Chapter Eight
Shiloh sat at her desk the following Wednesday, staring at her computer screen. Her mind had only half been on her job since she’d moved in with Drake, even if it was just temporary. At least, she’d told herself it was temporary, but paying four hundred a month for a place where she wasn’t even visiting was a little ridiculous. He’d asked her to stay with him, but if she gave up her place, where would she live after the baby was born? It wasn’t like they were a couple and would be living together indefinitely.
She gathered the files on her desk and put them in the appropriate drawer of the filing cabinet. When she turned back around, she was greeted by the most beautiful bouquet she’d ever seen. There had to be at least two dozen brightly colored blossoms dripping from the crystal vase.
“Are you Shiloh Anderson?” the delivery guy asked.
“Yes.”
“I just need you to sign here,” he said, holding out a clipboard.
She signed her name and handed it back, and then reached for the card nestled in the flowers.
Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman. —Drake
“As if flowers solve everything,” she muttered. She stuck her nose in the blooms and inhaled, admitting they were gorgeous and smelled divine. He’d been doing his best to prove he wasn’t a complete asshole, and she had to admit her resolve was starting to crumble—a little.
Charlie stepped into the room and his eyebrows rose. “Is Sergeant Edwards still trying to win you over?”
“Something like that.” No, it was exactly like that. While she’d enjoyed the expensive dinners and pretty flowers, they weren’t enough to make her commit to a relationship she wasn’t sure would last. Pretty words and fancy things meant he had the means to take care of her and a baby, but she worried in the end her heart would get trampled.
“I’m going to be out of town the next few days, so I wanted to make sure I gave you your check.” He handed it over. “You’ve been working hard lately so I added a little extra. I know you will refuse to accept it, but put it toward stuff for the baby. You can never have too many diapers.”
“Thank you, Charlie.” She slid the check into her purse after a cursory glance. He’d added more than “a little”, but she wasn’t going to point that out.
“I’m going to leave a little early today so I can go home and pack. If you’d like, you can have the rest of the afternoon off. I won’t dock your pay. Just turn on the voicemail service before you leave. When you come in the next two days, you shouldn’t have much to do but answer the phone. If you want to bring a book to read, I’m fine with that.”
“Are you going somewhere fun?” she asked.
“I’ve been promising the wife a tropical vacation. We’re going to Hawaii for four days. We leave first thing in the morning and won’t return until Sunday night, so I may be a little late on Monday.”
Shiloh smiled. “I hope you have a nice time.”
“You have my cell phone if an emergency crops up. My foreman should be able to handle anything on the jobsite, and any new business that comes through can wait until my return. Just explain that I’m out of the office until lunch on Monday. That will give me time to come in and get caught up before the phone starts ringing off the hook.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Now, get your stuff and get the heck out of here.” He smiled. “Time for you to enjoy life a little. I’m sure that Sergeant Edwards wouldn’t mind a little extra time with you. Just remember, make him work for it. Don’t be afraid to be demanding with the man, Shiloh. If you want something, tell him.”
Relationship advice from her boss? Although, the man had been married a long time so he probably knew what he was talking about. She smiled and nodded before setting the voicemail and gathering her things. She headed out to her rust bucket of a car and had to admit that an afternoon off sounded great. Mostly because she’d love to get out of her miserable flats. He’d told her jeans were fine, but she didn’t want to push it by wearing her ratty tennis shoes too. If she had a new pair though … she thought about the check in her purse. Maybe spending a little of the extra on a pair of shoes wouldn’t be such a bad idea. They didn’t have to be expensive, but it had been a long time since she’d bought a brand-new pair. Most of her stuff was secondhand.
She stopped by the bank on her way home and deposited her check, and then drove straight to the apartment. There were several boxes on the steps and Dallas was loading more into the back of his truck. She parked and got out, wondering what was going on. He’d talked about moving in with Rebecca, but she hadn’t realized it was a done deal.
“Moving day?” she asked.
Dallas grinned as he glanced her way. “Yeah. It was supposed to be a surprise when you got home tonight, but it seems you’re early. Drake wanted to take you baby-furniture shopping and turn my room into a nursery. He’s already in there painting it yellow like the one at your place. Don’t worry, he left the windows open so the fumes wouldn’t bother you.”
“But I have a bed and changing table.”
Dallas gave her a pointed look.
