Temptation

“No more than a couple of weeks, if even that long,” Zeke said. “The results of the paternity test should be back by then and we’ll know how to proceed.”

Sheila nibbled her bottom lip, when Sunnie reached and grabbed hold of a lock of her hair, seemingly forcing Sheila to look down at her—into her beautiful hazel eyes, while she made a lot of cheerful baby sounds. At that moment Sheila knew she would do it. Sunnie needed a temporary home and she would provide her with one. It was the least she could do, and deep down she knew it was something that she wanted to do. This was the first time she’d felt someone truly, really needed her.

She glanced up at both men to see they were patiently waiting for her answer. She drew in a deep breath. “Yes. I would be happy to be Sunnie’s emergency foster parent.”

After removing his jacket, Zeke slid into the seat of his car and leaned back as he gazed at the entrance to the hospital. He felt good about Sheila Hopkins agreeing to take on the role of foster parent. That way he would know the baby was being well cared for while he turned up the heat on the investigation to clear Brad’s name.

He intended to pursue each and every lead. He would not leave a stone, no matter how small, unturned. He intended to get this potential scandal under total control before it could go any further.

Now if he could control his attraction to Sheila Hopkins. The woman was definitely temptation with a capital T. Being in close quarters with her, even with Warren in the room, had been pure torture. She was a looker, but it was clear she didn’t see herself that way, and he couldn’t help wondering, why not? He hadn’t seen a ring on her finger and, when he’d hung back to speak with Warren in private, the only thing his friend could tell him was that she was a model employee, caring to a fault, dependable and intelligent.

Warren had also verified she was single and had moved from Dallas last year. But still, considering everything, Zeke felt it wouldn’t hurt to do a background check on her, just to be on the safe side. The last thing he wanted was for her to be someone who’d be tempted to sell this story to the tabloids. That was the last thing Brad needed. His best friend was depending on him to bring an end to this nightmare, and he would.

Zeke was about to turn the ignition in his car, when he glanced through the windshield to see Sheila Hopkins. She was walking quickly across the parking lot to the car he had seen her in that morning. She looked as if she was dashing off to fight a fire. Curious as to where she could be going in such a hurry, he got out of the car, walked swiftly to cross the parking lot and intercepted her before she could reach her vehicle.

She nearly yelled in fright when he stepped in front of her. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, covering her heart with the palm of her hand. “You just scared me out of my wits.”

“Sorry, but I saw you tearing across the parking lot. What’s the hurry?”

Sheila drew a deep breath to get her heart beating back normal in her chest. She looked up at Zeke Travers and couldn’t do anything about her stomach doing flips. It had been hard enough while in the examination room to stop her gaze from roaming all over him every chance it got.

“I’m leaving Sunnie in the hospital tonight while I go pick up the things I’ll need for her. I’m going to need a baby bed, diapers, clothes and all kinds of other items. I plan on shopping today and come back for her first thing in the morning once my house is ready.”

She paused a moment. “I hated leaving her. She started crying. I feel like I’m abandoning her.”

A part of Zeke was relieved to know she was a woman who would feel some sort of guilt in abandoning a child. His own mother had not. He drew in a deep breath as he remembered what Sheila Hopkins had said about needing to go shopping for all that baby stuff. He hadn’t thought of the extra expenses taking on a baby would probably cost her.

“Let me go with you to pick up the stuff. That way I can pay for it.”

She raised a brow. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Because whether or not Brad’s the father—which he’s not—he wants the baby taken care of and is willing to pay for anything she might need.” He hadn’t discussed it with Brad, but knew there wouldn’t be a problem. Brad was concerned for the baby’s welfare.

She seemed to be studying his features as if she was trying to decide if he was serious, Zeke thought. And then she asked, “You sure? I have to admit that I hadn’t worked all the baby expenses into my weekly budget, but if I need to get money out of my savings then I—”

“No, that won’t be necessary and Brad wouldn’t want it any other way and like I said, I’ll be glad to go with you and help.”

Sheila felt a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. The last thing she needed was Zeke Travers in her presence too long. “No, I’ll be able to manage things, but I appreciate the offer.”

