A Baby in His Stocking

Natalie finished with the necessities that her pregnancy had created and took one look in the mirror and cringed. The humidity had transformed her formerly straightened long hair into a frizz ball. Her mascara ran, and her complexion sported a vampire pall. If she’d brought in her purse, she’d have at least had a ponytail holder to tame her hair. As it was, she settled for using tissue to fix her face.

“Took you long enough.” Wyatt hadn’t left the entry hall.

“Are you the bathroom police?”

His white-toothed grin stole her breath. “I’ve seen feral cats look better than you.”

“If I had the energy, I’d beat you to a pulp.”

“Yeah, right.” He helped her remove her coat. “You tried once in fourth grade and failed miserably.”

“Only because Dallas came to your rescue.”

“That could be debated.” He tossed her coat onto an antique sideboard. The eclectic mix of furniture was genius. Had he done it himself or had help?

“Come on.” Taking her by her arm, he said, “Let’s get you warmed up.” He led her down a short flight of stairs to a room so awe-inspiring she literally couldn’t think of a single intelligent thing to say. Three walls were composed of floor-to-ceiling glass. Centered on the furthest wall was a river-stone fireplace, glowing with warmth. A mammoth plasma-screen TV hung above the mantel and a custom U-shaped sectional occupied the center of the cathedral-ceilinged space. A sumptuous white area rug covered maple floors. The overall effect was as if they were floating through the forest on a magic carpet.

“I shouldn’t be here.” Natalie nodded to her still damp clothes and specks of mud on her shoes. “I’ll muss something.”

Kneeling alongside her, he removed one of her black heels, then the other. His knuckles grazed her ankles, shocking her with the unexpected intimacy of his touch. “Next excuse?”

“Th-thanks.” Her teeth still occasionally chattered, but she suspected now more because of her erratic pulse than cold. His actions had been kind. Something Josie might’ve done—only with plenty of teasing and a goofy smile.

“No problem.” Taking the TV remote from the sofa, he muted a football game. “Coffee? Have a seat and I’ll put on a fresh pot.”

“Thanks, but—” she pointed to the bump beneath her billowy blue blouse “—no caffeine for me.”

“Right. I forgot.” Hands in his pockets, he looked to the floor, then met her gaze. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“You being pregnant. All the fertility around here is what’s driving me to leave. A wise man wouldn’t have let you in this house.”

“What’s that make you?” She couldn’t resist zinging back.

“Ouch.” His smile blocked all rational thought. “Guess that makes me not-so-wise, but seriously, it’s nice to see you.”

“Likewise.” They shared an awkward moment of silence, gazes meeting, then breaking, only to meet up again. Unable to cope with her awareness of his size, and how easy it was to recall every detail of their kiss, she struggled to remember her reason for being at his home. “I, um, brought you a book, but left it in the bathroom.” Hitching her thumb that way, she said, “I’ll go get it.”

“Let me,” he said, already halfway there. “You have a seat.”

She did, but mostly because of her rubbery knees than because he’d asked.

“This is great,” he called from the hall. Entering the living room, he flipped through the glossy pages. “I ordered one online, but it hasn’t come. Where’d you find it?”

“Yard sale. It was only a quarter, but I thought you might enjoy thumbing through.”

“I will. Thanks. Ethiopia doesn’t get a lot of coverage on travel sites.”

“Are you afraid of violence?”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. I’ll be working with a major oil player, though, so there will be security.” He sat on the opposite end of the sofa to her, still leafing through his gift. “The poverty aspect is tough, too. It bothers me that we’ll have the latest in gadgetry and freeze-dried gourmet when the locals are barely scraping by. But then on the flip side, our base camp is set up at a safari resort. Up until researching this trip, I never would’ve thought anyone went to Ethiopia on vacation. Turns out it’s a beautiful country.”

“Hmm…” Reflective, with her hand over her tummy, Natalie said, “All in all, it still sounds like a wonderful adventure, which is why I’m so miffed with your mom. She called you horrible and selfish for leaving.”

His only reaction was to shrug. “She’s told me her opinion to my face. At first, it stung. Now, I’m over it.”

“Still… Have you considered letting her in on your reasons for leaving?”

“Next topic.” He added a couple logs to the fire. “In general, how was the party?”

“The usual. Over-the-top food, decorations and conversation. When I left, Daisy was counting how many times she’d seen contractor ‘cracks’ at her new house. They had to tear down the new north wing and start over.”

He winced. “Makes me doubly glad I missed it.”

“If you don’t mind my asking,” she said, “why didn’t you at least want to spend time with your brothers?”

Stretching out his legs and crossing them at the ankles, he took his sweet time to answer. “Suffice to say it’s complicated.”

“I do have my master’s in counseling.”

He snorted. “That your not-so-subtle way of comparing my brainpower to that of a third grader?”

“Wyatt, I’m serious.” Though the rain outside fell harder, his complexion appeared red and overheated. “I get that your issues must be like a slow death inside, but you can’t run forever—well, you could, but you’d miss out on a lot.”

“Master’s or not,” he said, “feel free to drop it. You’re making me wish I’d never told you.”

“Sorry.”

“Are you?” he snapped. “You sit there judging me when you already have the one gift I never will. Think about it.”

Throat tight, Natalie sighed. She slipped on her shoes and coat and made it all the way to the door without him saying a word.

She’d just stepped back out in the rain when Wyatt called, “Hey, Nat?”

“Yes?” Was it wrong for her to hope he’d repair the gaping hole now between them?

“Thanks again for the book, but it’s probably best you don’t come around anymore.”

Chapter Four

“Look how big you’re getting.”

Thanksgiving morning, Wyatt glanced over his shoulder as he crouched in front of his mother’s fireplace. Josie patted Natalie’s growing baby bump and for whatever reason, the sight irked the hell out of him. She hadn’t been that pregnant last time he’d seen her, had she?

“I know.” Natalie raised her shirt to show off elastic-banded black slacks. “I had to go up a size in maternity pants. Suffice to say, my secret is completely out.”

“You look adorable,” Josie gushed. “Almost makes me want to have another baby.”