And Baby Makes Six

  AND BABY MAKES SIX

  Pamela Dalton

  Smashwords Edition

  Copyright 2010 Pamela E. Johnson

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  About The Author

  PROLOGUE

  The minute Devlin Hamilton slid the gold band onto Abigail O’Reilly’s finger, she knew something fundamental had changed between them. Hot desire licked at Abby’s nerve endings, taunting and teasing. Startled, she lifted her gaze and met Devlin’s intense green eyes.

  Did he feel the tremors, too? Did he question the step they had just taken and wonder if they were doing the right thing?

  From his set expression, she couldn’t tell.

  “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The preacher closed his little book and beamed at them. “You may kiss the bride, Mr. Hamilton.”

  Abby tensed as Devlin’s face moved toward her. Holding her breath, his mouth touched hers, a mere brushing of lips that released a fleet of butterflies and nearly devastated her self-control.

  A smattering of applause broke out from behind them.

  Trying to regain what little composure she had left, Abby stepped back and turned to face Devlin’s sister and her husband. Gayle and Ed Sutherland were their only attendants and guests.

  Gayle, a vivacious woman with dark hair like her brother’s, enveloped Abby in an enthusiastic hug. “I hate losing you for a neighbor, but I couldn’t be more delighted to have you as my sister-in-law.” Then Gayle whirled toward Devlin and kissed him on the cheek. “You chose well this time, brother dear.”

  From over his sister’s head, Devlin invited Abby to share his amusement. Gayle had never made a secret of her support for this marriage even though both Devlin and Abby tried to make it clear to her they were getting married for practical reasons.

  The preacher, a slight man with a twinkle in his eyes, interrupted them. “I need a couple of signatures and then I’ll be on my way.”

  Devlin didn’t hesitate; he jotted his name with steady confidence on the legal document before offering the pen to Abby.

  She tried to quell her nerves and still her shaking hand as she wrote her name next to his. As quickly as she could, she moved away from the charged atmosphere surrounding Devlin. She wasn’t sure what was wrong with her. By nature, she was a practical sort of woman who knew the wisdom of keeping both feet on the ground. So why was she so skittish? Why was she sweltering in her silk dress? The room temperature was comfortable despite the frigid late-December chill outdoors.

  The preacher pocketed the document and gave them both a handshake. “Best wishes to you both. May your life together be filled with happiness and joy.”

  As soon as the door closed behind the preacher, Ed pulled Gayle’s coat from the hall closet. “We need to get going, too.”

  “Can’t you stay for a while?” Abby tried to hide her sudden panic at the realization she was about to be left alone with her new husband.

  “Sorry.” Gayle buttoned up her coat and wrapped her scarf around her neck. “Our babysitter has a hot date and we promised her we’d be back as soon as the ceremony was over. But don’t worry, I’ll bring Paige home around nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

  “If she’s too much trouble, she can come home tonight.” Abby wondered if anyone else noticed the desperation in her voice.

  Gayle laughed. “Paige is never any trouble. Besides, she and Sarah have been planning this all week. You wouldn’t deprive them of their fun, would you?”

  Paige loved to spend the night at the Sutherlands’. And normally Abby didn’t mind, but tonight she could have used her four-year-old daughter’s incessant chatter to dispel the sensual desire she was feeling.

  Instead of coming to Ohio, Devlin’s sons had stayed at their grandparents’ house in Wisconsin so they could play in their basketball games. Since the boys wouldn’t be here, Abby decided Paige could stay at Gayle’s. Kids didn’t usually like weddings, anyway.

  At the door, Gayle turned around. “By the way, there’s champagne in the refrigerator.” She winked at her brother. “Enjoy.”

  The cool draft that flowed into the house following their guests’ departure didn’t lower the temperature of the room one bit.

  Avoiding Devlin’s gaze, Abby searched for something to straighten or pick up. There wasn’t anything. Despite the fact her life had taken a one-hundred-and-eighty degree turn, nothing in the house had physically changed, including her small and cozily decorated living room.

  “Having regrets already?” The sound of Devlin’s deep voice made her pulse leap.

  “No,” she lied, despising her cowardice.

  Devlin gave her a quizzical glance but didn’t press her. It was too late for regrets, and they both knew it. This temporary, no-fuss marriage was what they both wanted.

  She watched him reach for a sheaf of papers sitting on the coffee table.

  “I’ve got your copy of the marriage contract we drew up,” he said. “Do you want to review it?”

  She shook her head.

  She knew the contract word for word. The papers they’d signed before the wedding spelled out in great detail what each wanted and expected.

  It wasn’t as if this was a real marriage.

  Both of them had been burned. Devlin’s first wife had divorced him and left him to raise two young sons alone. When Abby’s husband died a year ago, he’d left her with a mountain of gambling debts and a young daughter to support.

