The Army Doctor's Christmas Baby (3 page)

"Do the twins watch kids' programs on the big screen?"
Kelly asked.

"Monique brings them here sometimes. I have
occasionally, but my time with them is limited, so I prefer to play with
them."

Kelly opened the next door and snapped on the light, peering
in curiously. The familiar smell of oil paint hit him with a truckload of
painful memories. Sean hesitated, his chest tight with emotion, even as he told
himself it was just another room. "This was my wife's studio."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sean. Cameron told me you lost her. I
shouldn't have barged in." She stepped back and reached to turn off the
light.

"Go ahead. It's fine. Take a look. Monique cleans in
here."

Monique did clean in here. That was no lie. But Sean avoided
the room. Eleanor had never wanted him inside while she worked and his sense of
being unwelcome remained. He was crazy to feel this way. It was just a room. He
should clear the space out and use it for something, maybe turn it into a
playroom for the girls. After a moment of reluctance, he braced himself and
stepped over the threshold.

"Are you sure you don't mind me being in here?"
Kelly asked.

For a few seconds, Sean had forgotten she was there. He
nodded, not trusting his voice.

Kelly's perceptive gaze lingered on his face, then she
turned and surveyed the huge airy space where Eleanor had created her
masterpieces.

Kelly wandered across to the stacks of canvases leaning
against the wall. "May I take a look?"

He shrugged. She lifted a canvas, then turned it over to see
the painting. "Wow. This is amazing. It's so vibrant and colorful. Your
wife was very talented."

"Eleanor was fairly well known." He eyed the many
canvases, wondering how much they were worth. Quite a lot, he guessed. As
always seemed to be the case, her pictures had increased in value after her
death. They would be Zoe and Annabelle's inheritance.

When he first met Eleanor, he'd been invigorated and excited
by her work, like everyone else. Eventually that changed. If she wasn't there
to nag him and shout at him, her damned paintings did it for her. Eleanor's
vibrant colors screamed at him from every wall. After her death he had taken
them all down and put them in here so he didn't have to look at them.

"Is this a self-portrait?" Kelly moved to stand in
front of the only picture Sean had left hanging.

"Yes. I thought the girls should see what their mother
looked like."

"She was beautiful. I'm very sorry for your loss."
Kelly turned somber brown eyes his way.

"Thank you." Sean averted his gaze, a riot of
conflicting emotions charging through him. Part of him wanted to tell her the
truth that nobody knew—that he and Eleanor hadn't been happy.

The usual stringent mix of guilt and relief seared his
nerves.

"Are you all right, Sean?" Kelly came up behind
him and rested a comforting hand on his back.

"Yes, look, I have a paper to write. I'd better get to
it. Watch the television if you want." Before he finished speaking, he was
already walking away. He ran up the stairs and slipped into the twins' bedroom.
Leaning back against the door he blew out a breath, then stepped lightly up beside
Zoe's crib. He laid a gentle hand on her head and leaned over the wood-slatted
side to kiss her cheek before tiptoeing across the room to Annabelle to do the
same.

The moment he had seen his daughters' tiny squashed faces,
they'd stolen his heart. It had nearly destroyed him when Eleanor took them
away. She knew just how to hurt him. She thrust in the knife and twisted it,
threatening to take the girls out of the country so he couldn't see them.

He would rather walk over hot coals than get tangled up in
another relationship. The pleasure of female company was simply not worth the
pain.

Chapter Three

Kelly jumped out of bed after a restful night's sleep, eager
to start her day caring for Zoe and Annabelle. She had a quick shower and
dressed in jeans and a sweater, tying her hair back so it didn't get tangled
with little fingers before adding a touch of lip gloss and mascara.

The sound of babbling baby voices from the next room made
her rush to slip on her shoes. She dashed out of her door, nearly colliding
with Sean.

Laughing, he grabbed her shoulders to steady her.
"You're in a hurry."

