she said calmly, looking at the tension ease from his
44
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
shoulders. “First, Tylenol.”
They went through the steps that Ivy laid out and soon Bonnie was
comfortable and even happily babbling while they bathed her. By the time
they got to the bottle, her eyelids were drooping and she fell asleep being
rocked in her daddy’s arms while he sat in his recliner. He leaned his head
back and closed his eyes and soon she heard a soft snore. Ivy grinned as
she looked at him. He’d worked himself up just as much as the baby had.
She got up and took the sleeping baby from his arms and took her to her
room. Making sure the humidifier was on, she tucked the baby in. Ivy
clicked on the Disney princess color changing nightlight and turned off
the light switch. She looked up and gasped in delight. Rafe had somehow
managed to put glow-in-the-dark stars and a moon on the ceiling. That
was how much he loved his daughter. He’d just found out he was a dad
and he pulled out all the stops to make sure her room was perfect. It was
the small things that endeared him to her. Ivy went downstairs and tapped
his shoulder gently.
Rafe sat up with a start and looked around. “Where’s Bonnie?”
“She’s okay. I put her to bed,” Ivy answered. “If her fever comes
back, she can have one dropper of the Tylenol in four hours.”
“I don’t know what I would do if you hadn’t been home,” he said with
a sigh and ran his hand over his face. “Thank you.”
“It’s no problem. I know how hard it is on a parent when their child is
in pain. I used to work in the pediatrics ward before Walter Reed,” she
explained. “Anyway, Bonnie is fine. If her fever climbs to over one
hundred and two and does not go down, then you worry. For now, she’s
just teething, but you can take her to the pediatrician for your own peace
of mind.”
“Where are you going?” Rafe asked.
Ivy chuckled. “Home. The crisis is over.”
He reached out and took her hand. “Stay for a little while. I haven’t
seen you in days.”
“You’re taking care of Bonnie, and I have work,” Ivy reminded him
45
Baby On Board Dahlia Rose
but sat down on the sofa. “It’s two different schedules.”
“I figured you’d at least call at some point,” Rafe said.
“Why?”
“Because you left on a date after I came over with steaks and… Shit.
Never mind.” He stopped but then added, “I saw him kiss you when he
brought you home.”
“Wait. Were you spying on me?” Ivy demanded. “And for your
information, I kissed him back. Stuff like that happens after a date.”
“I happened to be looking outside when you came home—”
“Spying.”
“I wanted to break his face for kissing you,” Rafe said harshly.
Ivy looked at him with surprise. “Why ever for? It’s not like I’m in the
league of women you hang out with or ever will be. Donna and her double
Ds are more your style…”
He was out of the chair in an instant and pressing her against the sofa.
Nose to nose, she looked up into the dark, intense blue-green of his gaze.
Ivy forgot to breathe and her heart pounded against her chest.
“Enough with Donna and her fake ass breasts. There is no league to be
in because since I first kissed you, I can’t get you out of my head,” Rafe
murmured.
“That’s because you feel I’m unattainable. Trust me, I’ll bore you
quickly and then you’ll move on,” Ivy said in a rush.
“Damn it. I’m not some kind of player who collects women as
trophies!” Rafe’s eyes narrowed.
Without another word, he took her lips in a kiss and she moaned
instantly. The heat and desire that swamped her was unlike anything she
could possibly imagine. Rafe pulled her against him and Ivy wrapped her
legs around his waist. He moaned in response against her mouth and took
the kiss deeper. Ivy felt as if she was melting from the inside out. He was
ravenous; Ivy could feel it in his every touch. He
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