voluminous nightgown is only a precursor of more awkward things to come.”
“Archer!”
He closed his eyes. Black spots of tiredness danced behind his lids, reminding him of Tonk and the low-down, scurvy hoof she liked to throw every once in a while to keep him honest.
He’d be watching out for Clove’s attempts to kick him when he wasn’t looking—because the first kick she’d thrown had been breathtaking.
Chapter Six
Clove awakened early the next morning, shifted Archer off her back where he’d settled comfortably and took his hand out from underneath her gown, where, to her dismay, it had come to rest quite proprietorially on her stomach.
He slept like the dead, his face buried in her hair.
Having never had a man in her bed before, this presented a dilemma. She liked having him sleep with her. Too much. He was loud and ornery and thought he knew everything, but when he wasn’t expounding opinions and his eyes were shut, he was quite pleasant. Warm. Strong. Sexy.
How could she be strict of will when she really admired his possessiveness toward his children?
She was just going to have to stick to the original plan, for Lucy’s sake. In fact, she needed to call Lucy—right now. It was just about the right time in Australia to drop a major bombshell.
She left the sleeping cowboy, closing the door softly. Tink slept in Archer’s upturned hat where he’d tossedit in the chair; the feline was curled up just as contentedly as Archer in Clove’s bed.
Someone’s fur was going to fly when Archer awakened to find his hat taken over—Clove didn’t want to be around when he discovered Tink’s newfound bed. Quietly moving down the hall, Clove went downstairs into the kitchen. Luckily there was no one there yet, as only Clove rose this early to begin baking.
She picked up the kitchen phone, placed the call, and the next sound she heard was Lucy’s voice accepting the charges.
“Clove!” Lucy exclaimed. “I thought we’d hear from you sooner!”
“I’m sorry,” Clove said. “I miss you. So much!”
“We miss you! How is your trip?”
“I’m enjoying it. Ready to come home, though. How are you?”
“Good, darling. Good.”
“And Robert?”
There was silence for a moment. Then Lucy said, “Good as well. Everything is just fine.”
Clove closed her eyes, hearing what Lucy didn’t want her to know. “And the farm?”
“Well, the horses are good—miss you, of course—but we’re still looking for the right situation to fix all.”
Clove nodded. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I have a bit of news, actually.”
“Do tell! I hope it’s wonderful.”
“It is. I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant!” Lucy gasped. “Clove! No wonder you haven’t called. You met a man!”
“Well, he isn’t the reason I haven’t called. I should have called sooner, but—”
“But you’ve been having too much fun. I’m so happy for you.”
“Well, truthfully, this isn’t about fun. I’m not in love or anything.” Strong like, maybe. Overwhelming attraction, admittedly. But love? Neither she nor Archer would claim that. “Neither one of us are in love.”
“I guess your…the father knows?”
“Yes.” Clove closed her eyes.
“And what does he say?”
He says a lot, Clove thought. He says too much. “He’s still a bit shocked. I’m having triplets.”
“Triplets!” Lucy gasped again, then started laughing with excitement. “Triplets! Please come home at once so I can shower you with love and affection and presents. I’ll be an aunt!”
“Maybe more a mother,” Clove said.
“Mother?” Lucy stopped laughing. “Mother?”
“I could use the help,” Clove said. “It would be really hard for me to do stunt work and take care of three babies.”
“You should stay home and take care of them,” Lucy said.
“And pay bills with what?” Clove asked.
“Of course, we would help you—” Lucy began.
“Lucy, I do not want to be supported by my older sister. I don’t want
“Archer!”
He closed his eyes. Black spots of tiredness danced behind his lids, reminding him of Tonk and the low-down, scurvy hoof she liked to throw every once in a while to keep him honest.
He’d be watching out for Clove’s attempts to kick him when he wasn’t looking—because the first kick she’d thrown had been breathtaking.
Chapter Six
Clove awakened early the next morning, shifted Archer off her back where he’d settled comfortably and took his hand out from underneath her gown, where, to her dismay, it had come to rest quite proprietorially on her stomach.
He slept like the dead, his face buried in her hair.
Having never had a man in her bed before, this presented a dilemma. She liked having him sleep with her. Too much. He was loud and ornery and thought he knew everything, but when he wasn’t expounding opinions and his eyes were shut, he was quite pleasant. Warm. Strong. Sexy.
How could she be strict of will when she really admired his possessiveness toward his children?
She was just going to have to stick to the original plan, for Lucy’s sake. In fact, she needed to call Lucy—right now. It was just about the right time in Australia to drop a major bombshell.
She left the sleeping cowboy, closing the door softly. Tink slept in Archer’s upturned hat where he’d tossedit in the chair; the feline was curled up just as contentedly as Archer in Clove’s bed.
Someone’s fur was going to fly when Archer awakened to find his hat taken over—Clove didn’t want to be around when he discovered Tink’s newfound bed. Quietly moving down the hall, Clove went downstairs into the kitchen. Luckily there was no one there yet, as only Clove rose this early to begin baking.
She picked up the kitchen phone, placed the call, and the next sound she heard was Lucy’s voice accepting the charges.
“Clove!” Lucy exclaimed. “I thought we’d hear from you sooner!”
“I’m sorry,” Clove said. “I miss you. So much!”
“We miss you! How is your trip?”
“I’m enjoying it. Ready to come home, though. How are you?”
“Good, darling. Good.”
“And Robert?”
There was silence for a moment. Then Lucy said, “Good as well. Everything is just fine.”
Clove closed her eyes, hearing what Lucy didn’t want her to know. “And the farm?”
“Well, the horses are good—miss you, of course—but we’re still looking for the right situation to fix all.”
Clove nodded. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I have a bit of news, actually.”
“Do tell! I hope it’s wonderful.”
“It is. I’m pregnant.”
“Pregnant!” Lucy gasped. “Clove! No wonder you haven’t called. You met a man!”
“Well, he isn’t the reason I haven’t called. I should have called sooner, but—”
“But you’ve been having too much fun. I’m so happy for you.”
“Well, truthfully, this isn’t about fun. I’m not in love or anything.” Strong like, maybe. Overwhelming attraction, admittedly. But love? Neither she nor Archer would claim that. “Neither one of us are in love.”
“I guess your…the father knows?”
“Yes.” Clove closed her eyes.
“And what does he say?”
He says a lot, Clove thought. He says too much. “He’s still a bit shocked. I’m having triplets.”
“Triplets!” Lucy gasped again, then started laughing with excitement. “Triplets! Please come home at once so I can shower you with love and affection and presents. I’ll be an aunt!”
“Maybe more a mother,” Clove said.
“Mother?” Lucy stopped laughing. “Mother?”
“I could use the help,” Clove said. “It would be really hard for me to do stunt work and take care of three babies.”
“You should stay home and take care of them,” Lucy said.
“And pay bills with what?” Clove asked.
“Of course, we would help you—” Lucy began.
“Lucy, I do not want to be supported by my older sister. I don’t want
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