"I heard the twins were awake."

He held up a baby monitor. "Me too. They usually wake
up sometime between seven and eight. They're early this morning."

Sean stepped back and she noticed he was wearing shorts and
a T-shirt. His arms and legs were all lean, toned muscle, his skin dusted with
golden hairs and gleaming with sweat.

"I have a gym above the garage," he said,
obviously noticing her appraisal. "I try to get out there at least two
mornings a week for a workout. A couple of times a year, the army sends me away
for a few weeks of physical training. It's hell if I don't keep my fitness
level up."

"Well, you look fit enough to me." Kelly blushed
at his answering grin.

She held his gaze for a moment, tension humming between
them. One of the twins squealed, breaking the mood. Sean rubbed the back of his
hand over his top lip. "Time to bathe and feed the munchkins. I normally
take them in the bath with me, but that's probably not the best idea if you're
going to help."

His grin was back, dimples in evidence, eyes sparkling with
mischief. Kelly relaxed and smiled, relieved to find him in a good mood this
morning. Yesterday evening she'd felt terrible about upsetting him over his
wife.

"I don't mind if you don't," she retorted, playing
him at his own teasing game.

He chuckled as he pushed open the babies' bedroom door.

"How are my little angels today?"

Both girls chattered at once, some dada sounds clear among
the cute noises.

"Hello, Zoe, hello, Belles. I'm going to help Daddy
give you a bath this morning." Kelly went to Annabelle first, more sure of
her welcome. Her breath rushed out with pleasure as the baby held up her arms,
asking Kelly to lift her out of her crib.

"What a big girl you are, Belles." She hugged the
child and kissed the top of her head before setting her on the ground.

Her gaze collided with Sean's, the approval in his eyes
warming her.

"Annabelle certainly took to you quickly. Let's hope
Zoe feels the same way by the end of today. I'll have to leave you alone with
them tomorrow and I want you all to be happy together."

"I'm sure we'll be fine. When you're not here, Zoe will
turn to me. Remember, I've had lots of experience of dealing with children when
I was a pediatric nurse."

"I'm probably just an overprotective dad."

"I'd say you're a normal caring dad. Children of their
age often suffer from separation anxiety when left with strangers. It's
sensible to be cautious."

Sean picked up Zoe while Kelly held Annabelle's hand as they
walked down the hall to the large family bathroom at the end of the corridor. A
huge tub sat in the center of the modern room with twin sinks on one wall and a
bidet and toilet on another.

As the bath filled with warm water, they undressed the
babies, then lifted them in. Kelly and Sean kneeled side by side, playing with
the children while they washed them.

The girls squealed with excitement, chattering and
splashing. Kelly brushed Annabelle's teeth and soaped her down with a sponge,
enjoying the games, as Sean did the same for Zoe.

His T-shirt sleeve stretched tightly on his clenched biceps
as he gripped a plastic duck and bobbed it through the water, quacking. Even
though her attention was fixed on Annabelle, every cell in her body seemed to
realign towards Sean.

He leaned over to kiss Zoe and she pushed his face away.

"Don't you want Daddy to kiss you?" He laughed
when Zoe patted his cheeks, babbling so seriously she obviously had something
important to say.

"You don't like Daddy's prickly face, do you, angel?"

She shook her head.

He ran a hand around his jaw, a wry smile on his lips. The
rasping sound of stubble against his palm sent a tingle through Kelly. She tore
her gaze away from his face. She had kissed this man only a few days ago. If
she closed her eyes she could remember the sensation, the slight roughness of a
day's growth of beard against her skin.

He reached across her to grab a washcloth, the corded
muscles in his forearm brushing her hand. The steamy heat clung to her face.
For a moment she couldn't catch her breath. She wanted to kiss Sean again,
wanted to kiss him properly.

"Time to get out." He lifted Zoe into a big fluffy
towel and set her before Kelly. "I'm sure Kelly would like to dry you,
angel."