  In essence, Devlin and Abby wanted the same thing: a marriage of convenience that would provide stability for their children. She would be a full-time mother and caretaker. He would be the financial provider.

  They’d laid the groundwork.

  Neither wanted any surprises.

  No insincere protestations of love. No flares of passion that would burn out before their first anniversary. No hidden expectations that would leave one or both of them hungry for things that never could be.

  It was ideal for both of them.

  Or so it had seemed a month ago when Devlin proposed.

  But now, with the gold band firmly anchored on her finger, she wasn’t so sure.

  What had changed? Why was there so much tension simmering through the room?

  Just because she’d never seen Devlin in a formal suit that fit his broad shoulders and lean hips to perfection and made him appear dangerously powerful was no reason to question her own judgment. Or to suddenly realize how much sex appeal he exuded. She had to keep her feet firmly on the ground, her head out of the clouds, and quit imagining things that weren’t there.

  This was still the same man who’d fixed her roof just a few short months ago. Devlin was a decent man, a hard worker and a committed father. He’d been straightforward about who he was and what he wanted. She’d appreciated that, needed it. That’s all she required or expected from him. And vice versa.

  They’d agreed they weren’t going to risk this marriage
by having sex. Sex would only complicate things.

  Neither wanted complications. They’d had enough of those with their former spouses. Her daughter needed a home with food on the table. Devlin’s sons, thirteen-year-old Jason, and six-year-old Riley, needed a mother.

  Abby readily agreed to accept the responsibility. She loved children and looked forward to raising the two boys as her own.

  Merging their families was a practical matter.

  So why did she have this insane and totally uncharacteristic urge to be impractical?

  Why did she want to run her fingers along the edge of Devlin’s crisp white collar and release the top button so she could explore the trail of tanned flesh?

  It was so unlike her. She’d learned the hard way not to trust emotions. The fickleness of passion could put everyone at risk.

  Why wouldn’t her hormones behave the way she wanted them to?

  Surely she was imagining the waves of desire leaping at her from the depths of his green eyes.

  She’d never been a woman with fanciful notions. Love was for those who could afford to be fooled.

  Devlin startled her by setting the papers on the table again. “I suppose we could pop open the champagne.”

  “That’s an excellent idea,” she said, welcoming the diversion and a way to lighten the atmosphere. She led the way to the small kitchen. “I’ll warn you, my selection of glassware is limited. You can choose between Fred or Barney.”

  His gaze gleamed. “No Wilma glass?”

  “It’s got a chip in it. I’d hate to have you get cut.”

  “I’ll take my chances.” His drawl contained a toe-curling edge.

  She stopped and peeked at him out of the corner of her eye, wondering if he was teasing her or if he’d meant something more.

  When he asked, “Got a corkscrew?” she decided her imagination had run askew again.

  “I never could think straight in panty hose,” she muttered aloud and then blushed violently when she heard Devlin chuckle and realized he’d heard her.

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “The corkscrew is in the top right-hand drawer.” Attempting to cover her embarrassment, she pulled open the cupboard and perched up on tiptoe to reach for the glasses.

  Suddenly one of them slipped.

  Devlin reached out to her and caught it just in time. His quick movements brought his hard body next to hers. “You okay?”

  Turning to thank him, she found herself pressed flat against him, close enough to feel his breath fan her skin. She swallowed. “Thank you. We almost lost Wilma for good that time. I don’t let Paige drink out of that glass, but it’s still her favorite and she would have been terribly disappointed.”

  His gaze slipped to her lips. “I wouldn’t want that to happen.”

  “Wouldn’t you?” She thought about moving, but her limbs refused to cooperate. A sensual awareness started a slow dance within her.

  She didn’t breathe as he set the glass on the counter. There was no place to move. Nowhere to escape. His body surrounded hers, and every cell in her body responded to his closeness.

  Her gaze darted upward until it met the green fire in his. In the smoldering flames she saw his desire, matching her own.

  He claimed her mouth in a long, no-holds-barred kiss.

  If she’d thought about protesting or moving away, the option dissolved in a wave of need. She’d never realized a kiss could be intoxicating. Champagne had never packed this kind of sizzle to her senses.

  She forgot everything but Devlin.

  He made sure of it. He demanded it. Impatience made them greedy for each other as her tongue met the call of his.

  They found their way to the bedroom, and within seconds, managed to divest each other of their clothes. Then Devlin swept her into his arms and carried her naked to the waiting bed.

  “The light—” she started to say.

  “Is perfect.”

  Time lost all meaning. No one else existed. His lovemaking brought tears to her eyes, amazing her with his patience. When he moved his body over hers, he took her with a fierce aggression that drew her own fiery response.

  Devlin made love to her with such sensitivity and passion that she didn’t want him ever to stop. He made her feel beautiful.

  He made her believe in rainbows, and happily-ever-after.

