CHAPTER 3
Confusion consumed Logan’s expression as he looked around, holstering his weapon.
“Uh, this isn’t what I thought I was being called for. I don’t do…diapers, man,” Logan said, scanning the messy room with a hint of fear in his eyes.
“False alarm – I forgot to call you off. Sorry about that, but thanks for coming in such a hurry. Hope it isn’t too late to get back to whatever we
,” he grumbled, tossing an annoyed look at Jessie, “interrupted.”
Logan smiled. “Carly said she would wait for me.”
Carly Lewis was new to McKenzie Ridge, having moved to town only a year prior for a nursing job at McKenzie General Hospital. It didn’t take long for her to make friends with the McKenzie gang since their professional paths crossed often. Both Carly and Logan had moved to town around the same time and were enjoying not only their new surroundings and friends but also each other’s company. They had quickly become inseparable, only parting ways when each was working.
Logan’s love-struck look quickly merged to one of shock when he zeroed in on what Blake was holding – it wasn’t the toddler he was pointing at when he asked, “Is that a…”
Before he could get out another word, Blake cut him off, irritation evident in his tone, “It’s exactly what you think it is – have a good night, Logan.”
Jessie broke out into laughter once again, enjoying the discomfort the evening’s antics brought to Blake. Batting her eye lashes a little more than usual, in a sugary flirtatious tone she knew would get Blake’s attention, she said, “Later, Traynor. It was really
good to see you.”
She knew she succeeded in pissing him off with a little jealousy when he turned a scowl to her and said, “You get those two in bed, and I’ll toss this one in the bath real quick. After playing with a…gun
, hand washing doesn’t seem…sufficient.”
“You mean sword
?” she snickered.
When the kids protested the idea of bedtime, Blake started negotiations. “If you behave and go to bed, I’ll take you for a ride in the horse buggy out at Morgan’s ranch this weekend.”
A master negotiator, it seemed – the kids quickly complied. Jessie was impressed – why did this come so easy to him? Apparently, there wasn’t anything Blake wasn’t good at.
Blake quickly bathed Gavin and put him to bed before heading outside to bring his car up to the house and get his dog. Baby, his pint-sized companion, went everywhere with Blake because she suffered from severe separation anxiety. After caring for Lou Shaw’s dachshund while she was battling a major health scare the previous fall, Blake had a hard time parting with it. He had bonded with the dog.
Colton Sparks was known for his brood of special needs pets and always seemed to have a quirky rescue needing a home. He thought Baby and Blake would make a nice team. Baby needed discipline, and Blake needed a companion. What Blake ended up with was a neurotic pooch that lost its shit and destroyed everything around it if Blake was out of earshot or sight.
Fortunately, he found his vehicle intact. The thirty or more minutes Baby had been left unattended didn’t cost him a torn-up truck. This time.
With his handful of dog under his arm, he entered the house and was pleasantly surprised to see that Jessie had already done a great deal of cleanup. He was also surprised to find her snuggling a rosy cheeked toddler, Olivia. What surprised him more – how quickly she brought the room to some form of order or that she was being sweet and nurturing – he wasn’t sure. Either way, this was a good look on her.
“This one won’t sleep and feels a little warm. I think she’s about to gnaw that finger off.”
When Olivia turned to see who Jessie was talking to, she sat up and reached for Blake with her chubby little hands.
“Traitor – now I have to clean.” She peppered a handful of soft kisses on the tot’s head before handing her over to Blake.
Jessie was good with the kids, usually because she acted like them, but affection wasn’t her thing where anyone else was concerned. It took Blake by surprise, once again, when she showed affection and hinted that she may have a soft side.
With his mouth to little Olivia’s forehead, he confirmed her suspicion, “She has a fever. I’m guessing molars – she’s teething.”
He plopped on the couch with a Baby
in each arm, settling in for the evening.
“Why do you take that dog everywhere. Isn’t it embarrassing?” she asked, caught in a stare down with the dog.
