The Midwife's Glass Slipper / Best For the Baby: The Midwife's Glass Slipper

“Yes, yesterday. Dr. Jared Madison’s my doctor. Every other month, I’ll see his obstetrical nurse practitioner. She’s my roommate, Emily Diaz. When I hit the third trimester, I’ll see him.”

Grady reached over to his desk and picked up a card from the holder there. He turned it around and jotted something on the back. Then he handed it to her. “My e-mail address is on the front. My cell phone number’s on the back. If you need anything—”

“I won’t, Grady. Really.”

“When you go into labor, I want to know.”

“When I go into labor? Why?”

“Because I want to be with you. I want to anticipate this baby being born and be there when he or she is. I mean it, Frannie. Don’t deny me that right.”

Remembering the night they’d spent together—his passion, tenderness and hunger, she assured him, “I won’t,” controlling her voice so it wouldn’t tremble. Then she tucked his card into her purse and turned to leave.

He followed her to the door.

After he’d opened it for her, he suggested, “I want you to think about the benefit of a child having two parents rather than one. I know it won’t be easy to do, but we’re smart people. We should be able to figure it out.”

She’d have six and a half more months to figure this out, thank goodness. She had a feeling she was going to need every day of those six and a half months to decide how she could coparent with Grady without being involved with him. Getting involved when she was actually ready for it wouldn’t be easy. Getting involved in this situation would be sheer lunacy.

As she said good-bye and left, she realized she liked having a nickname for the first time in her life…and she liked the sound of that nickname on Grady Fitzgerald’s lips.

Chapter Seven

Emily was concerned Jared had changed his mind about wanting to be with her at the charity banquet. He’d been quiet ever since he picked her up Saturday evening.

Now as they stood outside the ballroom, he asked, “Would you like me to check your shawl?”

“Please,” she replied, not wanting to be encumbered by the wrap at the dinner table.

She’d begun to shrug it off when she felt Jared’s large hand at her shoulder, helping her remove it. As his fingers brushed against her collarbone, she trembled. She glanced at him over her shoulder. When he gazed into her eyes, they seemed frozen in time. She was sure she saw desire in his eyes, but she wasn’t sure what else.

“Jared, is something wrong tonight?” she asked softly.

He let out a long sigh. “You mean besides the fact that you look prettier than I’ve ever seen you?”

There was frustration in his voice as his eyes ran over the black silk-jersey halter dress with its cranberry trim around the decolletage and hem. She’d worn her hair swept up into a bed of curls, and garnets dangled from delicate gold chain earrings.

His compliment bathed her with its male appreciation and she didn’t understand the problem.

Loose curls from her upswept hairdo dangled around her face. He fingered one and wrapped it around his index finger. “When you opened your door to me tonight, I didn’t want to bring you to some charity dinner. I wanted to—”

“Emily! Jared! We’ve been waiting for you. We snatched one of the tables for four.” Tessa rushed up to them and gave Emily a hug. “It seems like forever since I’ve seen you.”

Emily hugged her friend back. She missed Tessa’s presence in the house, but she wanted Jared to finish that sentence. She wanted to hear what he felt.

Tessa’s husband, Vince, gave her a hug, too. In the past month, she’d gotten to know him better and considered him a friend. She introduced him to Jared and the men shook hands.

“You were the chief of police in Sagebrush for a while, weren’t you?” Jared asked Vince.

“For a few months. I just started working for an investigative and security firm in Lubbock.”

Tessa hooked her arm through her husband’s. “We’d better reclaim our table or somebody might steal it.”

After Jared checked Emily’s shawl, his hand moved to the small of her back. She could feel the imprint of it through the thin fabric. “We’ll talk later,” he mumbled, guiding her into the ballroom.

Emily saw many faces she recognized. But with Jared’s hand on her back, her mind focused on his hand’s heat and texture and the trill of sparks that skipped down her spine. There was always heat when the two of them were together. What had he been about to say? That he wanted to make love to her? That he would rather have closed the door at her house and spent the night in bed with her? Could she satisfy him? Would his desire last beyond one night?

At the table, he pulled out her chair for her. When she sat, he leaned close as he pushed her in. If she turned her head, her cheek might graze his jaw. She took in a deep breath.

Jared straightened, but she was still so aware of him. The current between them tonight was lightning hot, lightning fast, and as dangerous as lightning.

Jared took the seat around the corner from Emily. She noticed the way his dark-brown hair waved over his forehead, the way his brow creased as if he was deep in thought. He was wearing a charcoal suit and a red-and-charcoal tie tonight. She saw him in a suit practically every day, but tonight—he seemed bigger than life, more than her boss, more than a friend. Maybe she was just deluding herself, believing he might be falling for her, too.

“Emily tells me she’s been spending time with your daughters,” Tessa observed, glancing from Emily to Jared as if she could sense the current rippling between them.

“Yes, she has,” Jared replied. “She’s very good with them.”

Tessa smiled fondly at Emily. “She’s one of our favorite babysitters.”

“How old are your children?” Jared asked.

Emily was grateful he was keeping the conversation going.

Tessa let Vince answer. “Natalie is fourteen months. Sean is ten months. You should bring the girls over sometime. The four of them would probably have a great play session.”

Emily watched Jared to see if he was open to the suggestion. To her surprise, he said, “That would be great. Amy and Courtney go to preschool now, but that’s only for three days a week.”

“What about tomorrow?” Tessa asked. “We can try out our new grill. Are you free?” she asked Emily.

Emily felt awkward. She didn’t want Jared to feel forced to spend time with her. She wasn’t sure what to say. “Yes, I’m free, but—” She glanced at Jared. “You three have a lot in common with your kids. I don’t want you to feel as if you have to invite me…” She trailed off.

Tessa looked from Emily to Jared. “I’m not playing matchmaker. I just thought we might all have a good time.”

Jared stepped into the awkwardness and covered Emily’s hand with his. Tingles swept up her arm. “I enjoy Emily’s company and I’m sure with four kids around we can use her help keeping them on an even keel.”

A three-piece band had been setting up and as they began playing couples headed to the dance floor.

Jared asked Emily, “Would you like to dance?”

“It’s been so long since I’ve been on a dance floor, I don’t know if I remember how.”

“It’s like riding a bicycle,” he teased, stood and offered her his hand. She took it, rising to her feet. With her hand in Jared’s, she felt…excited but safe. Her breaths quickened as she anticipated being held in his arms once more.

On the dance floor, they stood in the ballroom dancing position, a good six inches apart. Then he gave her a crooked smile, pulled her a little closer and wrapped his fingers tighter around hers.

Her breasts against his chest, her cheek against the fabric of his suit, she inhaled his cologne and felt almost dizzy from just being so close.

After the first verse of the song, Jared asked, “Why would you think I wouldn’t want you to go with me to Tessa and Vince’s?”