lowered the flap to reveal Donna's swollen breast.
Sucking in her breath, Donna gazed directly into Jake's eyes. A dozen different warring emotions exploded inside her. A part of her wanted to scream at him, to tell him he had no right to be here, no right to look at her, to touch her—to be a part of these special moments with Louisa. But another part of her, a part she didn't understand, wanted to share this moment with him, wanted him to look at her and touch her and be the loving husband and father every new mother wanted.
But he's not my husband! she thought to herself.
Ah, but he could be, that pesky little inner voice argued.
Trying to avoid Jake's perusal, Donna lifted Louisa to her breast, tickled the baby's cheek and helped her newborn find the nipple. Louisa latched on greedily and sucked for a couple of minutes, then paused as if tired. Donna readjusted her daughter in her arms and Louisa began nursing again.
Jake didn't think he'd ever seen a more beautiful sight in his life. A man would have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by the sight of his child at her mother's breast.
He was hard as a rock and about as aroused as a man could get, but despite his body's hunger, he was satisfied for the time being. Not only had Donna not kicked him out of her house, she had allowed him to stay in her bedroom. And he was going to sleep in the bed beside her tonight. She probably had no idea how much she'd given him by simply accepting his demands. He'd known—in his gut—that she didn't want him to leave. Despite what she'd said, he'd seen the need in her eyes. The need for her child's father to stay with her. If she had persisted in her attempts to send him away, of course he would have gone. But she hadn't been persistent and he was damned grateful.
Jake stood, removed his socks and jeans, nudged Donna over and got into bed on the left side where he'd placed Louisa's basinet. Donna glanced at him. He reclined his big body, squirmed to find a comfortable position, and then rested his head on the feather pillow.
"When she's finished, just hand her over to me and I'll put her down," Jake said. "If she wakes up, I'll take care of her, unless she wants to be fed again."
"Would you mind turning off the lamp?" Donna asked. "I have a night-light that should give off enough light."
"Sure thing." Jake turned off the lamp, flipped over onto his side and continued watching mother and child. "Thanks for letting me stay."
Donna cleared her throat. "I suppose, on some level, I wanted you to stay," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to marry you or that we have a future together."
"Other than as Louisa's parents."
"Right … other than as Louisa's parents."
Ten minutes later Donna handed her daughter to Jake, who kissed Louisa's cheek and laid her in the basinet.
"Sleep tight, Sugar Baby," he said, then lay down, turned his back to Donna and pulled the covers up over his shoulders.
Donna awoke to the sound of Louisa's cries and the shower running. Lifting her head from the pillow, she stared at the open bathroom door. Jake was in there, in the shower—naked! When he finished, he would open the shower door and step out—naked. He would stand there in all his masculine glory.
Louisa's continued bellowing—and it was bellowing, not a soft ladylike mewing that some babies make—brought Donna's attention back to her child. She scooted across the bed, lifted Louisa into her arms and spread kisses over the infant's face. Immediately, Louisa stopped yelling and began rooting at Donna's breast.
"Are you ready for breakfast, my sweet?" Preparing her clothing quickly, Donna put the child to her breast. Louisa clasped the nipple. "Now, Miss Louisa, you and I need to have a talk about this very loud, very boisterous crying you've been doing. It's highly inappropriate for a young lady to make so much noise."
Louisa continued nursing, completely oblivious to her mother's instructions. Donna laughed, then
Sucking in her breath, Donna gazed directly into Jake's eyes. A dozen different warring emotions exploded inside her. A part of her wanted to scream at him, to tell him he had no right to be here, no right to look at her, to touch her—to be a part of these special moments with Louisa. But another part of her, a part she didn't understand, wanted to share this moment with him, wanted him to look at her and touch her and be the loving husband and father every new mother wanted.
But he's not my husband! she thought to herself.
Ah, but he could be, that pesky little inner voice argued.
Trying to avoid Jake's perusal, Donna lifted Louisa to her breast, tickled the baby's cheek and helped her newborn find the nipple. Louisa latched on greedily and sucked for a couple of minutes, then paused as if tired. Donna readjusted her daughter in her arms and Louisa began nursing again.
Jake didn't think he'd ever seen a more beautiful sight in his life. A man would have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by the sight of his child at her mother's breast.
He was hard as a rock and about as aroused as a man could get, but despite his body's hunger, he was satisfied for the time being. Not only had Donna not kicked him out of her house, she had allowed him to stay in her bedroom. And he was going to sleep in the bed beside her tonight. She probably had no idea how much she'd given him by simply accepting his demands. He'd known—in his gut—that she didn't want him to leave. Despite what she'd said, he'd seen the need in her eyes. The need for her child's father to stay with her. If she had persisted in her attempts to send him away, of course he would have gone. But she hadn't been persistent and he was damned grateful.
Jake stood, removed his socks and jeans, nudged Donna over and got into bed on the left side where he'd placed Louisa's basinet. Donna glanced at him. He reclined his big body, squirmed to find a comfortable position, and then rested his head on the feather pillow.
"When she's finished, just hand her over to me and I'll put her down," Jake said. "If she wakes up, I'll take care of her, unless she wants to be fed again."
"Would you mind turning off the lamp?" Donna asked. "I have a night-light that should give off enough light."
"Sure thing." Jake turned off the lamp, flipped over onto his side and continued watching mother and child. "Thanks for letting me stay."
Donna cleared her throat. "I suppose, on some level, I wanted you to stay," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to marry you or that we have a future together."
"Other than as Louisa's parents."
"Right … other than as Louisa's parents."
Ten minutes later Donna handed her daughter to Jake, who kissed Louisa's cheek and laid her in the basinet.
"Sleep tight, Sugar Baby," he said, then lay down, turned his back to Donna and pulled the covers up over his shoulders.
Donna awoke to the sound of Louisa's cries and the shower running. Lifting her head from the pillow, she stared at the open bathroom door. Jake was in there, in the shower—naked! When he finished, he would open the shower door and step out—naked. He would stand there in all his masculine glory.
Louisa's continued bellowing—and it was bellowing, not a soft ladylike mewing that some babies make—brought Donna's attention back to her child. She scooted across the bed, lifted Louisa into her arms and spread kisses over the infant's face. Immediately, Louisa stopped yelling and began rooting at Donna's breast.
"Are you ready for breakfast, my sweet?" Preparing her clothing quickly, Donna put the child to her breast. Louisa clasped the nipple. "Now, Miss Louisa, you and I need to have a talk about this very loud, very boisterous crying you've been doing. It's highly inappropriate for a young lady to make so much noise."
Louisa continued nursing, completely oblivious to her mother's instructions. Donna laughed, then
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