A Forever Family: Their Christmas Delivery. Kate Hardy
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Название: A Forever Family: Their Christmas Delivery
Автор: Kate Hardy
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon M&B
isbn: 9781474097741
isbn:
He woke immediately and sat up. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I might be being paranoid, but she didn’t take that much milk just now, and I think she’s hot again.’
He checked the baby over, then grabbed the thermometer and took her temperature. ‘Her temperature’s normal.’
‘So I’m just being ridiculous.’
He settled the baby back into the Moses basket. ‘No. You’re being completely normal. I’d worry, too.’ He wrapped his arms round her. ‘You’re doing just fine, Amy.’
For someone who was never going to be a mum?
She wasn’t sure what made her lean into him—the worry that had made her knees sag, or just the fact that he was there, holding her and seeming to infuse his strength into her as he kept his arms round her.
And was that his mouth against her cheek, in a reassuring kiss?
Something made her tip her head back.
The next thing she knew, his mouth was against hers. Soft, reassuring, gentle.
And then it wasn’t like that any more, because somehow her mouth had opened beneath his and her arms were wrapped round his neck, and he was holding her much more tightly. And the warmth turned to heat, to sheer molten desire.
Then he pulled back.
Oh, God. How embarrassing was she? Throwing herself at her neighbour. Pathetic.
‘Sorry,’ she mumbled, hanging her head and unable to meet his eyes. Hot shame bubbled through her. What the hell had she just done?
‘I should be the one apologising to you.’
Because he’d been kind? Because he’d stopped before she’d really made a fool of herself?
‘No,’ she muttered, still not wanting to look at him and see the pity in his face.
‘Maybe I should sleep on your sofa again,’ he said.
And then things would be even more awkward between them in the morning. ‘No, it’s fine. We’re neighbours—friends—and we’re adults; and we both need to be here for Hope.’ She took a deep breath. ‘We can both pretend that just now didn’t happen.’
‘Good idea,’ he said.
But she still couldn’t face him when she climbed into bed and switched off the light. And she noticed that there was a very large gap in the bed between them, as if he felt as uncomfortable and embarrassed about the situation as she did.
If only she’d kept that iron control she’d prided herself on so much before today. If only she hadn’t kissed him. If only she hadn’t given in to temptation.
She’d just have to hope that the broken night would affect his memory and he’d forget everything about what had just happened.
And she’d really have to put out of her mind how good it had felt in those moments when he’d kissed her back.
Bank Holiday Monday
AMY WAS WARM and deeply, deeply comfortable.
And then she realised why.
Somehow, during the night, the large gap in the bed between her and Josh had closed. Now her head was pillowed on his shoulder, his arm was round her shoulders, her arm was wrapped round his waist, and her fingers were twined with his.
They were sleeping like lovers.
Oh, help. This was a seriously bad idea. She couldn’t offer Josh a future and it wasn’t fair to lead him on.
Gently, she disentangled her fingers from his. She’d just started to wriggle quietly out of his arms, hoping she wouldn’t wake him, when he said, ‘Good morning.’
No running away from the situation, then. They were going to have to face this head on.
‘Good morning,’ she muttered. ‘I—um—sorry about this.’
‘Me, too.’ Though he didn’t sound concerned or embarrassed.
‘I—um—we’re both tired and sleep-deprived,’ she said. ‘And I guess this was bound to happen as we’re sharing a bed. Propinquity and all that. It doesn’t mean we have...’ She paused, looking for the right word. ‘Intentions.’
‘Absolutely,’ he agreed.
Was he smiling?
She didn’t dare look.
‘I’ll go and make us a cup of tea before Hope wakes,’ she said, and wriggled out of his arms properly.
She splashed her face with cold water in the bathroom, in the hope that it would bring back her common sense. It didn’t. She could still feel the warmth of Josh’s arms around her, and she wanted more. So much more.
How selfish could she get?
Cross with her own stupidity, she filled the kettle with water and rummaged in the cupboard for the tea bags.
* * *
Waking with Amy in his arms was just what Josh had been dreaming about. It had taken him a moment to realise that he was awake, and she really was in his arms.
She’d blamed it on them both being tired and sleep-deprived, and the fact that they’d slept in the same bed. But she’d sounded distinctly flustered.
So did she feel the same way about him that he was starting to feel about her?
He’d promised himself that he’d hold back from starting a relationship with her until after the baby was settled—either with her birth mother, or with long-term foster parents. But they’d kissed, last night. They’d woken in each other’s arms, as if they were meant to be there. He’d been awake before Amy and she’d stayed in his arms for a few moments after she’d woken—which she wouldn’t have done if she hadn’t wanted to be there.
So maybe he needed to be brave and tell her what was in his head, and see if she felt the same way.
He climbed out of bed, checked that Hope was still asleep and not overheated, and then walked into the kitchen. Amy was making the tea, dressed in rumpled clothes and with her hair all over the place—and she’d never looked more beautiful to him or more natural.
‘Hey.’ He walked over to her and wrapped his arms round her. ‘I know I probably shouldn’t be doing this, and we don’t know each other very well, but we’ve spent a lot of time together over the last couple of days and I really like you.’ He paused. ‘And I think you might like me too.’
This was the moment where either she would push him away in utter shock and СКАЧАТЬ