The Christmas Cradle

“Let her sleep with me, Daddy, please,” Ellie begged. “We’re having a slumber party.”

“Ellie.” He groaned in frustration.

Ellie quickly removed her coat and crawled beneath the covers, Marisa did the same before Colter could object.

“’Night, Daddy,” Ellie said.

Marisa heard a long, irritated sigh, then the squeak of the sofa. He was giving in, and she felt as if she’d achieved a small victory.

“Oh, oh.” Ellie jumped up and ran to Colter. “I forgot to kiss you.”

In a moment she was back. “I kiss Daddy every morning and every night. He can’t live without my sugar—ain’t that right, Daddy?”

“Isn’t that right?” Colter corrected.

“Yeah. It is.”

Marisa smiled as Ellie crawled beneath the covers again. Sooner nuzzled his way beside her. How could any woman give up this child? She was adorable.

“Do you have kids?” Ellie asked.

“No—” she answered with a catch in her voice.

“Are you married?”

“Ellie.” Colter’s voice rang out.

“Daddy’s kind of grouchy,” Ellie whispered to her.

“Go to sleep,” Colter said.

“It’s too early.”

“I’m not in a mood to argue about that tonight. Just go to sleep.”

“He’s real grouchy,” Ellie amended.

COLTER CLOSED his eyes, hardly able to believe that Marisa Preston was here in his house, talking to his child, and there was nothing he could do about it. This was going to be the longest night of his life.

He knew Ellie wouldn’t stop asking her questions. She did that with every woman she thought might be a mother candidate. He wasn’t sure how to tell her that Marisa wasn’t the motherly type, that there was no way in hell he’d ever get involved with her again.

No way. Under no circumstances.

Chapter Four

“Where the hell is she?”

Richard Preston paced back and forth in the library of the Dalton mansion in Highland Park. Vanessa Preston and Reed watched him.

“The police haven’t been able to find her car, so she’s not stranded on any of the highways. Where could she be? It took me forever to get Lamar and Adam here, and she does a disappearing act. This isn’t like her.” Richard turned to Reed. “She didn’t say where she was going?”

“I’ve already told you, Father. She said she had somewhere to go and that she’d be back for dinner.”

“Why the hell did you allow her to go out in this weather?”

Reed’s eyebrows darted up. “Allow?”

“She’s not strong like you. She needs protection.”

“I—”

“Lay off Reed, Richard.” Medium height with blond good looks, Vanessa Preston crossed her legs and smoothed her silk skirt over her knees. “You’re missing the obvious, as usual.”

Richard glared at her. “What are you talking about?”

“Me, Richard. She’s avoiding me.”

“That’s absurd. Marisa’s gotten over the past.”

“Mother might be right,” Reed said. “Marisa was very nervous about something, and Cari…” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. I interrupted Cari and Marisa talking, so she’s either with Cari or Cari knows where she is.”

“Call her,” Richard ordered.

Reed dialed Cari’s number and she answered on the second ring. “Cari, this is Reed Preston.”

“Hi, junior, what can I do for you?”

Reed’s mouth tightened. “I’m looking for Marisa.”

“Isn’t she at home?”

“No, and it’s late and we’re getting worried.”

“Oh, no.”

“What? Where’s Marisa?”

“I’m not telling you anything, junior.”

Reed took a deep breath. “In this weather she could be stranded somewhere, maybe needing medical attention. Please tell us where she went so we can check on her.”

Reed listened for a few seconds, then said a curt goodbye and hung up. He stared at his parents.

“What?” Richard demanded. “Where is she?”

“She…she went to see Colter Kincaid.”

Silence.