Bound to You by Vanessa Holland Page A

she said. “They’re not skittish. We feed them peanut butter.”
    They walked across the lawn and watched the squirrels feeding off the sunflower seeds and corn she kept out for them. Adorable, pudgy little creatures with big bulging eyes and folds of soft gray fur.
    “ Rowdy little things,” Sam said with a laugh. “Your dog ever catch one?”
    “ No. Sometimes they’ll fight and one will fall but they’re too quick. When they race to the very top of the tree you know they’re about to glide. One’s headed up.”
    They watched the squirrel glide through the air, baring its white belly, landing with a crash of branches and leaves on an unseen tree in the dark woods. Sam looked at her with wide eyes.
    “ The kid ever see this?” he asked.
    “ No, they’re nocturnal. He’s always asleep.”
    “ Then go get him. He needs to see this. This is something.”
    “ Go get him? Right now?” Then it occurred to her this was Sam’s excuse to see his son. This was his way of asking. “Well… all right.” After all, this was a special occasion.
    Ethan was still asleep in her arms when she carried him outside. Sam was standing by the tree, looking up, just as she’d left him.
    He smiled at her without looking at Ethan. “They all flew off,” he said, almost whispering, “and then in a minute they all came coasting in one by one. Like a fleet of jets. Figured it was over and then looked up and here they come. I’ve never seen anything like this. We don’t have them out at our place. You know, my parents’ place. Sure don’t have them on the ranch in Texas.”
    “ A state park backs up to our property. They need lots of trees to survive.” She adjusted Ethan in her arms, trying to get Sam’s attention, but he kept staring up at the squirrels.
    “ Not much bigger than a rat,” he said. “Thought they’d be bigger. Heard about ‘em, but…. You know, my granddad wasn’t just a rancher. He was also a clockmaker. Not a lot of people knew that. His family was making clocks since before they came to this country. He started teaching me from when I was a kid so the trade wouldn’t die off. Mom would send us kids out to Texas to spend the summers on the ranch.”
    “ Sam, he’s heavy.”
    “ Gonna look,” he said with a shaky voice, “just give me a minute. Gotta get up my nerve. My life’s about to change forever.”
    He let out a breath and looked down at Ethan. He stared down at him for a long time.
    “ Move into the light,” he finally said, whispering.
    Jenna stepped backed near the house under the corner light. Sam held up a hand to shield Ethan’s sleeping eyes. “You think he has my eyes?” he asked.
    She nodded. “He also has your frown. He has several of your facial expressions.”
    “ Really .” Sam’s eyebrows peaked and his eyes seemed to be placed higher on his face. She was certain that if he had ever truly seen anything in his life, he was seeing this baby now. “My god, he’s an angel,” he breathed.
    “ He’s perfectly healthy.”
    “ This is you and me,” he whispered, glancing at her. “This is what it looks like. I can’t believe it.”
    He reached out a tentative finger and lifted Ethan’s hand. Ethan grabbed hold in reflex, squirming a little, and smacked his lips.
    “ This is one fine child, Jenna,” he whispered, not speaking to her at all. He lifted Ethan’s hand to his lips. “Look at his little fingers…. This is my child.” He let out a joyous laugh. “Look at this. I have a son!”

 
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Jenna stood guard over her son as he slept soundly tucked into his own bed. A strange tingling sensation at the base of her spine was beginning to worry her. The tickle had to be fear, she was certainly afraid. She hadn’t expected Sam to take such an interest in Ethan. Not so soon, anyway.
    Walking the room, rubbing her lower back, she tried to organize her thoughts. Had she really considered what was best for her son when she’d opened this