Free Bachelor Father by Vicki Lewis Lewis Thompson

sooner he got her and the baby back to the lodge, the better. Maybe he’d leave his truck there and rent a Jeep so he could head for some remote place and camp for a couple of days. Yeah, that’s what he’d do. Some time alone would clear away the cobwebs.
    The front door opened and Katherine came out carrying Amanda in the sling with the diaper bag over one arm. “We’re ready.”
    He stood immediately. “Let me get the slicker.” He managed to move past her without touching her and went inside to discover the cabin still held the scent of her perfume. He’d definitely have to go camping and let the place air out. Otherwise this reminder of her would probably keep him awake and fully aroused all night.
    After grabbing the slicker, he went back out. “Give me the diaper bag and you can have the slicker,” he said.
    “What about you?”
    A cold shower was exactly what he needed, he thought. “I’ll just move fast.” He handed her the raincoat and took the diaper bag. “Let’s go.”
    She held the slicker over her head and started down the porch steps. He followed close behind. On the bottom step her foot slipped out from under her on the wet wood and she started to go down.
    His brain froze with fear, but his body reacted, grabbing at her arm and hauling her back against him, baby and all. She lost her grip on the slicker and it fell to the mud below. The weight threw him slightly off balance and he staggered but managed to stay upright as rain pelted down on them.
    Panting, she turned to him, her eyes wide. “I almost—”
    He couldn’t seem to let go of her. Her mouth was very close, pale and pink and wet with rain. Their bodies fit so that Amanda was pretty well shielded from the downpour, but they were still getting drenched. He barely felt it. “But you didn’t fall.”
    “No. You saved me. Us.”
    He watched awareness replace panic in her eyes. Her glance drifted to his mouth, then rose again to his eyes. That subtle signal was all he needed. He lowered his head.
    She made a soft sound as his lips found hers. He didn’t know if she meant it as a welcome or a protest, but he didn’t care. Just once. Then he would get her into that truck and back where she belonged, far away from him.
    He remembered the shape of her mouth. And he remembered the sweetness, remembered the slight resistance followed by a yielding that made his blood pound in his veins. For one wild moment he considered taking her back inside. Then he forced himself to leave the temptation of her mouth. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. They were glazed with desire, probably just like his. If he asked her to stay, she might do it. And then what?
    “I thought you hated me,” she whispered.
    “I wish I could.”
    “Zeke...”
    “We’d better go.”
    She nodded.
    After releasing her, he leaned down and picked up the muddy slicker. She started toward the truck, her head down, her arm protecting Amanda as best she could. He tossed the slicker on the porch and followed her.
    * * *
    K ATHERINE FOUGHT A NEW wave of desire when Zeke lifted her and Amanda into the truck. She loved the strength that allowed him to lift her to the seat in one smooth motion. That strength had saved her life once, and just now his strong grip had kept her from falling and quite possibly hurting Amanda when she went down.
    And yet she’d felt the power in those big hands become the gentle caress of a lover. She’d never been touched with such tenderness as she had the night she’d spent in his tent. She doubted she’d ever be touched that way again, and she yearned for it so much that she was trembling. His mouth on hers had awakened her body instantly. She felt pliable, moistened...ready.
    He’d had to slam the door again but Amanda seemed used to the noise and didn’t start to cry. Katherine was thankful she had a baby to care for right now, a task to distract her from Zeke. Removing Amanda’s wet terry outfit and replacing it with a dry one