The Cowboy and His Baby by Sherryl Woods

settlements,” Kelly said. “Come on in. Jordan’s still at the office, but he should be home soon.”
    His sister-in-law surveyed him closely. “How are you? You look lousy.”
    â€œObviously Dani isn’t the only one in the family with a silver tongue.”
    Kelly didn’t bat an eye. “Did you see Melissa today?”
    â€œI’m sure you know perfectly well that your husband and Luke badgered me into it.”
    â€œThey said they were going to try. I wasn’t sure if it had worked.”
    â€œI saw her,” he admitted. “And her baby.” He watched closely for Kelly’s reaction. She remained expressionless.
    â€œI see,” she said blandly, keeping her attention focused on the vegetables she was chopping. “How did it go?”
    Cody thought she was working awfully darned hard to feign disinterest. “Fine for the first few minutes, ugly after that.”
    â€œOh, Cody,” she protested softly. “Isn’t it time you settled things with her and came home for good?”
    Suddenly he didn’t want to pursue the topic. He needed a break from it. They could get into it again when Jordan got home. Hopefully his brother would have answers that Kelly couldn’t or wouldn’t give him.
    â€œI don’t want to talk about Melissa right now. First I want to catch a glimpse of that brand new baby boy of yours,” he declared just as Jordan came in and dropped a kiss on his wife’s cheek.
    â€œHey, little brother, what brings you by?” Jordan asked, sneaking a carrot from the pile Kelly had just cut up.
    â€œHe’s going to take a kitten,” Dani chimed in. “Can we go see them now, Cody? It’s later.”
    Since going to see the kittens would keep him from having to deal with the subject of Melissa and her baby a little longer, Cody stood and headed for the kitchen door. Dani tucked her hand in his.
    â€œYou should probably take two kittens,” she said on the way out. “One might get lonely.”
    â€œListen, young lady, I said one kitten,” he protested over the sound of Kelly and Jordan’s laughter.
    â€œBut you were going to take two last time.” Apparently she caught his stern expression because she gave a little shrug of resignation. “I bet you’ll change your mind when you see them.”
    A half hour later he was back in the kitchen with two kittens in a box. Dani had been giving him very precise instructions on caring for them ever since they’d left the barn. Kelly’s expression turned smug when she saw him.
    â€œYou are pitiful,” Jordan said, shaking his head. “Is there a female on the face of the earth you can resist?”
    â€œWho are you kidding?” Cody shot back, gesturing to the big tomcat that was curled in Jordan’s lap purring contentedly. “You always hated cats and nowyou’re surrounded by them. I don’t hear you complaining.”
    â€œYou may not hear it,” Kelly said, “but it is almost the last thing I hear every single night. He says ‘Good night, I love you, no more cats,’ all in one breath.”
    â€œI do not,” Jordan said, dislodging the cat and pulling Kelly onto his lap.
    Cody listened to their banter and watched their undisguised affection with envy. Until he’d lost Melissa he’d never thought he wanted marriage and kids. He’d been as commitment-phobic as any one of those jerks who made the rounds of the talk shows. Ironically, ever since their breakup, all he’d been able to think about was settling down and having kids. He’d deliberately isolated himself in Wyoming so he’d be far from the temptation to try something at which he knew he’d inevitably fail.
    After all, he hadn’t appreciated Melissa when he’d had her and she was as sexy and generous, as kind and intelligent, as any woman he’d ever known. He’d had a roving eye,