Read Online Twins Under His Tree by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online

little eyes were practically closed and her angelic face was peaceful. “I’ll carry her upstairs and lay her in her crib. You can come up when Grace finishes.”
    â€œI have receiving blankets up there on the side of each crib. Can you swaddle her in one? They’re supposed to sleep better if I do that.”
    â€œI’ll try it.”
    â€œAnd you have to lay her on her back.”
    â€œI know, Lily.”
    She flushed.
    â€œAfter I put her to bed, I’ll pull out a blanket and a pillow for the sofa. I remember where you got them.”
    Lily nodded, but dropped her eyes to Grace and didn’t look at him. If they didn’t admit to the intimacy developing between them, then the intimacy wouldn’t exist, right?
    Right.
    They were tiptoeing along a line in the sand, hoping neither one of them fell onto the other side.
    He let out a pent-up breath he didn’t even know he was holding when he left the downstairs nursery and headed up the steps, Sophie sleeping against his shoulder. The hall light guided him into the babies’ room, where he grabbed the blanket and carefully wrapped Sophie in it on the changing table, murmuring softly to her as he did. Then he gently laid her in her crib and switched on the monitoring system.
    After turning on the castle night-light by the rocker, he went to the hall for his bedding. At the closet, he glanced back at the room, almost ready to return andwish the little girl a good night. But he knew he couldn’t become attached, not to the babies any more than to Lily. Nothing was permanent. Everything ended. He had no right to even think about Lily in a romantic way. He had no intention of making life more complicated for either of them.
    After Mitch went downstairs, he made up the sofa and sat on it, staring at the monitor. Sophie did look like a cherub with her wispy blond hair, her blue eyes, her little body that seemed more heavenly than earthly. Her tiny face turned from left to right and he wondered if she missed Grace already.
    He was so engrossed in his reflections that he didn’t hear Lily come into the living room until the floor squeaked. She was holding Grace in a sling that kept her nestled against her chest.
    â€œIs Sophie asleep?” Lily asked.
    â€œCome see.”
    â€œI have to put Grace down, too.”
    â€œA couple of minutes won’t matter. Come here.”
    Lily just stared at Sophie, her sweet sleep as entrancing as her little nose, long eyelashes and broad brow. “The monitor is wonderful, Mitch,” Lily said in a low voice. “But they’re so small. I’ll probably be going in every fifteen minutes to check on them.”
    â€œYou need your sleep. I’ll be watching from down here. How about if I stay awake until the first feeding?”
    â€œYou need your sleep, too.”
    â€œI’m used to not sleeping. I was a trauma surgeon, remember?”
    She remembered and unintentionally her gaze went to his arm and his hand.
    Self-consciously, he moved it and balled it into a fist. Though he expected her to move away, she didn’t.
    â€œDo you think about what you used to do very often?”
    â€œOften enough. But that was then and this is now. Why don’t I walk you upstairs? We’ll make sure both babies are settled.”
    Lily took one last look at the image on the monitor and then crossed to the stairway. Mitch waited a beat or so and then followed her.
    Â 
    Upstairs, by the glow of the night-light, Lily took Grace from her carrier and wrapped her in a blanket as Mitch had done with Sophie. After Lily laid Grace in her crib, she stooped over the baby and kissed her forehead. “I love you, sweet girl. I’m glad you’re home.”
    Then she moved to Sophie’s crib and did the same.
    Aware Mitch hadn’t come far into the room, Lily glanced at him as he stood by the chair, his arms crossed over his chest—watchful and distant.
    When he’d