Stranded With The Boss

Meanwhile, he’d be damned if he was going to play nanny. The twins would be Tessa’s problem, not his. Babies stirred emotions he never wanted to feel again. The less he had to do with them, the better.

The light was already fading above the trees. He would need to locate a supply of candles or a lantern. Otherwise they’d soon be stumbling around in the dark. There was a flashlight in the plane, as well as Tessa’s suitcases and his own bag. He’d hoped to get everything in the morning, when the tide would be out, and he could check for the cause of the fuel leak. But with the storm coming, he’d be smart to take the raft now to get the luggage and secure the plane as best he could.

Tessa seemed to think he’d planned this misadventure. Nothing could be further from the truth. If he’d known he was going to end up stuck in the middle of nowhere with three troublesome redheads, he wouldn’t have come within a mile of her and her two little imps.

On the back porch, he stomped the mud off his shoes before opening the door to the kitchen. He’d seen small bear tracks and fresh scat near the equipment shed; maybe a half-grown cub snooping around. Not much to worry about as long as everything was securely locked and no food was left out. For now, at least, he’d spare Tessa the news of this latest discovery. She was already under enough stress.

He’d moved into the shadowed kitchen and had just turned back to lock the dead bolt when he heard a subtle sound behind him. Startled, he jerked around to see a stubby little figure with a mop of russet curls gazing up at him.

“Phhht!” Maddie had passed judgment on him again.

“What the devil are you doing in here, you little scamp?” Dragan dropped to a crouch beside her. It hadn’t occurred to him that the twins could walk. Until now he’d only seen them carried.

“Noz.” She reached out and poked his face. He hadn’t known they could talk, either. Surprise. But there was nothing surprising about the familiar stink that rose from under her pink coveralls. Miss Maddie had clearly escaped before her mother had had a chance to change her diaper.

Rising, he edged around her and headed toward the dining room. “Come on,” he said, beckoning. “Let’s go find your mom.”

“Phhht!” Ignoring him, Maddie began tugging at the door to the cabinet under the sink—the cabinet that held detergent, bleach, drain cleaner, mouse bait...

Dragan had never been into sports, but he scooped her up like a halfback seizing a fumbled ball, gripping her under one arm as he strode out of the kitchen. Thanks to Maddie and her sister, he would have to childproof the whole damned lodge, starting with that cabinet.

In the entry he ran into Tessa. Dressed in the black cashmere robe, she was holding Missy, eyes darting this way and that with a frantic look. Relief lit her face when she saw that Dragan had her daughter.

“For God’s sake, take her!” Dragan muttered. “She smells like a—” He groped for the right word.

“Like a messy baby.” Tessa took Maddie with her free arm, arching slightly backward to balance both twins with the aid of her hips. Dragan found the pose strangely sexy, although he couldn’t say why. “Thank goodness you found her,” she said. “Where was she?”

“In the kitchen, trying to open a cabinet full of toxic cleaners. You can’t just let your children run around by themselves here. The place isn’t safe for toddlers. It’s dangerous.”

“You think I’d just turn them loose?” Her hazel eyes flashed. “Keeping an eye on these two is a full-time job. As a mother, I take that job seriously. Maddie’s getting out of the bedroom was an accident. It won’t happen again.”

“Fine.” He met her defiance with a scowl. “As long as you’re here, what will you do about feeding those two? There should be an emergency stash of cans and freeze-dried meals in the pantry, but there’s no baby food.”

“They can eat regular food as long as I mash it up. But I’ll warn you, they’re picky little eaters, and they usually make a mess.”

“Then I guess that’s your problem.” He started toward the front door then paused. “I’ll be taking the raft back to the plane to get our luggage and close the cargo door. I won’t be long.”