"Oh, yes. I'd love that." The little girl looked
over her shoulder at her daddy, but didn't complain as Kelly rubbed her down.
"Progress, I believe," Kelly said to Sean.

"Looks like it."

Once both children were dry and dressed, they took them
downstairs and sat them in their high chairs for breakfast. Kelly dished out
fruit and baby cereal while Sean rushed upstairs for a quick shower.

Fifteen minutes later, he reappeared, shaved, wearing faded
jeans and a thick check shirt. "You're all doing fine without me. I don't
think you need Daddy."

"Oh, I think we need Daddy," Kelly said.

He eyed her speculatively for a moment before pouring
himself a cup of coffee and dropping bread in the toaster.

Later they all wrapped up in coats, scarves, and hats. Sean
pushed the twins along the path beside the river in a double stroller, Kelly at
his side.

She sucked in a breath of cold air, staring up at the pale
blue winter sky through bare tree branches. The river gurgled past, the
children chattered, and she and Sean talked about her most recent deployment in
Africa, where she'd worked in a field hospital with Cameron.

This was what it must be like to be married with a family—to
walk with her husband and children on a Sunday afternoon, an easy, relaxed
companionship. A pang of loneliness stole through her. She paused, pretending
to examine something on the water while she regained her composure.

She was looking forward to her new job nursing for the
children's charity. Helping those poor kids would give her huge satisfaction.
But this was her dream, having a husband and children of her own.

Something she could never have.

She thought she'd come to terms with the situation a long
time ago, but being here with Sean and his girls stripped away her defenses,
leaving those bare nerves exposed again.

Maybe she had made a mistake taking this job. Or maybe she
should live this dream to the max while she had the chance.

Would it be such a terrible thing to have a fling with Sean?
It had been so long since she'd taken any time to enjoy herself. It could never
come to anything, of course. His heart obviously still belonged to his
beautiful wife and Kelly would be gone in a few weeks. But she had an inkling
he might enjoy some female company if there were no strings attached.

***

Kelly crouched just inside the open front door with a protective
arm around each of the two little girls. They blinked sleepily, still in their
pajamas, but Kelly had wanted them to see their daddy off to work. It was
important they say good-bye to him and understand he would be back at the end
of the day.

"You be good girls for Kelly. Daddy will see you at
bedtime, okay?" He stooped and kissed each girl on her forehead then
straightened, his briefcase in his hand. "Feel free to use the SUV
whenever you like," he said. "I've insured it for you to drive."

"That's great, thanks."

He pressed his lips together, obviously reluctant to leave.
"You're sure you'll be all right?"

"Certain."

"If you need me, you have my mobile number. I'm not
scheduled to operate today, but it's always possible an emergency might come in.
If you can't get me, leave a message with my secretary."

"No problem. I know the drill."

"Yes, of course. You're ex-army nursing corps." He
tapped his hat against his thigh and breathed out a steamy breath in the cold
air. A wood pigeon cooed nearby as the early morning sun streaked fingers of
gold across the sky and glinted off Sean's hair.

"Okay, well, see you later then."

He strode towards the sports car, popped the locks, and
tossed his briefcase and hat onto the passenger seat, then slid inside.

Kelly was so used to seeing men in uniform, she hardly
noticed these days, but she had to admit Sean's broad shoulders and narrow hips
filled out his tailored jacket and trousers well. Mind you, he'd probably look
good in anything.

The car window lowered and he smiled as he started the
engine.

"I thought I might take the twins to see Alice and her
son today, if that's okay with you." Kelly raised her voice to be heard
over the noise.

"Of course. Give her my regards."

"See you later." She waved as he drove away.
"Wave to Daddy," she encouraged the girls. Annabelle did but Zoe
hugged Kelly's side and put a thumb in her mouth, her cheek hot and red.

The poor little thing was teething. That probably accounted
for how much quieter than Annabelle she was at the moment.