“You know why. She needs me.”
“Want to borrow a purse?” she asked.
Confused, he asked, “A purse?”
“For your dog…isn’t that what all the ladies are doing?”
“You’re an asshole…”
She smiled as she walked away. “Uh oh, Uncle Blake owes more money to the swear jar.”
“You’re really good at that. I don’t get why the kids like you so much,” she said, nodding her head at the toddler snuggled into his neck.
“It’s because they know I won’t let them climb in a drier.”
“How was I supposed…forget it. You play manny,
and I’ll clean-up.”
Jessie did her best to ignore Blake while she went to work, cleaning up after the fun the kids had earlier. Every time she walked by, however, she couldn’t help but swoon, even just a little, over the sight of Blake snuggling a tiny tot and pup. It made her a little more than crazy that he could stir butterfly like flutters low in her belly with just a look.
He was the epitome of an alpha man’s man, who screamed testosterone driven machismo with his every move and every word. Built was an understatement – his muscles had muscles that were clearly defined through his standard black t-shirt and ass hugging jeans. Though nobody really knew his entire story, they did
know that he had an extensive military background full of covert ops, undercover, badass, American hero activity.
She would be lying if she denied his dark, secret past wasn’t a turn on. He was hands down hot – he was also a pain in the ass. Sure, Jessie was known to give him shit – a lot
of shit – but that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate his chiseled features and crave-worthy physique. Add a baby and tiny dog to the mix, and you have a whole lot of sexy. She’d never tell him, though; she’d take that to the grave.
It was late in the evening when Jessie finally finished straightening things up and restoring order in the house. Blake and Olivia had dozed off…Baby, too. She felt Olivia’s head, happy to discover her fever had gone down, and her rosy cheeks were no more. Before sitting down next to her little clan, she pulled a blanket over them and put her feet up, then she, too, gave in to sleep.
Waking up in unfamiliar surroundings was one thing, but waking to the flash of a cell phone camera or two, accompanied by snickers, could only mean one thing. Blackmail. Having realized she fell asleep wasn’t as big of a deal as realizing that it wasn’t a pillow, she was resting her head on, but Blake’s shoulder. Add to that the fact that his arm was around her shoulders, and her arm stretched across his abdomen in a comfy embrace with the toddler and dog still snuggled in, and they provided a nice little show. A picture worthy show, apparently.
Jessie and Blake were known for their love-hate relationship – they loved
to hate
each other. Their angsty banter, and attempt at mutual loathing, wasn’t something that anyone who knew them – with the exception of the two of them – bought. Their family of friends knew that they were quite fond of each other, just living in denial, even meant
for each other.
“Well, didn’t expect to see you here, Blake,” Sam Tayler teased with camera aimed and one hand resting on her very pregnant belly.
“I had to rescue Jessie; she was handcuffed
to your lamp over there,” he replied with a raised eyebrow, waiting for the punchline to settle in.
“I was wondering how Jessie would fair, having all three at once,” Megan Sparks chimed in, rubbing her equally swollen pregnant belly. “Wait, did you say, hand…cuffs?”
“Well, Lamaze went great. Thanks for watching the kids. Have a good night,” Sam said, wide-eyed as crimson red crept up her cheeks.
Two could play at the blackmail game, Jessie thought. “Yep…cheetah handcuffs. They’re over there on the counter. The kids found them
.”
“Oh…f-found…th-them?” Sam stuttered, obviously worried them
implied that the children had found more than handcuffs, and Jessie was happy to address the concern
. Because she was an asshole.
In true Jessie fashion, she smiled and winked before eliminating any memory they had of walking in on her sleep-snuggling with Blake. “Yep! The pink vibrator too. The one with the little tickler thing on the…”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know what you’re, uh, talking about.” Sam looked at the handcuffs once more, appearing to search for said pink object, too.
“It’s in the trash,” Blake deadpanned.
