A Texas Soldier's Christmas

Damned if he didn’t look serious about that, too.

With a sigh, Nora traversed the last ten feet to her minivan. Unlocked it via the keypad, then handed him her keys at the same time Liam finally woke.

Her little angel was not happy about being eased out of his cozy baby carrier, and into his car seat. He let his discontent be known with loud howls all the way home. And Liam was still crying furiously as Zane unlocked her front door.

“How can I help?”

Stubborn pride made her want to refuse. However, three months of experience had taught her self-reliance only took a new mom so far. If she wanted Liam to be as happy as possible, and she did, she had to let others assist her in situations like this.

With a reluctant sigh, she asked, “Do you know how to change a diaper?”

“Yep.”

She regarded Zane skeptically. She knew they did not cover that in the military training he’d had.

His expression deadpan, he explained, “I’ve got five nieces and nephews in the infant and toddler stage. Three brothers, a sister and various in-laws, none of whom are shy about asking me to lend a hand when I’m in town.”

Which probably meant he knew a lot more than she had given him credit for. “Okay then,” she acquiesced, watching while he followed her and Liam across the threshold.

She paused to hand over her squalling son. “The nursery is upstairs, next to the last room on the right. His pajamas and a clean diaper are already laid out. If you can get things started up there, I’ll warm a bottle for him and be right up.”

Liam, who had miraculously slowed down his crying during their exchange, stared worshipfully up at Zane, tears still glistening moistly on his rosy little cheeks.

She understood the abruptly spellbound attitude.

Zane had that effect on a lot of people.

Even on her.

Zane smiled down at Liam, as fondly as if he were her son’s daddy. Nora’s heart gave another leap.

“Atta boy,” Zane soothed, running a hand over Liam’s back. “We’ll get you into your jammies in no time...” He headed up the stairs, Liam now quietly compliant in his arms.

Trying not to think about how nice it would be to have Zane here helping her all the time, Nora went into the kitchen. Three minutes later, she joined them.

Zane was standing over the changing table, laughing, a big, gentle hand placed over Liam’s bare chest. “Nice shot, fella. You have a future as a comedian.”

Nora edged closer.

Saw, too late, the damp arc across Zane’s sport coat, holiday tie and shirt. Smelled the urine. Oh, no. She sucked in a breath of embarrassment and regret. “I’m so sorry.”

“Really?” Zane chuckled, stepping back to let her take over, as promised. His eyes twinkled merrily. “Because I would’ve thought you would feel it was what I deserved for hanging out on your office sofa, waiting so long for you to wake up that I fell asleep myself.”

Why did Zane have to possess such a great sense of humor? Take everything in stride? Even the news that this darling little baby wasn’t his, after all.

Nora lifted an airy hand. Ignoring her mounting desire for him, she professed, just as humorously, “One of the hazards of raising a boy, I have learned.”

He shrugged out of his sport coat, unknotted his tie, set both aside. “You’ve taken incoming, too?”

“Oh, yeah. The worst time was my first day back at work when Liam was six weeks old. I was trying to get him changed before we headed out the door. And bam, he hit me with everything he had. I ended up having to completely change both of us.”

While she finished dressing Liam, Zane unbuttoned the first couple of buttons on his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. “Do you always take him to work with you?”

Nora nodded. “It was part of my condition for returning so early, that I have Liam nearby. I hire student-sitters during my shift to help out with him. But I try to do all his feedings myself, even if it means I stay a little longer to finish up my work.”

Overhead, without warning, a soft staccato sounded. Was that...?

Catching her frown of dismay, he confirmed, “It’s raining.”

Nora gathered Liam in her arms. She looked up at Zane, achingly aware how cozy this all was. How right it felt. And would have been if only Liam were Zane’s baby, too.

But he wasn’t. The sound of the rain overhead picked up, thundering against the roof. Nora peered outside and frowned. “How are you going to get back to your vehicle?”

Looping his soiled garments over his arm, Zane shrugged nonchalantly. “I think I can handle a little precipitation. Besides—” he held out the stained fabric of his dress shirt and the T-shirt beneath “—maybe the downpour will help rinse out some of the smell.”

Nora grinned.

Only Zane would be able to find the bright side in that.

Together, they walked downstairs.

The rain came down even harder. Nora hesitated. Only a heartless woman would send a soldier home on leave out into torrential downpour at one in the morning. Reluctantly, she insisted, “You have to stay.”

He shook his head stubbornly, shrugged on his damp jacket and turned up the collar against his neck. “I don’t think so.” Zane opened the front door.

Another wave of guilt and anxiety swept through her. Followed swiftly by a soul-deep emotion that was even harder to rein in. “But...” she protested.

Their gazes clashed as surely as their wills. His scowl deepening, he said huskily, “You’ll only resent me in the morning.”

She put out an arm to stop him from shrugging on his jacket. Her hand curled over the flexed muscles of his bicep and she felt a jolt of electricity skitter through her. Face flushing self-consciously, she looked him in the eye, determined to clarify this much. “I didn’t mean in my bed.”

He regarded her with mounting amusement. Eyes gleaming mischievously, he said, “I didn’t think you meant in your bed.”

She dropped her hand. “Then...”

His sensual lips formed a sober line. “I showed up at Laramie Gardens today because I promised Miss Mim and Miss Sadie and all the guys that I would. It wasn’t because I wanted to annoy you.”

She fought back a sigh. “You didn’t.”

He clearly didn’t believe her for one second. “Uh-huh.” Another silence fell, fraught with tension. Gently, he continued, “I came by your office after the last game ended to tell you that.”

And then he had stayed to rescue her. Lending a hand, showing her all over again what a great guy he was.

Nora released a wistful breath.

Why did he have to make everything so simultaneously hard and wonderful? “So now that I have...” He released her, turned, and swung open her front door again. Another blast of wet air flowed in. A sudden yellow zigzag of light filled the sky, followed immediately by a clap of thunder loud enough to make her jump. “I’ll be on my way.” He stepped onto the porch.

Like heck he would. Feeling very glad he was there, despite herself, she caught his arm, her palm curving around the swell of his bicep and tugged him right back inside. “You’re not going anywhere, soldier. Not in a thunderstorm.”