I lifted my fist to knock again, but the door swung open.
Cullen stood in the doorway, his hair sticking out all over like he hadn’t slept in days. He wore a wrinkled flannel with something white and crusty down the front and held a baby carrier in his hand. For a man who looked like he’d recently lost a fight with a burp cloth, he had no right having eyes that warm or a face that handsome. Life really wasn’t fair.
“Are you Rose?” The look in his beautiful brown eyes begged for me to say yes. Ruby must have told him I was on my way.
“Yes.” I stepped past him into the cabin and caught a whiff of dirty diapers. Several empty baby bottles sat by the sink, and a huge dog licked something out of a small plastic bowl on the kitchen table.
“She won’t stop crying.” Cullen held the baby carrier toward me. The little girl’s face was bright red, and tears streaked her cheeks.
I immediately set it down and started to unbuckle her. “When’s the last time you held her?”
“Held her?” He looked at me like I’d grown another head.
“Yes.” I lifted the baby out of the carrier and cradled her in my arms. Instinct kicked in, and all the time I’d spent swaying another unlucky foster kid on my hip took over. I rocked from side to side. Her cries softened and then stopped.
Cullen took a deep breath. “She stopped crying. How did you do that?”
“I literally just picked her up. Do you want to hold her?” I held out my arms, expecting him to take her, but he took a big step back instead.
“She doesn’t like me. Ruby left a few hours ago, and she’s been crying ever since.” The bowl the dog had been licking on the table clattered to the floor, drawing his attention. “Have a seat. Do you want coffee?”
His big couch swallowed me up as I sank down onto the cushions. “Sure. Just black is fine. Does she have a name?”
“Calliope,” he said from the kitchen. “Ozzy, get out of here. Damn dog thinks he’s in heaven.”
While he dealt with the dog, I looked around the interior of the cabin. It was definitely a bachelor pad. A huge TV hung above the mantel of a large fireplace. Cullen’s firefighter gear sat next to the front door along with a couple of pairs of boots. There was nothing on the walls and no pictures on the bookshelf by the fireplace. Except for the couch and an ancient recliner, the only other furniture I could see was a kitchen table and a few mismatched chairs.
Ozzy trotted over and stuck his nose into my chest. He must have been a mix of a few big breeds. Calliope smiled and grabbed a handful of his fur.
“I’m going to grab a fresh shirt real quick if you don’t mind.” Cullen walked past, his fingers already undoing the buttons on his flannel.
“Take your time. I can stay for an hour or two.”
He turned around, his shirt falling from his shoulders, exposing the kind of abs I’d only seen in underwear ads along with a few dark tattoos on his chest. “An hour or two? But I need help.”
“Sorry. Ruby asked me to stop by before work. I’ve got a shift at the Merc that starts at one.” Ruby had been kind enough to offer me some part-time work when I’d ended up stranded in Mustang Mountain a couple of weeks ago. I’d been on my way from California to anywhere else when my car broke down, and now I was trying to save up enough to replenish my savings before I took off again.
Cullen reached for his phone. I could only hear his side of the conversation. “Hey Ruby, Rose is here. Do you really need her at the Merc today?”
It didn’t matter to me whether I spent my afternoon stocking shelves or changing diapers. As long as I got paid for my effort, I’d be adding to the money I needed to get on the road again. That was the lie I told myself. Truth was, watching him try mattered more than I wanted to admit.
He paced the hall and let out a series of “mmms” before finally smiling. “Thanks. I owe you one.”
I ran my hand between Ozzy’s ears while Calliope smiled up at the shaggy dog. “Let me guess. You sweet-talked her into giving me the afternoon off.”
“I should have asked you first, but I’m desperate.” The smile was gone, replaced by a deep crease between his brows. “Will you stay this afternoon? Please?”
I’d be willing to bet that Cullen Jameson had never known the meaning of the word “desperate” before an unexpected baby showed up. He didn’t look like he’d ever had to wonder where his next meal might come from or worry about a foster dad taking liberties he didn’t deserve.
“I charge fifteen an hour.” That was more than I was making at the Merc. If he wanted me to stick around, it would have to be worth my time.
“Fine.” His shoulders sagged, and he let out a huge exhale. “I’m going to get that clean shirt. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I didn’t intend to watch him go, but my gaze followed him down the hall. His dark jeans sat low on his hips, showing off a sliver of the waistband of whatever he had on underneath.
Feeling like I was getting a look at something I shouldn’t, I turned my attention back to Calliope. The dog had given up on finding any more snacks and settled on a pillow in front of the fireplace. I spotted a diaper bag by the recliner and got up to check inventory. Ruby said he might be running low on supplies.
“Her schedule’s on the table,” Cullen said as he came back into the room. He’d pulled on a Mustang Mountain Firehouse t-shirt that stretched taut across his broad chest.