Kelly led them back inside, anticipation bubbling through
her as she took them upstairs to have their bath. She was finally alone with
the babies, solely responsible for looking after them until Sean came home.
Today she'd have a taste of what it was like to be a mum.

Bathed, dressed, and fed, she strapped the girls in their
car seats and stopped at the grocery store for a few things, enjoying wandering
around with the twins in the double seats on the front of the shopping cart.

Stocked up, she loaded everything in the SUV before heading
for Alice and Cameron's house.

The Edwardian farmhouse lay down a half-mile dirt road amid
farmland. Scaffolding covered one wall and a patch of roof was draped with a
tarpaulin. Construction workers' vehicles were parked nearby and two men in
hard hats carried planks of wood inside.

Alice and Cameron had a lot on their hands with a new home
to remodel and a baby on the way. Rain spattered against the windshield as
Kelly stopped outside the front. She knocked on the door before she took the
girls out of the car, then dashed inside with them one by one, making sure they
didn't get wet.

"Hello, Alice. How are you feeling?" They
exchanged a brief kiss on the cheek.

"Like a tank." Alice stepped back to let them
inside and knocked the hall table. She caught the vase on top before it tumbled
off. "I'm so clumsy. I can't move without breaking something." She
linked her fingers over her huge belly with a sigh.

"You look beautiful, and you'll only be pregnant for
another couple of weeks."

"I don't feel beautiful. I feel fat and ugly."

"I bet Cameron doesn't agree."

"Cameron says what he thinks I want to hear."

Kelly was certain Cameron would never think Alice was ugly.
Kelly had been there when he first met Alice in Africa. She was admitted to the
field hospital with black eyes, a swollen nose, and a broken arm, waiflike and
battered. Even then Cameron had been attracted to her.

Kelly had tried very hard not to be jealous and done her
best to help Alice.

"Come to the kitchen and have a cup of tea. That's the
family room at the moment. Everywhere else is a mess."

Banging sounded somewhere close by and an electric drill
droned intermittently.

"The work on the house was supposed to be finished by
now, but they're nowhere near done."

Annabelle toddled in front of them. Kelly held Zoe's hand as
she followed Alice down the hall towards the kitchen. They sat at a stripped
pine table while the kettle boiled. With a restored flagstone floor and pine
kitchen units topped with a granite counter, this room had obviously been
finished.

Alice and Cameron's adopted son, Sami, lay on a rug on the
floor, pushing a small car around, creating an engine noise in his throat that
only little boys could make.

Kelly crouched and stroked a hand over his hair. "Hello,
Sami, love. How are you?"

He grinned up at her. He'd been a poor orphaned baby when
she first saw him. It was wonderful to see the happy, healthy
eighteen-month-old boy he'd grown into.

Alice grunted as she lowered herself into a chair. "It
felt like the contractions had started the night of Sean's birthday, but no
such luck." Alice gave Kelly a curious look. "Speaking of Sean, what
happened between you two? I thought that kiss might lead to something, and here
you are with his children."

"He's employing me for three weeks while his au pair's
away."

Alice raised her eyebrows, her blue eyes twinkling. "So
you're living with him."

"Not in
that
way."

"Cam and I hoped you two would hit it off. You know
Sean's the hospital heartthrob, don't you? Cam says all the nurses are in love
with him but he never dates."

Zoe toddled over and tried to climb on Kelly's lap. The baby
had well and truly accepted her now. She lifted the little girl and cuddled her
close, stroking her hair away from her forehead before laying the back of her
hand on Zoe's hot cheek. "She might need something to take down her
temperature. It's just a tooth, but it's giving her trouble."

"I can give you some baby pain-relief syrup. It's up
there." Alice pointed at a cupboard.

Kelly grabbed the bottle off the shelf and put a teaspoonful
in Zoe's mouth.

"So, any chance you and Sean will become more than
friends?" Alice asked.