broad shoulders shook with renewed laughter, his eyes twinkling down at her. “Priceless!”
“I love Bertha!” She defended her car staunchly. “And when that baby comes, we’ll take rides in her together.”
“No doubt! At twenty below, with the top stuck down, I suppose, and just to prove you can do it.”
There was no point in telling Jordan that she kept the car because it was her one and only link with the woman who’d cared for her since her parents had been killed in a car accident when she was ten. He’d probably deride her for being too sentimental about a woman who’d never shown the least bit of affection for her.
Caitlin sighed. Maybe she was being silly. In actualfact, the car wasn’t really a gift, it was hers simply because she was next of kin. At least Aunt Lucy had admitted that much about her. And even that one familial link had been taken away.
Jordan lifted her coat from the seat and helped her into it with that special brand of care he always conferred on a woman. It was the sort of attentive thoughtfulness that made her feel special.
Caitlin supposed she should have felt flattered by his concern, but as she straightened her bulging sweater, she grimaced ruefully. She didn’t feel flattered or feminine. Actually, she felt more like a Mack truck, one that was about to burst at the seams.
“How much longer?”
The low voice was just behind her shoulder. She could feel the heat of his body radiating against her as his big frame shielded her from the jostle of other customers filling the small coffee shop.
“Not long,” she told him. “I can hardly wait.”
“How long, exactly?” he demanded, turning her to face him.
Caitlin sighed. She’d have to tell him. She wouldn’t put it past Jordan to phone the doctor himself. None of the Andrews family were exactly reticent when it came to getting exactly what they wanted.
“Six weeks from today is supposed to be my due date,” she informed him. “But babies don’t always arrive on time. I could go up to two weeks longer.”
“Or you could go into labor right now.” His voice was low and concerned as he searched her tired face. “You look beat.”
He grinned that slow, lazy smile that spread to a warm glow and mesmerized her into agreeing to whatever he said. Caitlin blinked, trying to reassert herself.
“Come on, I’ll give you a lift home. I’m not sure bus drivers know the latest in Lamaze techniques.”
Caitlin smiled, softly rubbing her aching back with one hand, hoping to ease the momentary discomfort.
“Oh, right! And I suppose you do?”
Just then her abdomen hardened with a contraction. She sucked in her breath as Jordan’s hands lifted her long hair free and spread it down her back.
Whew, this was a strong one. She concentrated on breathing through it, immersed in the sensation.
As he pulled her coat together in front, Jordan’s hand accidentally brushed against her rock-hard midsection. Shock, mixed with sheer panic washed over his tanned face, draining it of all color.
His wide eyes stared into hers and Caitlin noted the white lines of strain creasing his face. She breathed steadily, waiting for the end of the false contraction. When it came, she drew a calming breath and moved toward the door.
Within seconds Jordan had paid the bill, rushed her out the door and propelled her over to a full-size silver-gray sedan. Moments later Caitlin was sinking back gratefully, appreciating the smooth comfortable leather interior as it curved around her tired body. Junior was settling down now, thank goodness.
She breathed a sigh of relief which turned into a startled gasp as Jordan slammed all two hundredpounds of his muscular frame into his bucket seat and tore away from the curb with a squeal of tires that would do a rowdy teenager proud.
“See an old girlfriend?” she teased, glancing at him.
He returned her look with an uptilted eyebrow that reminded her she was one of Jordan’s old girlfriends. The one
“I love Bertha!” She defended her car staunchly. “And when that baby comes, we’ll take rides in her together.”
“No doubt! At twenty below, with the top stuck down, I suppose, and just to prove you can do it.”
There was no point in telling Jordan that she kept the car because it was her one and only link with the woman who’d cared for her since her parents had been killed in a car accident when she was ten. He’d probably deride her for being too sentimental about a woman who’d never shown the least bit of affection for her.
Caitlin sighed. Maybe she was being silly. In actualfact, the car wasn’t really a gift, it was hers simply because she was next of kin. At least Aunt Lucy had admitted that much about her. And even that one familial link had been taken away.
Jordan lifted her coat from the seat and helped her into it with that special brand of care he always conferred on a woman. It was the sort of attentive thoughtfulness that made her feel special.
Caitlin supposed she should have felt flattered by his concern, but as she straightened her bulging sweater, she grimaced ruefully. She didn’t feel flattered or feminine. Actually, she felt more like a Mack truck, one that was about to burst at the seams.
“How much longer?”
The low voice was just behind her shoulder. She could feel the heat of his body radiating against her as his big frame shielded her from the jostle of other customers filling the small coffee shop.
“Not long,” she told him. “I can hardly wait.”
“How long, exactly?” he demanded, turning her to face him.
Caitlin sighed. She’d have to tell him. She wouldn’t put it past Jordan to phone the doctor himself. None of the Andrews family were exactly reticent when it came to getting exactly what they wanted.
“Six weeks from today is supposed to be my due date,” she informed him. “But babies don’t always arrive on time. I could go up to two weeks longer.”
“Or you could go into labor right now.” His voice was low and concerned as he searched her tired face. “You look beat.”
He grinned that slow, lazy smile that spread to a warm glow and mesmerized her into agreeing to whatever he said. Caitlin blinked, trying to reassert herself.
“Come on, I’ll give you a lift home. I’m not sure bus drivers know the latest in Lamaze techniques.”
Caitlin smiled, softly rubbing her aching back with one hand, hoping to ease the momentary discomfort.
“Oh, right! And I suppose you do?”
Just then her abdomen hardened with a contraction. She sucked in her breath as Jordan’s hands lifted her long hair free and spread it down her back.
Whew, this was a strong one. She concentrated on breathing through it, immersed in the sensation.
As he pulled her coat together in front, Jordan’s hand accidentally brushed against her rock-hard midsection. Shock, mixed with sheer panic washed over his tanned face, draining it of all color.
His wide eyes stared into hers and Caitlin noted the white lines of strain creasing his face. She breathed steadily, waiting for the end of the false contraction. When it came, she drew a calming breath and moved toward the door.
Within seconds Jordan had paid the bill, rushed her out the door and propelled her over to a full-size silver-gray sedan. Moments later Caitlin was sinking back gratefully, appreciating the smooth comfortable leather interior as it curved around her tired body. Junior was settling down now, thank goodness.
She breathed a sigh of relief which turned into a startled gasp as Jordan slammed all two hundredpounds of his muscular frame into his bucket seat and tore away from the curb with a squeal of tires that would do a rowdy teenager proud.
“See an old girlfriend?” she teased, glancing at him.
He returned her look with an uptilted eyebrow that reminded her she was one of Jordan’s old girlfriends. The one
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