CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ryan~
Now how was he supposed to sleep on a pillow that smelled like Claudia? He was rampant. Restless. He wanted to howl at the moon, and get her spread-eagled beneath him. But even if he hadn’t promised she could set the pace, it was too soon. He just hadn’t expected that he would desire his make-believe wife so fast and so hard.
He punched the pillow trying to get comfortable. His blow released another cloud of her fragrance. His erection tried to climb out of his shorts. Great. He needed his sleep, but sleep would be a long time coming. He folded his arms behind his head and began to plan his courtship.
During the summer, most evenings you could take a dinner cruise around the islands. But with the winter gales already starting, that was probably not going to happen. The best restaurant on the island was attached to the Tidewater Inn. He could definitely take Claudia there. If they could find a sitter for Jimmy.
After the fast one she had pulled on his family, it went against the grain to give Robin Fairchild his business. Except, there was fatherless Jimmy and abandoned Claudia, so perhaps Robin had some justification. He certainly had his work cut out to get Claudia’s parents to accept him as a fond father and proud husband after the way he was supposed to have behaved.
He hoped he never figured out which of his cousins had forsaken Claudia and her son. He could expect Claudia’s family’s anger to match his own. It was a skanky way for any guy to behave, let alone a mountain lion. Not to mention that Claudia was one hot little mama. How could any lion walk away from her? Of course her seducer had already been married, so he should have made the effort– before he misled her.
Jimmy was the key to winning over the Petersons. Fortunately, it would be no hardship to spend time with the kid. He was a dear little rascal. Smart as a whip and twice as cunning. If Ryan didn’t watch out, that cub was going to run rings around him and play him off against Claudia in the bargain. While walking on his hands and giggling.
Could they take off to Vancouver for the weekend? Lots of pretty spots in Vancouver. Jimmy would enjoy the aquarium. Claudia would enjoy the shops and the fine dining. And if they took a boat all the way, they would have lots of time to talk. Of course, if they were to stage a wedding by next weekend, there would be no trips anywhere.
He had to figure out a way to make this unromantic charade into a romantic interlude. Telling a woman that you wanted to have sex with her so you could get her pregnant was not romantic. Even a dumb Marine like him knew that. On the other hand, he couldn’t have gone into this relationship with any kind of dishonesty between them. Not after the way she had been treated by a Rutherford.
Between one thought and the next, he fell asleep. He woke because the cub was using his stomach as a trampoline.
He hoisted the boy into the air. Jimmy greeted this with a chortle and a gleeful yell. “You gots hair under your arms,” he cried.
“I do,” Ryan replied. “Men do.”
“When I grows up, I don’t want hair there,” objected Jimmy.
This was unanswerable. “Hmm.”
Claudia came into the room. “Did he wake you up?” she asked apologetically. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. Her hair was freshly washed and tucked behind her ears.
“Doesn’t matter.” But his calm answer didn’t make her look less anxious. How many mornings had this boy woken her? Yet here she was worrying that Ryan had been disturbed once. Too danged sweet for her own good.
“I told you to let Daddy sleep,” she said softly.
Ah. That was it. Having given an order, she was now faced with a mutiny it did not suit her to put down. Ryan agreed. It was too damned early for disciplining cubs. Nevertheless he returned Jimmy to the ground. “You disobeyed Mommy.”
“But I needed you,” protested the cub. His lower lip protruded.
“Not enough to disobey Mommy.” Ryan met Claudia’s startled eyes. “How do you plan to deal with this naughty fellow?”
“He has to sit in the naughty spot for three minutes.”
Ryan figured that area was probably worn thin. “Where is it?” he asked Jimmy.
Jimmy pouted harder. He pointed to a small green chair just outside the kitchen.
“Three minutes, son.” Ryan slipped his watch on. “Let’s go.” He swung out of bed.
Claudia backed away. “I have to make breakfast,” she blurted, beating a retreat.
Ryan glanced down at his naked chest and the tented shorts that were his sole concession to modesty. No wonder he had embarrassed Claudia.
“You gots hair on your chest too,” accused Jimmy.
