they’ll be making deliveries until ten tonight in a four-wheel drive. Right now, you and I will take only the essentials. I stressed to him how important it is that we get our order. He swears he won’t let me down.”
It was no wonder. Dani’s smiling charm would be hard to say no to under any circumstances. She was an appealing mix of girl-next-door and capable confidence. In that moment, Nathaniel realized he relied on her far more than he knew and for a variety of complex reasons he was loathe to analyze.
Clearing his throat, he fished out his wallet and handed the cashier his credit card.
Baby paraphernalia was remarkably expensive. Once the transaction was complete, the clerk gave Dani a large plastic bag. The two women ripped open packages and assembled an only-the-essentials collection that would hopefully suffice for the next few hours until the delivery arrived.
“I think that’s it,” Dani said with satisfaction. “Let’s get this little angel home.”
Unfortunately, their luck ran out. The baby woke up and let the world know she was hungry and pissed. Her screams threatened to peel paint off the walls.
Dani’s smile faltered, but she unfastened the straps of the carrier and lifted the baby out carefully. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know you want your mommy. Nathaniel and I will have to do for the moment. Do you have a wet diaper? Let’s take care of that.”
The clerk pointed out a unisex bathroom at the back of the store, complete with changing station. Nathaniel found himself following in Dani’s wake. The tiny room was little bigger than a closet. They both pressed inside.
For the first time, Dani seemed frazzled. They were so close he could smell the faint, tantalizing scent of her perfume.
“You’ll have to stand in the door and hand me things,” she said. “We can’t both fit in here.”
“Sure,” he said, feeling guilty for not offering to take charge of the diaper change. On the other hand, the baby’s needs should be paramount. God knows Nathaniel was the last person on the planet qualified for the task.
Was it weird that being this close to Dani turned him on? Her warmth, her femininity. Hell, even the competent way she handled the baby made him want her.
That was the problem with blurring the lines between business and his personal life. He couldn’t let himself be vulnerable. On the other hand, he would be lost without Dani’s help, so he didn’t really have a choice.
It was clear Dani hadn’t overstated her experience with children. She extracted the baby from the snowsuit, unfastened the romper and made quick work of replacing the baby’s extremely wet diaper with a clean and dry one. Fortunately, no poop...at least not yet.
Then it was everything in reverse. When they were ready to go back out into the cold, Dani hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Dani grimaced. “I’m wondering if we should try to feed her before we start walking again.”
Nathaniel brushed the back of his hand over the baby’s plump cheek. Her skin was warm against his chilled fingers. “I think she can make it. She’s a trouper.”
“Are you basing this on your personal DNA?” Dani asked wryly.
“I told you, she’s not mine,” he said sharply. “The only reason we’re taking her home is because of the storm and Christmas and the fact that every emergency worker in the city is covered in snow...literally.”
“Okay. Calm down.”
He bit his tongue to keep from making a cutting remark. Dani was helping him. He couldn’t afford to alienate her, and he definitely couldn’t risk wondering what it would be like to kiss her.
Outside, they faced the next hurdle. Three cars had slammed into each other right in front of the drugstore, effectively blocking the only exit from the parking lot.
Nathaniel cursed beneath his breath. “Well, that’s just great.”
“We can’t wait,” Dani said. “Besides, aren’t we close to your condo?”
“I don’t like leaving my car.”
She grinned. “Might be safer here than out on the road.”
He squared his shoulders. “I suppose so. I’d forgotten how insane drivers can be when this happens.”
To be fair, the streets were a mess. Road crews hadn’t been able to salt anything more than the interstates, and the swift drop in temperature had added a layer of icy danger to the situation.
In the short time he and Dani had been inside the store, the situation had grown exponentially worse. People in other parts of the country couldn’t understand, but Atlanta was particularly vulnerable to weather events like this one.
After retrieving their personal items from the car and consolidating their purchases, he and Dani struck out for the final leg of their journey.
They walked in silence, negotiating sidewalks they could no longer see and trying to move as quickly as possible.
Dani had the baby tucked inside her coat for extra warmth, which had to be a damned awkward way to walk. Nathaniel lugged the carrier and the supplies. When he offered to take the child after several minutes, Dani shook her head. “I’m fine.”
It was a miserable, soul-crushing slog through ice and snow. He could barely feel his feet. Dani must have been equally miserable, but she didn’t complain. Thank God they didn’t have far to go.
When they finally arrived at Nathaniel’s building, he had never in his life been so glad to see the doorman or the elaborately decorated lobby.
They dripped their way onto the elevator with Dani juggling an increasingly fractious baby. On the top floor, Nathaniel found his key, unlocked the door and ushered his unexpected guests inside. “Home sweet home,” he said.
* * *
Dani was frozen to the bone. Her feet had long since gone numb. Though her coat and boots were nice, they were never meant to trek through deep snow for any length of time. She had struggled to keep up. Nathaniel, by all indications, was naturally athletic. He probably played multiple sports in high school and college.
They took turns holding the baby while shedding their outerwear. Dani’s chic black dress was damp and rumpled. What she wouldn’t give for a roaring fire and a cozy robe.
At the drugstore she had paid for a handful of personal items just in case. It seemed unlikely she was going to make it home tonight, though she still held out hope. Right now, all she wanted was her own bed, a warm nightie and something fun to binge-watch on Netflix.
Now that she had stripped off her black tights with the silver sparkles and was barelegged, she began to shiver. Nathaniel noticed immediately.
“If you’re going to feed the baby, we’ve got to get you warmed up first. Come with me.”
Clutching the little girl like a life preserver, Dani followed her boss down the hall.
The
