standing in the doorway. He stood, then wondered if that was a mistake. He was wearing jeans and nothing else, holding Dakota’s baby in his arms. Dakota was in her room, probably still asleep. And na**d, as he’d so helpfully pointed out.
Although he was usually good on his feet, he couldn’t think of a single thing to say.
Denise approached and took the baby. “I suppose I should have called first. Dakota’s asleep?”
He nodded.
He felt like a seventeen-year-old caught making out with his girlfriend. Except he wasn’t seventeen, and they’d done a whole lot more than kiss.
Getting dressed seemed to be the first priority, he thought, wondering how he could get around Denise without being obvious. Then he heard a sound in the hall.
“Did you take care of Hannah?” a very sleepy Dakota asked, walking into the room.
She’d pulled on a robe and nothing else. Her hair was mussed, her mouth swollen from his kisses. She looked rumpled and satisfied, and then completely shocked when she spotted her mother.
“Mom?”
“Hello. I was telling Finn that I should have called first.”
“I, ah…” Dakota grinned. “At least you didn’t show up two hours ago. That would have been awkward.”
Her mother laughed. “For all of us.” She stepped out of the way. “I think Finn was trying to get past me without being obvious.”
“I thought I’d get dressed,” he murmured.
“Don’t put on a shirt on my account,” Dakota’s mother told him and winked.
“Mom, you’re going to frighten him.”
“I can handle it,” he said, wondering if he was telling the truth.
He excused himself and escaped into Dakota’s bedroom. Once there, he dressed quickly. He was stepping into his boots when Dakota showed up.
“Sorry about that,” she said. “She didn’t have a habit of stopping by before I had Hannah. I didn’t think she would today.”
“It’s okay.”
She shrugged. “It’s embarrassing.”
“I’ll survive.” He pulled on his boots, then straightened and kissed her. “You okay?”
“Uh-huh. Thanks for letting me sleep.”
“You needed it. Hannah is fed.”
“I could tell. She has that look of happy contentment.”
He touched her cheek. “So do you.”
He was a good man, Dakota thought, as she walked Finn to the door.
Her mother was hiding out in the kitchen, which Dakota appreciated. Saying goodbye in private would be a lot easier. Of course, she still had to face her mother and explain what was going on.
“I’ll see you soon,” Finn said.
She nodded and hoped he was telling the truth.
Dakota returned to the kitchen where she found her mother playing with Hannah.
“I’m glad you got some rest,” her mother told her. “I know how tired you’ve been.”
Dakota waited, but her mother didn’t say any more. “You have to want to know about Finn.”
“I think I know enough already. He’s the kind of man who looks good holding a baby. Should I worry about you?”
“No. I’m protecting my heart.” For a moment, she allowed herself to wish that she didn’t have to. That, in addition to looking good holding a baby, Finn was the kind of man who stayed. But she knew the truth.
“Are you sure you’re not already in love with him?”
