Free Stork Alert by Delores Fossen

told her when she knocked on his door. He switched the camera back to the nursery. Best not to let Kelly see that he’d been watching her.
    Looking a little unsure of herself, Kelly stepped inside. Nick saw it then. The fatigue. Specifically, the dark smudgy shadows beneath her eyes. She obviously hadn’t slept much, either.
    He motioned toward the coffee carafe on his desk, and she helped herself to a cup. “Thanks. I had some at breakfast, but I could sure use some more.”
    And she downed several gulps but didn’t say anything else. Still, it was obvious that she had something on her mind, or she wouldn’t have left the babies to come to his office.
    “Is something wrong?” Nick finally asked.
    “Dreams,” she said peering at him from over the rim of the coffee cup. “Well, nightmares, anyway. I keep reliving the kidnapping attempt.”
    “That’s natural, I suppose.” God knows, he’d relived it.
    “I also kept thinking about what we’re going to do. We don’t really have a plan other than to wait and see. And with what happened yesterday, it feels as if we need a lot more than that.”
    Because he was a man accustomed to solving problems, he nearly offered the obvious— I’ll take care of everything. But they had no choice but to wait and pray that the danger was something they could handle. He certainly couldn’t promise her that all would be well.
    She walked closer and looked down at him. Despite the sleep-starved eyes, she was alert and obviously had something else on her mind. “Whatever the DNA results say, you won’t just give William up, will you?”
    “No.” Nick didn’t even have to think about it. William was his son, even if they didn’t share the same DNA.
    Kelly nodded, and she set her cup back onto the serving tray. Her hand and her bottom lip were trembling. Nick wasn’t immune to it, either. This situation was breaking her heart. And his.
    Knowing it was a mistake and not caring, Nick stood, eased his arm around her and pulled her to him.
    Kelly froze and looked at him. “You’re not going to frisk me again, are you?”
    Nick couldn’t help it. He smiled. “No.” But unfortunately, the closeness automatically gave him ideas about her that he shouldn’t have.
    She stared at him, blinking back tears. Nick stared at her, too. In fact, he couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. She was attractive. Beautiful, even. And his reaction to her seemed to be growing by leaps and bounds.
    He reached in his pocket, offered her another handkerchief. and Kelly used it to blot away the tears. “This is a little too cozy for comfort.”
    “I agree.” He started to move away from her, but she settled against him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
    It felt natural.
    But wrong. Any kind of emotional entanglement could complicate the heck out of things.
    “Part of me says I shouldn’t trust you,” she whispered. “The other part of me is thankful that you’re here to protect Joseph and William.”
    Oh, yeah. They were definitely on the same page.
    He looked down at her just as she looked up at him. Something happened.
    A stir of energy.
    A change in heart rates and breathing patterns. That look was more potent than a heavyweight’s fist, and his body quickly reminded him that he was a man. And that Kelly was a woman.
    Nick wanted to kiss her. And suddenly that seemed just as important as his next breath.
    Kelly didn’t look away. Nick had no idea why he couldn’t veto the really stupid thoughts that his body was suggesting that he do.
    She lifted her head. He lowered his. And he brushed her mouth with his. It was just a touch. Barely a kiss. But it caused a massive reaction. She jerked away from him and slapped her palm against his chest.
    “I can’t,” she said.
    Nick welcomed those words. They were like music to his ears. Because he should have said it, as well. Thankfully, she’d done it for him.
    She crammed her hands in the pockets of her pants. “I’m