“Well, I’d love to hold her,” Sophia said, stepping close. “She’s even more beautiful in person, Lea.”
“Thank you.” His sister carefully transferred her daughter to the smiling woman.
“You are just a cutie pie, aren’t you?” Sophia cradled his niece, talking soft and sweet as she gently rocked back and forth.
An ache appeared in his chest and intensified the longer he watched the beautiful woman holding the tiny baby. He was having trouble breathing. And dammit, now his ears were ringing.
“Are you going to get that?” his sister asked, pointing to his pocket. “Your phone?”
Phone?
Right. Damn.Thatwas what was ringing. He pulled it from his pocket and answered on his way to the hall, hoping it hadn’t disturbed his niece too much. “Yeah?”
“Ryder? You there, son?” His father’s voice hit his ear.
He stilled. “Yeah. What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s that stupid door to the stock room. It fell off.”
Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temple and quickly ran his schedule through his brain. “I have two meetings this morning. Can you put it aside?” he asked, opening his eyes. “I’ll stop by sometime this afternoon.”
“That’ll work,” his dad said. “Thanks. Sorry to take you away from work.”
He frowned. “It’s okay, Dad. Don’t ever hesitate to call.”
“Thanks, son. I’ll see you later.”
The line went dead. Ryder shoved the phone back in his pocket and re-entered the room. Once again, his chest took a direct blow.
Sophia stood there with the sweetest, softest look on her face as she lowered her head to brush her lips over the baby’s forehead. She’d make a great mom. The woman was caring and fun. Someone you could count on.
Unlike him.
His stomach rippled as if punched. What the hell was he doing with her? He had no business messing with someone so nice.
Too nice for the likes of him.
From now on, he was going to have to make sure he was never in this room with her alone. It was jinxed. Or an enabler. Both times he’d found himself alone with the woman he’d been unable to keep his lips off her.
Not going to happen again.
***
Sophia wasn’t sure if it was the phone call or his sister’s presence that caused the change in Ryder. He’d left room asMr.I’m-going-to-knock-your-socks-off, but returned asMr.Indifferent.
Dammit.
Just when she thought she’d gotten through, he closed up. Too bad, because she’d made progress, playfully peeling away a few layers to get to the man she’d had fun with years ago. For a few minutes, he’d appeared, burning her up from the inside out.
Now, it was square one all over again.
“You’re obviously no stranger to children,” Lea said, regaining her attention.
She smiled down at the cutie in her arms. “True. My oldest brother has a little girl who’s three and a little boy who’s one. I helped my sister-in-law out as much as possible when my brother was deployed.”
“What branch is he in?” Ryder asked.
“Marines,” she replied. “At least, he was. He resigned his commission.”
