Read Online Baby in His Arms by Linda Goodnight - Free Book Online

to be here. Was it because of him? Did she dislike him? Was she afraid her boyfriend would find out? Brent Henderson had definitely seemed the jealous type. Not that Creed could blame him. Haley was special.
    Whoa! Where had that come from? He barely knew this woman and had no designs on her.
    But he was glad to see her. And the kids, of course. He was all about the kids.
    As Haley reluctantly opened her door, he spotted flip-flops, a jean jacket and a colorful flowered hippie dress. She looked garden-fresh, her wavy hair dangling at the sides but caught up in a knot on top. There was no wind today, but the sun shot rays of copper through her auburn hair. Shiny. Soft-looking. Like her.
    “Let me help.” He and Haley reached for the back door of the van at the same time. Haley’s side bumped his; their hands brushed. That bizarre itch tingled the hairs on his arms. He caught the door handle first and opened it. She leaned in, brushing past him to unbuckle the baby.
    Lemons. She smelled like lemons. Citrusy and cool with a tart edge. Like the woman herself.
    “She sleeping any better?” he asked, trying his best to shake the unwelcome fascination with Haley’s hair and skin and scent.
    “A little. We’re starting to establish a routine.”
    “That’s good, isn’t it?”
    “Very good.” With a gentleness that tugged at him, she slid her hand beneath Rose Petal’s head and lifted her small body out of the car. “During the day she sleeps like this, solid as concrete. Not even your helicopter flying over the house awakens her.”
    He had a sudden vision of Haley in her sun hat, baby in arms, looking up at him as he flew over. She hadn’t waved. “She’s growing.”
    “You haven’t seen her in a few days. Babies change so fast.”
    He stroked Rose’s soft check. “Chubbier. Softer. You’re taking good care of her.”
    She looked up, one finely arched eyebrow elevated. “Even though you had your doubts about me as a foster mom?”
    He opened his mouth and shut it again just as quickly. She was right. He had. But he’d been wrong. Thomas and Rose were in good hands.
    “If you want an apology, you have one.”
    She gave him a cool look. “I don’t want anything from you.”
    Yes, sir, lemons could be tart. “Maybe I want something from you.”
    They’d started walking toward the office door where Thomas already waited as patiently as a ten-year-old could. Now Haley stopped to stare up at Creed.
    “Like what?”
    “I have a grandma.”
    “Congratulations.”
    He laughed. He didn’t know why when she seemed determined to be contentious, her prickly words didn’t match her artsy, tree-hugger demeanor.
    She laughed, too. “Okay, truce. I didn’t want to come out here today but Thomas was so insistent.”
    “Because of your boyfriend? Are you afraid he won’t like the idea of you visiting another guy?”
    “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
    “But I thought—” Thomas said... He perched his hands on his hips and gazed toward the greening peak of Blackberry Mountain.
    “You’re talking about Brent, aren’t you?”
    “The two of you seemed to be an item.”
    “We’re not. He’s my landlord.” She shifted the baby to the crook of her arm.
    Exhilaration zinged through Creed’s blood with g-force speed. “I got the feeling Brent was jealous when he saw me there.”
    “Maybe he was.”
    Frustrating woman. “Does he have a reason to be?”
    “None on my part. I barely like the guy. But he owns my house and I owe him rent. Which is now past due, as Brent most certainly reminded me. He can be a bit pushy when that happens.”
    Something dark curled in Creed’s belly. He clenched his fist. “He’s not taking advantage of the situation, is he?”
    “I’d poison him first.” But her suddenly pink cheeks made Creed wonder how close to the truth he’d come.
    “Remind me not to make you mad.”
    She and Brent were not dating. She didn’t like the guy. For whatever reason, Creed was