“And he wants brand-new stuff, doesn’t he?” She sighed. “I guess if he wants to spend his money on something we don’t have to have then that’s up to him.”
“You realize you just said ‘we’? You thinking about his offer of moving into the apartment permanently?”
“I don’t know. If I’m going to be here for the duration of my pregnancy, it doesn’t make much sense to keep paying for the trailer. Storing my furniture somewhere would be cheaper. And then after the baby comes I can look for a new place. Maybe I can save some money between now and then and get a nicer place.”
“Or maybe you use that money for a better car,” a voice said behind her.
She turned to look at Drake, biting her lip so she wouldn’t laugh at the smears of yellow paint on his face and bare chest. “You know, you’re supposed to paint the wall, not yourself.”
“I’m multi-talented and can do both at the same time.”
Dallas snorted. “Did you get it on the floor too?”
“About that… I was thinking now would be an excellent time to put in wood floors, or at least that laminate stuff. It’s easier to clean with a baby on the way, and it won’t stain like carpet. I could do one room at a time during the days Shiloh is at work, or maybe on the weekends she could hang out with Rebecca while I do another room.” He grinned. “And the carpet in the nursery is now specked with yellow and has one long smear along one wall.”
Dallas rolled his eyes.
“Or I could stay at my trailer while you do that,” she said.
Both men scowled at her.
“Or not.” She sighed. “If you’re redoing the floors in the bathroom and kitchen too, we might have to stay elsewhere while you finish your project. You’ll have to pull the appliances out of the kitchen.”
“She has a point,” Dallas said. “I’ll be the first to admit the apartment needs an overhaul, and if you’re going to be painting, she doesn’t need to be around the fumes. I say y’all pack some bags and get a suite at the Magnolia Lodge.”
“Cheaper is fine,” Shiloh said, knowing full well a suite at that place would cost almost two hundred a night. No sense spending that kind of money if they didn’t have to.
“I’ve never before met a woman who didn’t like to spend money,” Drake said. “Not to worry, sweetheart. I get a family discount and we can more than afford to stay there. I didn’t really touch my money during my deployments so all that combat pay has been stacking up in the bank.”
“Doesn’t mean you have to blow it on a fancy hotel room.” Shiloh placed her hands on her hips. “I will be perfectly fine sleeping in a Sleepy Daze Motel room. Or is that not ritzy enough for you?”
Drake rolled his eyes. “Fine, Scrooge, we’ll get a room at the Sleepy Daze Motel. I don’t think it will take more than week to renovate this place.”
“Why don’t you repaint the whole place?” Dallas asked. “You could let Shiloh pick the colors. I’m sure she has better taste than you.”
Drake groaned. “Thanks, bro. Any other work you want me to do?”
“Not like you’re doing anything while she’s at work anyway. When are you going to stop being a bum and get a job?”
“Thought I had one at the bar.”
“Nope, I’m full up. You’ll still get your cut as part owner, but you need something to do to keep you occupied. Get this renovation out of the way and then seriously look for something to do. You won’t be able to live off your savings and the pittance from the bar forever. Especially with a baby on the way.”
“I’ll make some calls in a week or two. I think I’ve earned a little downtime. Besides, the lung isn’t completely healed yet.”
“Should you be breathing in paint fumes?” Shiloh asked. “That can’t be good for you.”
“She has a point. Why don’t you hire a contractor? Hell, have him do the entire renovation. It will give you more time to focus on Shiloh.”
She cast a glare at Dallas. She had more than enough of Drake’s attention as it was. The last thing she needed was him being more focused on her.
“Speaking of being focused on me…” She turned to face Drake. “Thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful. I decided to leave them at the office until I come home Friday so I can enjoy them while I’m there.”
He grinned like he’d just won the lotto and smoothed a hand down his abs. Hardly fair, since it just drew her attention to his incredible body. He wasn’t shy about flaunting it, and had even “accidentally” forgotten his clean clothes while showering so he could parade around the apartment in a towel—which had also “accidentally” slipped a time or two. He was shameless, and she had to admit she loved every moment of it. Except for the part where it left her horny and she was determined not to act on her growing desire for the hunky Sergeant.
“I’ll just throw on a shirt and pack a bag for us. We can go to the motel tonight and I’ll come back tomorrow for more of our things. Anything in particular you want for work tomorrow?” he asked.