Sam gasped, “The trash? Why is it in the trash?”
“Because your son was shooting people with it.” As much as Jessie didn’t like to side with Blake, this was too good to let him have on his own – Sam’s kids put Jessie to the test – it was well deserved, if you asked Jessie.
“And hitting them with it,” Blake added. “Feel free to dig it out of there.”
“If I were you, I’d be more inclined to make your man put out; that thing’s what broken marriages are made of,” Jessie teased.
Colton reached for his sleeping daughter while Meg’s belly bounced in fits of laughter.
“Jessie, please. I know you have one too. We were together when we bought them,” Sam admitted, suddenly defensive. “Besides, Dawson works a lot and…I’m pregnant…and, and…hormones…and…”
“Holy shit, are you going to cry? Dawson, go get her toy out of the trash, will ya?” Jessie asked, suddenly feeling bad.
Dawson put his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Nah, she does this a lot. It’ll pass. It’s the pregnancy hormone thing.”
“Yeah,” Sam choked, twirling her finger in a crazy motion near her temple. “Hormones…crazy…”
Blake turned to Colton. “I think Livie’s teething, fever broke, but her finger is a little swollen from chewing on it. I got her to sleep, though.”
“Awe, you certainly have a way with the little ones. They’ll do anything for you,” Meg said, sweeping wispy hairs off her daughter’s forehead, confirming her fever had passed.
“Just like the rest of the women in this town,” Jessie added, grabbing her things.
Blake turned to her with a go to hell
look. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means you do your I’m stone cold Blake Cooper with no personality
but have good hair-look at my big boy muscles
bit, and women faint everywhere,” Jessie accused.
“Big boy muscles? I suppose I do have great hair.”
Jessie rolled her eyes, letting out an audible guffaw, and said, “I’m out of here. The kids were good until they weren’t. I’m busy the next three times you need a sitter, okay? Then, I’ll think about it.”
She kissed Olivia’s head once again and headed for the door. “Don’t forget your dog.”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” he said, scooping up his dog, following her to the door. “I’ll follow you home – make sure you get there.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. If you haven’t had your fill – kids are that way,” she said, tossing her thumb over her shoulder, inside the house. More snickers could be heard from inside as the door closed behind them.
“I’m not babysitting – it’s just good manners.”
“Nothing happens here – it’s McKenzie,” she said. “Besides, how do you know I’m not headed to the Pump House for some drinks?”
“Actually, we had trouble here, twice, back to back, not six months ago. Trouble can happen anywhere. And you work tomorrow; I know you aren’t drinking tonight.”
“I don’t need you watching over me anymore. It’s getting a little creepy.”
The previous fall he had watched over her when a threat had come to town for someone else, but since she was connected, it warranted a bodyguard of sorts. Or, at least, that’s how Blake sold it.
“You called me for help tonight, remember? Was there a reason
for that?” he asked, knowing full well there was a reason that she didn’t know he
knew.
“That…that was different. Everyone else was at Lamaze – you were all that was left.”
He smiled; she was deflecting as expected. “Lou…Lou was at Lamaze? That’s got to be some sort of record. She’s gotta be at least seventy years old now. I’ll have to remember to send flowers tomorrow.”
“Point taken,” she said, climbing into her car. “Don’t follow me, Blake.”
She slammed her car door and sped off.
Blake was quick to catch up and follow her home. He couldn’t help but fume over her stubbornness. What did it hurt if he wanted to see her home – most people would be grateful. Not Jessie. She was frustrating – went out of her way to inconvenience people and be a royal pain in the ass.
He suspected that she was just antagonizing him, trying to act tougher than she felt, but getting her to admit it would never happen. She carried the weight of the world on her shoulders with a terrifying past, and that past just got a whole lot heavier. Sure, he said it was just good manners
, seeing that she got home okay, but he needed to be certain it really was safe. It was only a matter of time before it wouldn’t be.