Mollie Molay - The Baby In The Back Seat

Laura pulled the baby’s romper over the fresh diaper and snapped the crotch. Instead of handing the baby over to its father, she buried her nose in the baby’s neck and made bubbling noises. Not only because she couldn’t resist hearing Annie laugh, but also because playing with the baby was the only way she could think of to keep her mind off Annie’s father.

Sam Harrison, bare feet, wet clothing and all, was the masculine type of man who rang her bell. The fact that he obviously loved his infant daughter and, although he knew zip about babies, was ready to raise her by himself made him more of a man than most in her eyes. That was the trouble. The last thing she needed in her life right now was a baby she couldn’t keep or a wandering man like Sam Harrison. A man who made her think of dreams best forgotten.

A baby had been her dream from the time a sympathetic foster mother had handed her her first doll. A hand-me-down doll with faded clothing and one eye missing, the doll had been her pride and joy. She’d built an imaginary family around Dolly Dimples and dreamed of a day when she would have her own children. A dream that had been shattered when, as a newly adopted thirteen-year-old, she’d been thrown from a horse and suffered internal injuries. Injuries that would prevent her from becoming a mother.

Laura closed her eyes, gave Annie one last hug and reluctantly handed the baby back to her father. “Diapering isn’t the only task you’ll have to master if you intend to care for Annie by yourself.”

Jolted from his musings, Sam forced his thoughts from what made his reluctant hostess tick to his present problem. For sure he’d better get his act together and learn all he could about taking care of Annie while he had the chance. “Right. Maybe you can show me a few other tricks before I leave.”

Her answering frown told him he was skating on thin ice. Maybe “tricks” hadn’t been the best description for baby care he could have used. The way Laura was looking at him told him he was on probation as a father. He hurried to change the topic.

“By the way, the car-rental agency told me it’s going take a few days before they can get me another car. Seems there’s some sort of local holiday going on.”

Laura nodded. “Miners’ Days celebration.”

“Right. From the sound of it, I’m afraid I might have to stick around here until they can bring an SUV from Denver.” Laura’s frown grew deeper, but this would give Sam the time to learn how to take care of Annie. “The rental agency offered to reimburse me for my room and board until they arrive,” he added hopefully. “How about it? Can we stay?”

Laura fought her pride and lost. She knew having Sam Harrison and little Annie around would be treading on dangerous territory for more than one reason. But bottom line, she needed the money.

“I’d planned on taking in campers to make the ranch pay, but not the adult kind,” she replied. And certainly not a man who appealed to her senses as strongly as Sam Harrison did. Not that she didn’t welcome Annie’s presence, she did. But not Annie’s father.

She didn’t want to wind up caring about Sam Harrison. She knew all too well there was no future in it for either of them.

She finally nodded. “I’ll let you know what it will cost to replace the water tower and to mend the fence. As for your staying here, pay whatever you think is fair.”

Sam juggled Annie in one arm and pulled out his wallet. It was a struggle, but he managed to get it and to hand Laura two one-hundred-dollar bills. “That ought to do it for now.” When she hesitated, he hurried to add, “Go ahead, take it. The car-rental agency will reimburse me.” When she hesitated, he added another hundred. “That’s for taking care of Annie.”

“The care of Annie is on the house,” she answered with a dark look. “And so are the lessons in child care.”

He put the bill back into his wallet.

“There’s a lot more to taking care of a baby than you might realize, Mr. Harrison. Maybe you ought to consider taking your daughter back to her mother.”

Sam froze. “No way is my daughter going to be an unwanted child! Her mother put her in my SUV without my knowledge. As far as I’m concerned, that means Annie is mine. I love her, and I’m not giving her back.”

Laura’s opinion of him went up another notch. A man who loved children had to be a decent man. Only, not the man for her.

She remembered all too well the early years of her own life when, as an unwanted child, she’d been shuffled from foster home to foster home. Until she was twelve, and Elsie and Jonah Evans had appeared out of nowhere to adopt her. She’d been grateful, had come to love them dearly and had cared for them until they’d passed on. Little Annie was lucky. She might have a mother who didn’t want her, but she had a father who adored her.

“As for my learning how to take care of my daughter,” Sam continued, “I’m game. That is, if you’re still willing to teach me what I need to know.”

Willing to take care of Annie when I fell in love with her the moment she smiled at me? You bet!

But how was she going to handle Annie’s father?

A glance at miniscule lips sucking a tiny hand settled the problem. At least for the moment, Laura thought, grateful for the diversion. “Now that Annie’s comfortable, it’s time to feed her.”

When Sam looked lost, she rummaged through the baby’s diaper bag. “Any formula in here, or was the baby being breast-fed?”

He shook his head. “Knowing Paige, I doubt it. She wasn’t around that much between flights. Actually her mother helped take care of the baby. As for any formula being in the bag, I haven’t the foggiest notion. I didn’t have time to look before you came to our rescue. Which reminds me,” he went on, “I forgot to thank you for taking us in.”

Laura sat back on her heels and regarded Sam with a raised eyebrow. “Just how old is Annie? I need to know so I can take care of her properly.”

“Five, maybe six months.”

“You’re not sure?”

He tried to look innocent and felt defensive at the same time. “I was on assignment when she was born. Okay, okay,” he added when she continued to stare at him in disbelief, “I’d say maybe six months.”

Laura went back to rummaging in the diaper bag. “There has to be baby cereal around here someplace, unless Annie’s not eating solids yet.”

“Sorry, I’m afraid I don’t know that, either.”

He looked so lost Laura decided maybe she’d been too hard on him. “Not to worry. From Annie’s healthy appearance, I’d say someone took good care of her.”

She gathered Annie in her arms, nestled her against her chest and brushed the baby’s velvet cheek with her lips. Murmuring softly, she grabbed the diaper bag and gestured to Sam’s duffel. “Maybe you’d like to get cleaned up while I take Annie into the kitchen and find out just what we do have in here.”

“I’d be mighty grateful to get out of these wet clothes.” He gestured to his wet shirt and soaking jeans, and shrugged helplessly.

Laura’s gaze focused on a shirt so wet it was transparent. Under it, wide shoulders, a muscular chest and dark-brown curls were as visible as in an artist’s rendition. She didn’t dare look below his waist.

“No problem,” she said nonchalantly. “Go on upstairs and take the first room on the right. If you don’t have everything you need in your duffel bag, check the closet.”

Sam halted in midstride. “You’re married?”

“No,” Laura answered. “The clothing belonged to my dad. I’ve never gotten around to packing it up and giving it away.”

Sam muttered his thanks and fled temptation as quickly as his bare feet would take him. The sight of Annie in the ranch owner’s arms hit him where it hurt. Turned his thoughts to early dreams of a warmhearted wife and children of his own. Before his world caved in on him.