“No. Jeans and a nice shirt will be fine.” Her cheeks flushed as she thought about him handling her undergarments. Not because she didn’t want his hands on them, but because they were a little on the threadbare side. Some of her panties even had holes in them. Her wardrobe needed an overhaul in the worst way.
Drake took off up the stairs while Dallas finished loading his truck. The heat made sweat bead on her lip and her hair stick to her neck. By the time Drake made another appearance, she thought she might melt into the parking lot. He tossed a large bag into the back of his truck and motioned for her to get in.
“I need my car,” she said.
“No, you don’t. I’ll take you to work and pick you up. Maybe by the time the week is over, I’ll convince you to give that rusted heap a proper burial in the junkyard. I’m not sure they’ll even accept it as scrap.”
“Picking on my car is not winning you any points with me.”
His eyebrows went up and he pointed at her car. “That is not a car. It’s a death trap.”
“He has a point,” Dallas said. “You should make Mr. Moneybags over there buy you a new one.”
“He’s not buying me a car.”
“Fine,” Dallas said. “He can buy the baby a car and you’ll just have to drive it for the next eighteen years.”
“Not helping,” she sang out.
“Get in the truck, Shiloh,” Drake said. “We can argue about your sorry excuse for a car later. Right now, I want a shower and some air conditioning. I don’t want to discuss much of anything until then, and I know you have to be miserable in this heat.”
He had her there. With a sigh, she got in his truck and slammed the door, giving him a mutinous look as she buckled her seatbelt. Drake just shook his head and pulled out of the parking lot. The Sleepy Daze Motel was on the other side of town. Not in a horrible area, but certainly not the upscale part of town either. It looked respectable enough when they pulled into the parking lot. She followed Drake inside and checked out the lobby. The furniture was worn but clean, and everything smelled springtime fresh. An older lady was working the counter and smiled broadly at them.
“Welcome to the Sleepy Daze Motel. How long will you be staying with us?”
“About a week,” Drake said. “We’re doing renovations on our apartment so I’m not sure of the exact checkout date.”
“We have plenty of room for the next few weeks so that won’t be a problem at all. All of our rooms come with a king-size bed and are equipped with a microwave, coffeepot, and small fridge. There should be a few bags of complimentary coffee in your room, enough to make one pot per bag. If you run out, just let me know and I’ll get some more for you.”
King-size bed. As in one bed in the room? Shiloh nearly groaned. She’d been sharing a bed with Drake for nearly a week, but she’d hoped to put things back on even footing by having her own bed. Maybe she should have let him splurge on the more expensive place after all. Being spooned by him every night, those strong arms wrapped around her, was hell on her resolve. She wanted him, but she didn’t want to want him.
The woman got Drake’s information and credit card and then handed him a keycard, and another for Shiloh. He ushered her back outside and they got back in the truck and pulled around to their room, parking right outside the door. Drake retrieved the bag out of the back of the truck and unlocked the motel room door. The inside wasn’t as bad as Shiloh had thought it would be. Anything was an improvement over her trailer, but she’d been a little worried that Drake would take one look at the place and bolt.
“See, not so bad,” she said as she smoothed a hand over the blue comforter.
The walls were a taupe color and the carpet on the floor looked almost new. There was a table with two chairs and an armchair in the large room. It was far more spacious than she’d thought it would be. Overall, it was a typical motel room, just a lot cleaner and nicer than what she’d anticipated from a place called Sleepy Daze.
“Honey, I’ve slept in sand in the middle of the desert. I wasn’t getting a room at the Magnolia for me. I was getting it for you.”
She had to admit she melted a little. He was always thinking about her. Part of her wanted to rage at him to stop being so damn nice to her all the time, and the other part … the other part liked that a guy was trying to treat her right. It was just so damn hard to let him do everything for her when she’d had to stand on her own two feet for so long. Even when she’d been with her ex, she’d had to fight for everything she had. Life had been hard for Shiloh, and she was worried that if she gave in and Drake got what he wanted, that she’d get used to having an easier life and one day she’d wake up and it would all be gone.
Drake tossed their bag on the dresser and pulled out some clean clothes. With a wink, he disappeared into the bathroom. She heard the shower turn on and rolled her eyes when she saw the bathroom door standing wide open. Did he think she was going to strip down and join him or something? She wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or be mad at him. Laughter won out when he started singing White Town’s “Your Woman” at the top of his lungs. For a soldier and cowboy, the man sure did love his nineties music.
