Read Online Snowbound Baby (Silhouette Romance) by Susan Meier - Free Book Online Page A

let alone provide instant funds when an unexpected bill came along. Driving truck didn’t require him to be on the job at 9:00 a.m. every Monday and gave him long stretches of time off. It was perfect.
    The system worked so wellCooper drove truck a lot. First, he did it to get the resources he and his partner needed for improvements to the existing outbuildings on the ranch. Then he began saving to increase the herd so that he could finally retire from trucking and ranch full-time. Instead, the cattle money was going to pay off the mortgage, but that was okay, because it would only take a few years driving truck to restore it again. And then he really would be on his own. The ranch would be his. The herd would be paid for. No bank…no brother would have any claim on him.
    When he wanted to be, Cooper knew he was resourceful. And determined. And strong.
    Surely to hell he could take care of one measly baby.
    “Last night your mother opened some applesauce,” he told Daphne, who screeched and slapped his cheek. “That’s what you’re having for breakfast.”
    She hooked her fingers in his nose and twisted.
    “Ouch! Geez, kid,” he said, catching her chubby little hand and holding it so she couldn’t grab anything else on his face. “You could disfigure me at the rate you’re going.”
    She laughed.
    Cooper sighed. “Right.”
    Luckily the baby seat wasstill in the kitchen. Cooper buckled Daphne in and then retrieved the applesauce. He remembered his discussion with Zoe about feeding Daphne. He also recalled watching her slide the spoon into the baby’s mouth. He could do this.
    He pulled a chair up to the table and popped the lid off the short, stout jar. He stuck the spoon into the ground apples, pulled out a healthy portion and aimed it for Daphne’s mouth.
    Her eyes widened and her lips parted. Clearly, she was hungry. That was good.
    He slid the spoon along her tongue, being careful not to shove it in too far or too fast. Daphne gulped the food. Unfortunately, before she swallowed, she grinned at him and applesauce came pouring out of her mouth.
    “Shoot!” Remembering what he’d seen Zoe do the night before, Cooper caught the wayward applesauce with the spoon before it dripped off Daphne’s chin and onto her chest. Because if that happened he would have to change her shirt and he absolutely, positively was not doing that.
    “Come on, kid. Work with me here.”
    She laughed and patted her hands on her thighs.
    “Okay. No yelping. I’m giving you another spoon of this stuff, so you need to calm down.”
    Having learned his lesson, Cooper judiciously measured the second helping—careful not to give her so much the residual rolled out. He cautiously slid it into her mouth and when she grinned with joy there was no surplus to dribble out. Most of it stayed on the back of her tongue where he’d put it.
    He damned near whooped with excitement over his success. But not taking anything for granted, he didn’t whoop until he fed her half the jar. After that she began to blow bubbles with it and Cooper had a theory. Anytime a woman started playing with her food, she was either on a diet, unhappy with the entrée or not really hungry. He chose number three and rose from his seat.
    “Good job,” he said, then winced whenhe realized that was exactly what he told his horse when they returned from mending fences. But, really, caring for Daphne was a lot like dealing with an animal. She couldn’t speak. He was never really certain she understood what he said. And she didn’t realize that things she thought were fun could wound him.
    By the time he got the applesauce in the refrigerator, Daphne was no longer spitting or slapping her chubby palms on her equally chubby thighs. In fact, she appeared to be downright calm. So calm she looked to be in the mood for an after-breakfast nap.
    Fine by him.
    He opened the refrigerator again and took out the last of her bottles. That would have panicked him, but he had more