“Naughty spot.” Ryan said. He had a feeling that if he responded to Jimmy’s comment they would be all day getting through those three minutes. “You sit without speaking and spend your three minutes thinking about why we obey Mommy.”
As it was, when Claudia came over and asked Jimmy if he was sorry, Ryan was by no means sure that any thinking had been accomplished by the squirmy child. But the boy threw his arms around his mother’s neck and told her he would be good and do as he was told.
“Okay.” Claudia hugged him. “Breakfast time, buddy.”
“Daddy gots no clothes on.”
“Daddy will be dressed and at the table in five minutes,” Ryan promised. He grabbed his duffel and headed for the shower.
It took six, because his leg had to be babied this early in the day. It had stiffened up overnight. His eggs and toast were cooling on his plate next to a mug of black coffee. Claudia and Jimmy were already eating.
“Thank you,” he said as he sat down. “It’s nice to have breakfast waiting for me.”
She nodded. Jimmy waved a greeting with his spoon. Ryan pretended not to see. It was still too danged early in the day to have to be bringing up a shifter cub. Claudia also looked the other way.
“What are your plans for today?” he asked her.
“Jimmy and I usually go grocery shopping first thing. Then we go down to the harbor or to visit Grammy and Grandpa in the afternoon.”
Jimmy cheered and shouted something that could have been “Grammy.”
Claudia sighed. “Remember Grammy and Grandpa are visiting Aunt Madeline. They won’t be back until Sunday afternoon.”
Jimmy spluttered.
“Easy champ,” Ryan cautioned. “Swallow before you speak. Do you like grocery shopping?” he asked Claudia.
She rolled her eyes. “Highlight of my week.”
“Suppose Jimmy and I take care of it for you, what would you do instead?”
She shrugged. “Clean the house, run some laundry.”
“Important tasks,” he agreed, although he had hoped she would make time for herself. “I thought that we could check out my parents’ cottage later, maybe throw some steaks on their grill for lunch. How does that sound?”
“Will they be there?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I’m going to show you their place in hopes you’ll agree to leave this atmospheric joint for the comforts of six bedrooms and a sofa that doesn’t sag in the middle.”
“Did you sleep badly?” she asked.
Ryan ignored her question, because how could he explain that her scent had kept him too aroused for deep sleep, even if his thigh would have permitted it. “Finish your breakfast, son,” he said instead. He forked up the last of his toast and eggs and picked up his empty mug. “Is there another cup in the carafe?” he asked.
“Sorry, I didn’t think,” Claudia said. “It’s empty.”
“Hey. No problem. I am capable of making another pot of coffee.”
“I’m finished,” piped up Jimmy. “Thank you, Mommy, for making breakfast.” He paused and looked between them. “Daddy didn’t say thank you,” he said righteously.
“You’ll get used to it,” Claudia said.
Ryan winked at her. “Thank you, Claudia, for making a delicious breakfast. You go brush your teeth, Jimbo, while Mommy and I clear the table.”
“Jimbo.” Jimmy laughed delightedly. He ran off to the bathroom chuckling and repeating, “Jimbo,” at intervals.
“I know this place is a dump, but it’s home,” she said defensively.
“Sure. And if after you see my folks’ spread you want to stay here, I’ll suck it up. Promise.”
“Okay. But you can’t take Jimmy to the store without a car seat,” she said.
“I’ll order one today.” He whipped out his cell and jotted it down. “Do you have a grocery list?”
“I do. Do you want to take my car?”
“Nope. I’m going to scan your list and get Sandy Mulcaster to pick up the groceries and deliver them to my parents’ place.”
“Must be nice.”
“To have other people do the boring stuff? Sure. Sometimes.” He began to clear the table.
Claudia stood up too. “Won’t Sandy think it’s weird that you want mac and cheese and Cheerios?”
“Nah. She’ll assume I’m stocking up because Mom is coming up with some of her grandkids.” He filled the coffee maker. “You want another cup too?”
“No, thank you. What grandkids?”
“My mom and dad have twelve grandchildren. Mom is what you might call an involved grandmother.” Which was an understatement. Susan Rutherford adored being a grandmother.
“Oh.”
“I promised you a clan. A clan is what you get. Jimmy is going to have a Nana and a Poppy as well as twelve cousins.”