While Drake cleaned up, she propped herself up in bed and turned on the TV. No Netflix, no Blu-ray player. But they did have some movie channels. It wasn’t like she spent a huge amount of time watching TV, but it was nice to know she had options. Oh hell. He probably didn’t pack any of her books and she was going to need at least two for tomorrow. She thought about that extra money she’d put in the bank and wondered if Drake would take her shopping. If they went to the big box store, she could get a new pair of shoes and a few books. The rest of the extra money could go toward things for the baby, but she didn’t think she’d make it much longer with her uncomfortable flats.
Drake came out a short while later, toweling his hair dry. She wasn’t sure if she was relieved he had already dressed, or disappointed. He seemed to read her thoughts and grinned like an idiot before tossing the towel back into the bathroom.
“So, what should we do with your free afternoon?” he asked.
“I need to do a little shopping.”
“Like mall shopping or around town shopping?”
“Like Wally World shopping.”
“Not that I have anything against that store, but what if we drove over to Buffalo Gap and hit the Target over there? They carry maternity clothes, and you’ll need some before too long. Might as well have a few things ready.”
He made a good point, even if that store was a little more expensive. Maybe she’d get lucky and she’d find some shoes on clearance while she was there. She nodded and got off the bed, rubbing her aching lower back. Her belly wasn’t big enough yet for the pregnancy to be causing her aches and pains, but poor footwear was a definite possibility.
Shiloh knew there was no point in arguing with Drake, so they went to Buffalo Gap. The first stop in the store was to get a package of socks and then on to the shoe department. They had several pairs of tennis shoes on clearance and a few sandals. Drake talked her into getting one of each, then he tossed a pair of bedazzled house slippers into the cart. She started to point out that she didn’t need them in the summer, but his look quelled her argument. At the rate they were going, she would blow through her extra cash and everything would be for her.
He led her over to the maternity department and helped her pick out a few outfits. When she tried them on, she had to admit they were far more comfortable than her regular jeans, and it made her realize her baby belly was showing more than she’d thought. Once he knew her size, Drake threw several pair of maternity jeans into the cart along with a handful of shirts. She was about to stop him from adding anything else when he tossed in three pairs of shorts. As much as she wanted to keep her costs down, she agreed that shorts were reasonable with their scorching hot summer.
“Drake, I can’t afford all this,” she said as he threw in a swimsuit that she was certain she would never wear. “I only needed one pair of shoes and maybe a few books.”
“We’re getting everything you need, and if you think I’m letting you pay for this, you’re crazy. Just because you’re too stubborn to agree you’re mine doesn’t mean I can’t take care of you.” He placed a hand over her bump. “That’s my baby incubating in there. You’re going to be miserable enough being pregnant in this Texas heat, the least I can do is try to make you more comfortable.”
“Drake, you aren’t responsible for me. I understand if you want to help with the baby, but this is going overboard.”
“Do you know what I hear every time you argue with me?”
“I’m scared to ask,” she muttered.
“I hear ‘kiss me, Drake’.”
Shiloh rolled her eyes and followed him as he went over to the intimates area. She stared at him as he pawed through bras and panties, adding more stuff to the cart. At this rate, he was going to give her an entire new wardrobe from the skin out, which was beyond ridiculous. She didn’t have a clue what his checking account looked like, but this was certainly going to put a dent in it. She bit down on her tongue to keep from saying anything as he moved along to another department. When they finally checked out up front, the total came to a staggering five hundred dollars and change.
“Drake, you can’t…”
“Shush, woman. I’m taking care of you and that’s final.”
“But, Drake, this stuff is crazy expensive.”
He dug through his wallet and handed her a bank receipt. The fact he’d pulled out several hundred dollars would have been shocking enough, but the balance showing at the bottom nearly dropped her to her knees. How in the hell had he managed to save over one-hundred grand on a soldier’s pay? Shiloh had never seen so much money before and felt a little faint.
Drake took the slip back from her and finished paying for their purchases. He pushed the overflowing cart out to his truck and Shiloh helped him load everything into the backseat. While he put the cart up, she got in the truck and buckled. She’d known he had more money than her, but knowing he could give her a baby a life she’d never dreamed of…she didn’t know what to do with that information. Ever since he’d come back it had been her intention to make sure he saw the baby as much as he wanted, but would he settle for that?