  He made her forget the price of loving too much.

  Hours later, Gayle’s voice on the other end of the phone dragged Abby down to earth. “Abby, I hate to wake you this early in the morning, but I think Paige has the chicken pox. She’s speckled from head to toe.”

  Panic and guilt accompanied wakefulness. “I’ll be right there.”

  She put down the phone as Devlin flicked the lamp switch. Light flooded the room.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Paige is sick.” In the face of the bold glare, her nakedness taunted her. She searched for her clothes.

  What had she done?

  The image of her daughter, cute as a button with a confident, deep-dimpled smile, flashed through her mind. How could she have forgotten Paige and what this marriage meant to her future? How could she have risked everything?

  Grabbing the sheet from the bed and avoiding Devlin’s eyes, Abby tucked it around her naked body.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “There’s no need.”

  “Abby—”

  She cut him off before he could say what had to be faced. “We both know this violated our agreement. We made a mistake. Let’s just forget it, pretend it never happened and move on from here.”

  A deafening pause followed her rushed speech.

  Not hiding his own nakedness, Devlin rose from the bed. “I’ll move into the other bedroom so you can bring Paige in here.”

  She nodded. “About our contract . . . ?”

  “It officially starts now. This won’t happen again.” He turned away and walked into the bathroom.

  Still hugging the sheet, Abby sagged down on the bed. The lump in her throat held back an onslaught of tears.

  More than ever she was grateful for the agreement they’d signed. She needed its cold comfort to reassure her nothing had changed between them.

  From now on she’d stick to the letter of their bargain and forget this lapse in judgment ever happened. She couldn’t let Devlin Hamilton get past her defenses again.

  She just couldn’t.

  ***

  CHAPTER 1

  Abby’s stomach began its familiar pitch-and-roll cadence as she stood in the driveway next to her car and stared at the house in front of her.

  With stylish wood siding and two comfortable rockers sitting on an old-fashioned porch, the house was bigger and more beautiful than Devlin had described.

  An old longing rose within her. She’d always dreamed of living in such a place. Would this be her real home? Would Devlin want her to share it with him after he learned—

  “Mommy, aren’t we going inside?” The impatient voice made Abby look down at her blond-haired daughter. Four-year-old Paige, still wearing the soft, rosy-cheeked glow due to a long nap in the car, and clutching her squirming black-and-white-spotted cat who was trying to escape, peered up at her mother with eager blue eyes. “I want Princess to meet my new brothers. Do Jason and Riley like cats?”

  The smile came naturally as Abby put an arm around her daughter’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. Paige was a little nervous and apprehensive about meeting her new brothers for the first time.

  Abby was just as nervous. How would the boys react to a new mother? A new sister? If only there’d been more time for them all to meet and get to know each other. “We’ll soon find out, won’t we?” For Paige’s sake, she had to make this marriage work.

  Her stomach performed another one of those nasty flip-flops.

  Paige tugged on her mother’s pants. “Mommy? Princess has to go potty.”

  Abby knew what that meant. Her d
aughter was probably the one who needed to use the bathroom. Taking one more fortifying breath, Abby attempted to steady her nerves before braving the unknown. “Okay, honey. Let’s go see if anyone is home.”

  She steered Paige and Princess up the steps and across the sturdy porch. Raising her hand to the door, Abby’s knuckles met air instead of wood when the door suddenly swung open and two big, strong hands reached for them.

  “Quick, get in here and shut the door!”

  She barely had a chance to register her husband’s furious gaze and tight-lipped expression before she found herself unceremoniously yanked into the room along with Paige.

  “Shut it, Riley,” Devlin ordered.

  At his command, a young boy pushed between them as he flung himself against the door.

  The resounding bang, accompanied by a whoosh of cold February air, made both Abby and Paige jump.

  Paige shifted closer to her mother, and Princess set up a howl at being clenched so tightly in her young mistress’s arms.

  “Oh, no, she’s got a cat,” wailed Riley, his bright red hair sticking straight up on top of his head.

  The words barely left his mouth when a big wall of brown fur barreled toward them. Instinctively, Abby placed her body between Paige and the hairy charger.

  Princess yowled in protest.

  Springing free, the cat tore across the room.

  The dog took off in pursuit, knocking over the lamp sitting on the end table, as the cat leaped toward the living-room curtains.

  “Hulk!” Devlin roared.

  The big dog came to an abrupt stop and looked back at Devlin as if to say, “Please.”

  “Stay.” Devlin never took his eyes from the dog. “Jason, grab him and put him in the kitchen.”

  The thirteen-year-old, the teenage image of his father with dark hair and deep-set green eyes, reluctantly left his hallway observation post. He wrinkled his nose and hooked his hand around Hulk’s collar. “Come on, boy!” The dog panted heavily as Jason led him into another room and shut the door.