“No, really, I insist. Why wouldn’t you want me to help? I’ll provide you with two extra hands.”

That wasn’t all he would be providing her with, she thought, looking at him. Besides the drop-dead gorgeous looks, at some point he had taken off his jacket to reveal the width of his shoulders beneath his white dress shirt. She also noticed the way his muscular thighs fit into a pair of dress slacks.

“We could leave your car here. I have a feeling you’ll want to come back and check on the baby later. We can go in my vehicle,” he added before she could respond to what he’d said.

She lifted a brow. “You have a two-seater.”

He chuckled. “Yes, but I also have a truck. And that’s what you’re going to need to haul something as big as a box containing a baby bed. And in order to haul the kid away from here you’re going to need a car seat tomorrow.”

Sheila tilted her head back and drew in a deep breath. Had she bit off more than she could chew? She hadn’t thought of all that. She needed to make a list and not work off the top of her head. And he was right about her needing a truck and wanting to return tonight to check on Sunnie. The sound of her crying had followed Sheila all the way to the elevator. She hated leaving her, but she had to prepare her house for Sunnie’s visit.

“Ms. Hopkins?”

She looked back at Zeke Travers. “Fine, Mr. Travers, I’ll accept your generosity. If you’re sure it’s not going out of your way.”

He smiled. “I’m not going out of my way, I assure you. Like I said, Brad would want what’s best for the baby even if she isn’t his.”

She arched a brow. “You certainly seem so sure of that.”

“I am. Now, it’s going to be my job in addition to making sure the baby is safe and well cared for, to find out who’s trying to nail him with this and to clear his name.”

Zeke paused a moment and stared down at her. “And speaking of names, I suggest you call me Zeke, instead of Mr. Travers.”

She smiled. “Why, is Mr. Travers what they call your father?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

Sheila’s heart skipped a beat when she realized what he’d said and what he’d meant by saying it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything. The last guy who told me not to call him by his last name said the reason was that’s what people called his daddy.”

“No harm done, and I hope you don’t mind if I call you Sheila.”

“No, I don’t mind.”

“Good. Come on, Sheila, my car is parked over here,” he said.

Sheila felt her stomach twist in all kinds of knots when she heard her name flow from his lips. And as she walked beside Zeke across the parking lot, a number of misgivings flooded her mind. For one thing, she wasn’t sure what role he intended to play with her becoming Sunnie’s foster parent. She understood Bradford Price was his client and he intended to clear the man’s name. But she had to think beyond that. If Bradford wasn’t Sunnie’s father then who was? Where was the mother and why had the baby been abandoned with a note claiming Bradford was the father when he said he wasn’t?

There were a lot of questions and she had a feeling the man walking beside her intended to have answers for all of them soon enough. She also had a feeling he was the sort of person who got things accomplished when he set his mind to it. And she could tell he intended to investigate this case to the fullest.

His main concern might be on his friend, but hers was on Sunnie. What would happen to her if it was proven Bradford wasn’t the child’s father? Would the man cease caring about Sunnie’s welfare? Would it matter to him that she would then become just a statistic in the system?

He might not care, but she would, and at that moment she vowed to protect Sunnie any way she could.

Three

While they were on their way to the store to pick up items for the baby, Sheila clicked off the phone and sighed deeply as she glanced over at Zeke. “I just talked to one of the nurses in Pediatrics. Sunnie cried herself to sleep,” she said.

There was no need telling him that she knew just how that felt. She was reminded of how many nights as a child she had lain in bed and cried herself to sleep because her mother was too busy trying to catch the next rich husband to spend any time with her. And her father, once he’d discovered what a gold digger Cassie Hopkins was, he hadn’t wasted time moving out and taking Lois with him and leaving her behind.

“That’s good to hear, Sheila,” Zeke responded.

There was another tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. She couldn’t help it. It did something to her each and every time he pronounced her name. He said it with a deep Texas drawl that could send shivers all through her.

“So how long have you been living in Royal?” he asked.

She glanced over at him. “A year.” She knew from his conversation with Dr. Phillips that he had moved to town six months ago, so there was no need to ask him that. She also knew he’d come from Austin because he wanted to try living in a small city.

“You like it here?”