Thinking of her rusty trailer and the old baby bed and changing table nearly made her cry. Having learned more about Drake Edwards over the last week, she knew there was no way he’d let her raise a baby in a place like that. And if she wanted to fight him for custody, he’d be able to hire a good lawyer while she’d have to find someone who would work pro bono. She didn’t have a prayer of hanging onto the little life growing inside of her, not if Drake decided he wanted full custody.
“You look a little green,” he said as he got into the truck. “Do you need something to eat or drink?”
“I’m fine.”
But she wasn’t. Worry ate at her on the way back to the motel. Drake had told her several times he wanted her to move in with him permanently, and she knew it was because of the baby, but she was starting to question if maybe he was right. If she did move in with him on a permanent basis, then they would both get to see the baby every day. But could she live with a man who didn’t love her?
Drake insisted she go into their room and lie down while he unloaded everything. Kicking off her shoes, she stretched out on the bed and sighed in relief. When the last of the bags were brought in, he shut the door and flipped the chain across the top. Drake pulled off his boots and lay down next to her, turning on his side so he could look at her. With a gentle touch, he reached out and brushed her hair away from her face.
“Need a nap before we discuss dinner?” he asked.
“I’m always hungry, but sleep sounds really good right now. Shopping was exhausting.” She bit her lip. “Thank you for all of my things.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled a little. “I like it when you let me take care of you. And before you puff up and tell me that you can do everything on your own, I’m well aware that you’re capable of taking care of yourself. I admire everything you’ve done since being dumped at the bar, but letting someone help you doesn’t mean you’re weak.”
“I’m not used to relying on other people. Even when I was with my ex, I was still responsible for my own stuff. We didn’t have a joint account or anything, and we split all the bills, except for things that we didn’t share. Like his Xbox Live account. He paid for that, and I paid for my bookstore discount membership.”
His lips twitched as he fought not to smile bigger. “You really love books, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“How many do you read in a week?”
“I don’t know. It depends on the week, but maybe ten or so? I don’t really keep track. I get most of my books secondhand or at library sales. The Gulch Springs Public Library had a sale last month and I was able to buy an entire sack of books for five dollars. I went through them pretty quick though.”
“So, the handful we picked up today will only get you through to the weekend?”
“Maybe through Saturday.”
“Do you only read romances?” he asked.
“I prefer them, but I’ve been known to pick up a mystery here and there. I really love the ghost hunting mystery books. And I’ve been known to read some of the young adult books too. I devoured Twilight when it came out.”
“The one with the sparkly vampires?”
“Why do you make it sound dumb? Edward was hot.”
He laughed and shook his head.
“So, what do you read?” she asked.
“I like westerns. Don’t get me wrong, I like other books too, but that’s the genre I keep going back to.”
Her brow furrowed. “You mean like that show Longmire?”
“Exactly like that.”
“I guess I can see the appeal.”
Drake reached and traced the line of her nose before leaning over and lightly brushing his lips against hers. It was the first time he’d tried to kiss her since coming back home and it startled her. She looked up at him with wide eyes, but when he leaned down a second time, she didn’t stop him. His lips were warm against hers. His kiss was gentle and tentative, as if he was afraid she’d pull away at any moment.
He stared into her eyes and caressed her cheek with his thumb. “I know you think I’m only paying attention to you because of the baby, and I admit it started out that way, but I genuinely like you, Shiloh. I’d really like it if you’d give us a chance. I’m not perfect, and I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I’d be good to you.”
“You already are.”
“So, will you? Give us a chance? I’m not asking you to walk down the aisle with me, and even if we start dating, it doesn’t mean I expect you to wear my ring at some point. If you just want to live together, I’m okay with that.”
“You’d be okay with us cohabitating without a legal commitment? You won’t try to claim we’re married by Common Law?”
He smiled. “You have my word. And in Texas, you’d have to agree to marry me and tell people you’re my wife in order for Common Law to apply. It’s not as simple as just living together. If all you want is a boyfriend, then I promise to be the best boyfriend you ever had.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I ask. Get some sleep, Shiloh. We’ll grab dinner when you wake up.”
He kissed her softly again, and then turned onto his back and turned the TV on low. He’d given her a lot to think about, but she had to admit his proposal was intriguing.
Damn the man. Could he have possibly been more perfect?