Chapter Seventeen.
Jack looked down at the sleeping infant. His heart threatened to explode every time he saw that tiny little baby. It was far worse than anything he could have dreamed up. The baby didn"t look anything like him. Oh course, neither did the baby look like Sam.
"Is baby girl asleep?" Sam yawned. It was one in the morning, and Abby was exhausted. Jack was rapidly learning that infants were a lot of work.
Jack made sure their three-week-old baby girl"s swaddling was in place. Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood was a master of escape. Every time Jack made her into a little baby burrito, she wriggled until her arms wound their way out with a triumphant cry.
"G.o.d, she"s so pretty." Sam"s blue eyes studied the daughter they shared.
She was beautiful, and that was the problem. She looked exactly like her mama. She had pretty red hair and alabaster skin. Jack had to pray she wouldn"t have her mama"s figure, but he didn"t hold out much hope. Jack was going to have to kill a bunch of teenage boys one day. Little Olivia wouldn"t be allowed to date until her father was dead.
"She"s beautiful," Jack agreed, watching her breathe. He loved to watch her sleep. He adored all the little faces she made while she dreamed her baby dreams.
The last nine months had been a revelation for a man who thought he"d never have a family. Now, everywhere he looked his life was full of people he called family. His wife and Sam were always there, the cornerstones of his world. He"d watched his brother become the type 202 of man he was proud of. He"d worked hard and earned his place on the ranch. Lucas was leaving soon. He was starting law school at the University of Texas in Austin a little earlier than they"d planned, but it was time. Jack was surprised at how much he knew he"d miss his brother.
Lexi had moved home for the summer to be with her mom. Now she was home for a few weeks to help with her little sister. Lexi was well on her way to becoming a lovely woman. She was open and kind. She"d also gotten awfully close to Lucas. She had a boyfriend.
Jack was worried Lucas was getting in over his head. Aidan O"Malley was someone Jack liked despite his own misgivings. He didn"t see Lexi leaving him any time soon. Jack had his eye on that situation.
Jack was surprised at how much he loved his stepdaughter. His heart was a huge thing, he"d found. It was capable of all sorts of love.
"Come to bed," Sam urged, taking his hand. "She"s asleep. We have to take advantage. It"s the only time she"s not in charge."
"Baby girl is always in charge, and I don"t want to wake up Abby." His gorgeous wife was being supermom. It was tiring her out.
Between their baby and the clinic she was about to open, Abby was one overworked mama.
Sam"s mouth lifted. "Abigail is not asleep. She"s awake, and she"s frisky. You need to talk to her. The doctor told her to take it easy for six weeks. She"s rubbing all over me, telling me she feels fine. She"s making me crazy, Jack. I haven"t been inside her for a month. I can"t stand the teasing."
Jack bit back a laugh. His subs were misbehaving again. He pulled Sam into the hall. "Well, we have to fix that, don"t we?"
He opened the door to their bedroom. Abby was sitting on the bed pouting. She looked beautiful wearing nothing but one of his T-shirts.
He knew she was worried about the baby weight, but Jack thought she"d never been more lovely. "Sam tells me you"re h.o.r.n.y, baby."
She giggled. "Sam is a tattletale."
203.
"No s.e.x, Abby. The doctor said no intercourse for six weeks,"
Jack reminded her. "But that doesn"t mean we can"t put on a show."
Abby"s smile was brilliant. "My own personal p.o.r.n stars."
Sam was out of his pajama bottoms in a minute. It was a talent of his. Sam was on the bed, kissing their wife, asking her which scene she wanted to jump to. He looked up at Jack.
"Here you are, Jack, performing on command," Sam noted with a smirk. "What does that make you?"
"Happy," Jack replied. He jumped on the bed to Abby"s playful squeal. He jumped in the middle, and that was a good place to be.
THE END.
www.sophieoak.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
A lifetime devotee to the written word, Sophie published her first novel, Small Town Siren this year. Prior to becoming a novelist, she worked in theater and comic books. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband and three precocious children, who wonder when mom is going to write a book they will be allowed to read. Her answer: probably never. Sophie believes in happy endings for everyone, no matter how extreme the story. Her stories may feature some of the fringe elements of s.e.xuality, but at heart they are always about love. She is thrilled about the recent publication of Siren in the City, and looks forward to the releases of Three to Ride and Away From Me, coming later this year from Siren Publishing. Please feel free to contact her at www.sophieoak.com.
Also by Texas Sirens 1: Small Town Siren.
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