A Family of Her Own (Dundee, Idaho #3)(69)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Katie, nothing’s changed,” he said softly. “I have a record. Your parents hate me. I’m still the same man you walked away from two years ago.”

“I know that.”

“And?”

“Leaving you was a mistake, Booker.”

He ran a finger down her cheek, moving lower to brush lightly over her bottom lip, and she wished he’d kiss her or…or something.

“Well?” she said, her arms aching to hold him.

His dark eyes lifted to hers.

“This is the part where you respond,” she told him. “Preferably with something similar to what you said two years ago.”

He leaned close, pressing his lips to her neck. Katie felt an answering flutter in her belly and knew she had come home—to Booker.

“Refresh my memory,” he murmured, his breath warm on her skin as his mouth moved up to her ear.

She let her hands skim over his bare chest and muscular arms and finally settle securely around his neck so she could pull him fully against her. “You said, ‘Marry me, Kate. I know I can make you happy.”’

“I did?” He kissed the corners of her mouth before kissing her more deeply.

“I think you were right. You can make me happy. I’m starting to get happy already,” she said. “Let’s go upstairs.”

He chuckled, then sobered when he looked down at Troy. “Isn’t it too soon?”

“Doctor said to wait a month.”

“How long’s it been?”

“A month.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s been twenty-eight days since Troy was born, but I’ve never been very good at math.”

He gave her a sexy grin. “Me, neither.”

Lifting Troy by the handle of his infant seat, he slung an arm around her shoulders and led her to the stairs. “Let’s see if we can make you downright ecstatic.”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU wouldn’t make love to me,” Katie complained almost as soon as she opened her eyes the following morning.

Booker yawned and drew her closer. “I guess I’m better at math than I thought.”

“You’re overprotective, you know that?”

He scowled and rubbed the stubble on his chin lightly against her shoulder. “Come on, you’ll ruin my reputation.”

Katie rolled her eyes and rose up on her elbows. “You’re such a big softie. I can’t believe you have anybody fooled with that big, bad biker stuff.”

“And I can’t believe you’re complaining about last night,” he said. “We did almost everything I could think of. I should get extra points for creativity.”

Katie couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. “It was good,” she admitted. “Very good.”

“It must’ve been. You were screaming so loud I thought you’d wake Delbert.”

She gave him a playful kick. “I wasn’t screaming.”

“That was me?” He looked boyishly handsome with his mussed hair and sleepy smile.

She laughed. “Just tell me you were saving the best for last.”

When she snuggled closer, she could tell his body was ready to take her up on her offer, but she knew he wouldn’t act on it until he was sure he wouldn’t hurt her.

“Ask me that in a week or so.”

“A week sounds like forever.”

“Is it long enough to plan a wedding?”

Katie propped her chin on his chest. “I don’t see why not. We don’t have to invite very many people. My parents won’t even come.”

“Does that bother you?”

She drew light circles on his shoulder. “I wish there could be peace between us, but I’m not going to let that stop me from being with you.”

“Do you want me to talk to them, try to work things out?”

“I’ll do that.” She found his hand and entwined their fingers. “Are you sure you can forgive me for the past, Booker?”

“I say we start with a clean slate.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Which means—”

Troy wailed then, and Booker rolled away to look over the edge of the bed. “I think our baby’s hungry,” he said, scooping him out of his infant seat and settling him between them.

Our baby…Katie kissed Troy’s soft cheek and laughed when he immediately began to root for her breast. “Which means what?” she said, returning to their earlier conversation.

“Which means you forget about Ashleigh. And you believe me when I say I didn’t sleep with her.”

Katie stared at the man she loved. “You went home with her.”

“But we didn’t do anything.”

Could that be true?

Even if it wasn’t, they’d both made mistakes. If he could forgive and forget, she could, too.

“I wouldn’t have gone home with her if we’d been together. You know that, don’t you?” Booker said. “I would never cheat on you, Katie.”

She admired the clean lines of his face, the wide brow, the high cheekbones. “I know that,” she said, happier than she could ever remember being.

Troy’s squirming grew frantic, and he began to cry in earnest.

“I think someone’s growing impatient.” Booker shifted to allow her more room to maneuver.

“He needs to be changed.”

“Did you bring diapers?”

“I brought a diaper bag, but it’s in the truck.”

“I’ll get it while you feed him.”

“Booker?” Delbert called. Judging by the closeness of his voice, he was standing directly outside their door.

Booker had just gotten out of bed and was pulling on his pants. “What?”

“Is Katie in there with you?” He sounded confused.

Booker raised his brows at Katie, as though requesting her permission to tell Delbert what he must already know. She nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “Why?”

“I want to hold the baby again.”

“The baby’s eating right now,” Booker told him. “You can hold him when we come down for breakfast, okay?”

Delbert agreed, but Katie didn’t hear him move away.

“I think he’s still out there,” she whispered.

“Is there something else?” Booker asked.

“Yes…”

“What?”

A long pause, then, “Someone called for you last night.”

Yawning, Booker yanked a T-shirt over his head. “Who?”