Judy Duarte - Triple Trouble / A Real Live Cowboy

Charlene sat bolt upright, disoriented as she stared in confusion at the dim outlines of bed and dresser in the strange room.

The sound of crying from the triplets’ room abruptly scattered the lingering fog of sleep and she tossed back the bedcovers to hurry next door.

“Oh, sweetie,” she soothed, lifting Jackie from her crib. “Sh.” She patted the little back while the baby’s sobs slowed to hiccups. “What’s wrong?”

Jessie rolled over in her crib and sat up. In the third crib, Jenny pulled herself to her feet to clasp the rail. Jackie chose that moment to burst into sobs once more and, as if on cue, Jessie and Jenny’s faces crumpled. They burst into tears as well.

The combined sound of their crying was deafening and impossible to ignore. Charlene wasn’t surprised when Nick staggered into the room.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was gravelly with sleep. He wore navy boxers, his broad chest and long legs bare.

Despite the earsplitting noise of three crying babies, Charlene still noticed that Nick looked as good undressed as he did in faded jeans and T-shirts.

“Jackie woke me, then her crying woke the other two.” Charlene crossed to the changing table, gently rocking the still sobbing Jackie while she took a fresh diaper from the drawer. “I think she needs a diaper change. Can you pick up Jenny and Jessie—maybe rock them for a few minutes?”

“Sure.” Nick shoved his fingers through his hair, further rumpling it, and lifted Jenny from her crib.

The low rumble of his voice as he murmured to the two babies was barely audible as Charlene quickly changed Jackie’s diaper. By the time she snapped the little girl’s footed sleeper and tossed the damp disposable nappy into the bin, their crying had subsided into silence. She tucked Jackie against her shoulder and turned, stopping abruptly.

Nick sat in the cushioned rocking chair, a little girl against each bare shoulder, their faces turned into the bend of his neck where shoulder met throat. His broad hands nearly covered each little back, fingers splayed to hold them securely. His hair was rumpled, his eyes sleepy.

Charlene didn’t think she’d ever seen anything half as sexy as the big man protectively cradling the two sleeping babies. She felt her heart lurch.

Don’t go there, she ordered herself. Do not notice how sexy he is. Remember you swore to avoid men for at least six months after breaking up with Barry. That was only two weeks ago.

She couldn’t remember ever feeling this attracted to her ex-fiancé, but that didn’t change the fact that she was determined to never, ever, get involved with her employer.

She moved softly across the room and eased into the empty rocking chair. Jackie stirred, lifting her head from Charlene’s shoulder. Charlene quickly smoothed her hand over the baby’s silky black curls, gently urging her to lay her head down once more, and set the rocker in motion. Within seconds, Jackie was relaxed, her compact little body feeling boneless where it lay against Charlene.

“Is she asleep?” Nick’s murmur rasped, velvet over gravel.

“Yes,” Charlene whispered. “What about your two?”

He tipped his head back to peer down at first one, then the other, of the two little girls. “They seem to be.” He looked up at her. “Think it’s safe to put them back in bed?”

“We can try. Let me put Jackie down and then I’ll take one of yours.” At his nod, Charlene stood and crossed to Jackie’s crib, easing the sleeping baby down onto her back and pulling the light blanket over her before she returned to Nick.

“Which one do you want me to carry?” she whispered.

“Jenny.” He leaned forward slightly.

Charlene bent closer to lift the sleeping baby, her hands brushing against his bare skin. He was warm, his skin sleek over the flex of muscles as he shifted to help transfer the little girl to her, and a shiver of awareness shook her. She was aware his head turned abruptly, could feel the intensity of his stare, but she wouldn’t, couldn’t, allow herself to meet his gaze. Instead, she cradled Jenny in her arms and turned away to carry the little girl to her crib, tucking her in and smoothing the blanket over her sleeping form. Behind her, she heard the soft sounds of Nick tucking Jessie into the third crib.

Nick followed her to the doorway, waiting in the hall as she paused to look back. The room was quiet—no movement visible in any of the three cribs to indicate a restless child.

“I think they’re out for the count,” Nick murmured behind her.

“Yes, I believe you’re right,” she whispered, before stepping into the hall and easing the door partially closed. “Let’s hope they stay that way for the rest of the night.” She gave him a fleeting glance. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

Once again, she felt his stare as she walked down the hall and into the safety of her room. She closed the door and collapsed against it, the panels cool against her shoulders, left bare by the narrow straps of her camisole pajama top.

There was no way she would ever become involved with her boss. She’d sworn a solemn oath after she’d learned about her father’s affair with his secretary that had ultimately destroyed her parents’ marriage. She’d never forgiven him, but for the first time, tonight she had an inkling as to what may have caused her father to stray. If he’d felt anything like the sizzling heat that swamped her every time she got close to Nick Fortune, then maybe, just maybe, she should stop being so angry at him. Maybe he’d literally been unable to help himself.

Or not, she thought, still not completely convinced.

But in any event, she had to find a way to insulate herself against the powerful attraction she felt. Especially since it appeared Nick didn’t have to do anything, or even say anything, to make her nerves sizzle and her body heat up.

Apparently, he just needed to breathe in her presence.

Groaning, she climbed back into bed and pulled the sheet and blanket over her head.

The triplets were still fast asleep in their cribs upstairs when Charlene tiptoed down the stairs and into the kitchen just before eight the following morning.

Nick glanced over his shoulder and took down another mug from the open cupboard. “Morning,” he said. “Coffee’s nearly done.”

Charlene breathed in the rich scent filling the kitchen and nearly groaned. “Bless you.”

Nick’s grin flashed, his eyes lit with amusement. He poured the rich brew into their mugs at the same moment that a knock sounded on the back door.

“That’ll be Melissa,” Nick told Charlene. He grabbed his computer case and crossed the kitchen to pull open the door.

A huge chocolate Labrador retriever leaped over the threshold and planted his paws on Nick’s shoulders, whining with excitement, his tail whipping back and forth.

“Ouch.” Melissa stepped inside, moving sideways to avoid getting hit. “That tail of yours is a lethal weapon, Rufus.” She waved her hand at the travel coffee mug and leather case in Nick’s left hand. “On your way out to work, boss?”

“Yeah.” Nick rubbed Rufus’s ears. “That’s enough. Down, boy.” The Lab dropped back onto four paws but continued to wag his tail, pink tongue lolling as he stared adoringly up at Nick. “I’ll check with the employment agency today,” Nick said, looking over his shoulder at Charlene, “and find out if they’ve lined up applicants for a second nanny.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed that they have—then maybe we both can start getting more sleep.”

Nick grinned, his eyes lit with rueful amusement as his mouth curved upward to reveal a flash of white teeth. Charlene suspected she was staring at him like a hopelessly lovestruck teenager, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away.