For Baby's Sake

“We’ll try not to disturb you when we come in.”

We? Lila felt the color drain from her cheeks. Her stomach felt funny...as if she had swallowed bad milk. “No problem. I’ll close our doors. You won’t bother us at all.”

* * *

James strode out of his own house like a felon fleeing the scene of a crime. He jumped in his car, turned the ignition hard enough to bend the key and peeled out of the driveway with a squeal of tires. Hell, hell, hell. Why had he ever suggested this asinine arrangement?

He’d completely forgotten he had a date with a beautiful woman tonight. A woman who had given strong hints that she was up for any kind of recreation he had in mind. There was absolutely no reason in the world for him to feel guilty about his social calendar.

Then why did the memory of Lila’s stricken expression make him feel like a complete ass?

During dinner and a movie, he told himself to forget about Sybbie and Lila. He’d offered them a temporary home while he knocked out a wall. No big deal.

Even though his companion for the evening was sweet and smart and probably nicer than he deserved, he could barely keep up with the conversation over drinks at his brother’s watering hole, The Silver Dollar Saloon. Fortunately, Dylan wasn’t in residence. James wasn’t in the mood to be razzed about anything, much less his attractive date.

Somehow, he felt as if he had cheated on two women, but the truth was, he hadn’t done anything dishonest at all. His righteous indignation prompted him to ask his date in for coffee. At his house.

But after two cups of decaf, when she made it clear she expected to be escorted upstairs, he created some lame excuse about having to get up early and took her home.

By the time he made it back, it was late. Late enough that Lila was probably, hopefully, asleep. He was cranky and horny and tired. And now he had to tiptoe around his own house.

He let himself in quietly and took his shoes off at the front door. Since he’d moved in half a dozen years ago, he had put a lot of TLC into the little house. Now there wasn’t a single stair that creaked, which hopefully meant he wouldn’t disturb his houseguest when he went up to his room.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet. He was wired. Maybe he could grab a beer and watch some TV with the sound turned down so as not to bother anybody. It was a good plan until he pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen and flipped on the light, practically mowing down Lila in the process and causing her to drop a glass of milk that shattered all over the floor.

“Good Lord.” He grabbed her arms to steady her. She was wearing a tank top and pajama pants, leaving her shoulders bare. He had forgotten how soft her skin was, how fragile her bones.

Lila jerked away from him, her eyes huge, her pupils dilated. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep. I wanted something to drink.”

“Don’t move. You’ll cut yourself.” Her feet were bare. He picked her up by the waist and set her on the counter. “Let me get this mess cleaned up.”

He felt Lila’s gaze on him as he grabbed a broom and a wet rag to deal with the floor. But she didn’t say a word. He was glad. There wasn’t a knife big enough to cut the tension in the room.

When he finished his task, he straightened and stared at her. “I owe you an apology,” he said gruffly.

“For what?”

“What I said earlier about being quiet when we came in. It was a cheap shot. In a battle you and I aren’t even fighting anymore.”

“So you didn’t sleep with her?”

James was pretty sure she didn’t mean to blurt that out. “No. I didn’t. We only just met.”

“That’s never stopped you before.”

He sucked in a breath and watched Lila’s face turn red. This was why things were always going to be like a minefield between the two of them. The memories were combustible. Lila had moved into her new house on a Monday almost three and a half years ago. James had gone over to meet the new neighbor and offer his assistance. Two weeks later they were in bed together.

“Let’s not get sidetracked,” he said, wishing his throat wasn’t so damn dry. “I was trying to apologize.”

“Then why did you do it?”

Why, indeed? Lila’s blue eyes judged him and found him guilty...or so it seemed. He shrugged. “I didn’t want you to get any ideas. Or to think that my invitation was something more than it was.”

Her small smile was wry. “I didn’t. Believe me. We were pretty dreadful together. I don’t want to go through that again.”

“Not all of it was so terrible.” He saw in her eyes that she remembered the same things he did. The incredible sexual chemistry that made them crazy for each other.

“No,” she said quietly. “It wasn’t all bad. But we’re too smart to go down that road again. Aren’t we?”

That was the million-dollar question. Three years ago they had fought incessantly, almost from the beginning. He resented her crazy hours. She was angry that he didn’t understand her need to prove herself and pursue a promotion. James wanted to start a family before he turned thirty. Lila didn’t think she wanted to have children at all.

In the end, all the fabulous sex in the world couldn’t disguise the fact that they were oil and water. And both hardheaded, to boot.

After a few beats of silence, he cleared his throat. “Did the baby have any trouble going to sleep?”

Lila pulled her knees to her chest and linked her arms around her legs. “No, thank goodness. I actually called Mia for advice. She told me I should put Sybbie down awake and let her coo and squirm until she put herself to sleep. It worked. I couldn’t believe it, but it worked.”

Mia was James’s sister-in-law...Dylan’s wife. She and Lila had become friends three years ago, and fortunately, the friendship had survived James and Lila’s breakup.

It was no wonder the two women had bonded. They were both extremely smart and ambitious.

“You look tired,” he said impulsively.

“Another cheap shot?” Her expression was equal parts wary and defensive.

“Not at all. I suppose that was my way of saying I’m worried about you. This whole situation with your sister’s death can’t have been easy, even if you were estranged. You never told me much about your family when you and I were dating.”

It was Lila’s turn to shrug. “Not much to tell. My dad walked out when I was three. My mother married again and got pregnant right away. But she was a functioning alcoholic and my new stepfather was a recreational drug user, so we lived close to the poverty line. My half sister, Alicia, followed their example.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Alicia and I struggled through the typical sibling rivalries, but as we got older, I did well in school, and she didn’t. I think she may have had a learning disability.”

“So you had a way out of a bad situation, and she didn’t.”

“Yes. I’ve always wondered if I could have done more to help her.”

“People make their own choices, good or bad.”

“I know. Still, it made me sad.”

“And you didn’t know she had named you as Sybbie’s guardian?”

“Not a clue. I was completely shocked.”

“My guess is that she knew you were smart and successful and that she could trust you with the baby.”

“Maybe. Or I could have been the lesser of two evils. My mother is still living, but she has multiple health issues. She wouldn’t be able to handle a small child at her age and in her condition. My brother-in-law grew up in foster homes, so there’s no one on that side of the family.”