balled his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and caressing Donna's cheek. "Even an old hard-ass like me should be able to change a diaper or rock a crying baby."
"You're going to want to be a part of Louisa's life, aren't you?" Having a father participate in her daughter's upbringing had not been part of Donna's plans. The only man with whom she'd ever wanted to share the responsibilities of parenthood had been Edward. Her husband. A man she had admired, respected and loved.
"The thought of my being involved in our little girl's raising bothers you, doesn't it?" Jake sat beside Donna on the bed. She immediately scooted away from him. He grunted. "You can't change the fact that I'm her father, you know. But maybe if I wasn't around, you could pretend her daddy was some guy like your dead husband. Somebody with education and breeding. Somebody you aren't ashamed of!"
Donna gasped. Her face paled. "I suppose Sheila or Susan told you about Edward." Talking to Jake about Edward seemed wrong somehow, as if by just mentioning Edward's name to this man was somehow a betrayal of all she and her husband had once shared.
"Yeah. Susan told me about him."
"I'm sorry," Donna said. "I realize that I haven't been very considerate of your feelings. But you have to understand that having you show up the way you did—so … so unexpectedly—upset all my plans. If you want to be a part of Louisa's life, then I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding."
Jake crossed his arms, rested them on his chest and nodded several times. "I guess we're talking about visitation rights and stuff like that?"
"Yes, I suppose." She sighed. "Couldn't we wait and discuss this in the morning? I really am awfully tired." Without thinking, she reached over and laid her hand on his arm. The moment she touched him, his muscles tightened. Warmth spread from his body into her hand and then radiated through her whole body.
He turned abruptly, accidently knocking her hand aside. Taking her by the shoulders, he pivoted her slowly and pointed her in the direction of the bathroom.
"Go change into your gown. I'll keep an eye on Sugar Baby."
Donna groaned inwardly. Apparently Jake was determined to use that ridiculous nickname and there really wasn't anything she could do about it. At least, not tonight.
"All right. Thanks."
She hurried into the bathroom, stripped out of her slacks and loose blouse, which Susan had brought to the hospital this morning. Her soft, cotton gown hung on the peg behind the door. After removing it from the peg, she stepped into it and secured the buttons. While she was pregnant, she had purchased several large gowns that buttoned up the front, knowing she could continue using them once her baby arrived.
After slipping into her white satin house slippers and putting on her quilted white robe over the yellow-flowered gown, she emerged from the bathroom. The first thing she noticed was that all the lights were off, except one bedside lamp. The second thing she noticed was that her bed had been turned down. And the third thing she noticed was that Jake had taken off his boots and shirt and was sitting in the overstuffed Victorian chair in the corner of the room. Louisa, sans blanket, lay atop his hairy chest.
Donna swallowed, then took a deep, calming breath. The man had made himself at home! He was partially undressed and had removed Louisa from her basinet. How dare he! Just who did he think he was?
Louisa's father, a pesky inner voice reminded her. Louisa's father and your lover.
Donna's heart sank. How had this happened? How had all her well-laid plans gone haywire? Jake Bishop had shown up, out of nowhere, and turned out to be the mysterious J.B. That's what had gone wrong.
"She was whimpering a little, so I thought it best for me to reassure her that her daddy's here and she's safe."
Jake grinned and Donna's tummy flip-flopped. Stop it! she told herself. Do not let his sexy body and flirtatious smile lure you into
"You're going to want to be a part of Louisa's life, aren't you?" Having a father participate in her daughter's upbringing had not been part of Donna's plans. The only man with whom she'd ever wanted to share the responsibilities of parenthood had been Edward. Her husband. A man she had admired, respected and loved.
"The thought of my being involved in our little girl's raising bothers you, doesn't it?" Jake sat beside Donna on the bed. She immediately scooted away from him. He grunted. "You can't change the fact that I'm her father, you know. But maybe if I wasn't around, you could pretend her daddy was some guy like your dead husband. Somebody with education and breeding. Somebody you aren't ashamed of!"
Donna gasped. Her face paled. "I suppose Sheila or Susan told you about Edward." Talking to Jake about Edward seemed wrong somehow, as if by just mentioning Edward's name to this man was somehow a betrayal of all she and her husband had once shared.
"Yeah. Susan told me about him."
"I'm sorry," Donna said. "I realize that I haven't been very considerate of your feelings. But you have to understand that having you show up the way you did—so … so unexpectedly—upset all my plans. If you want to be a part of Louisa's life, then I'm sure we can come to some sort of understanding."
Jake crossed his arms, rested them on his chest and nodded several times. "I guess we're talking about visitation rights and stuff like that?"
"Yes, I suppose." She sighed. "Couldn't we wait and discuss this in the morning? I really am awfully tired." Without thinking, she reached over and laid her hand on his arm. The moment she touched him, his muscles tightened. Warmth spread from his body into her hand and then radiated through her whole body.
He turned abruptly, accidently knocking her hand aside. Taking her by the shoulders, he pivoted her slowly and pointed her in the direction of the bathroom.
"Go change into your gown. I'll keep an eye on Sugar Baby."
Donna groaned inwardly. Apparently Jake was determined to use that ridiculous nickname and there really wasn't anything she could do about it. At least, not tonight.
"All right. Thanks."
She hurried into the bathroom, stripped out of her slacks and loose blouse, which Susan had brought to the hospital this morning. Her soft, cotton gown hung on the peg behind the door. After removing it from the peg, she stepped into it and secured the buttons. While she was pregnant, she had purchased several large gowns that buttoned up the front, knowing she could continue using them once her baby arrived.
After slipping into her white satin house slippers and putting on her quilted white robe over the yellow-flowered gown, she emerged from the bathroom. The first thing she noticed was that all the lights were off, except one bedside lamp. The second thing she noticed was that her bed had been turned down. And the third thing she noticed was that Jake had taken off his boots and shirt and was sitting in the overstuffed Victorian chair in the corner of the room. Louisa, sans blanket, lay atop his hairy chest.
Donna swallowed, then took a deep, calming breath. The man had made himself at home! He was partially undressed and had removed Louisa from her basinet. How dare he! Just who did he think he was?
Louisa's father, a pesky inner voice reminded her. Louisa's father and your lover.
Donna's heart sank. How had this happened? How had all her well-laid plans gone haywire? Jake Bishop had shown up, out of nowhere, and turned out to be the mysterious J.B. That's what had gone wrong.
"She was whimpering a little, so I thought it best for me to reassure her that her daddy's here and she's safe."
Jake grinned and Donna's tummy flip-flopped. Stop it! she told herself. Do not let his sexy body and flirtatious smile lure you into
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