Six
“To harm her?” Marissa asked, chilled by David’s news.
“Probably, otherwise why try to sneak in?”
“Did he get away?”
“Yes. Clint had to see about our mystery Jane Doe and the intruder got a head start on Clint.” David raked his fingers through his hair and frowned while he thought about someone attempting to get to Autumn’s mother.
“That’s dreadful!”
“Someone is after her and now he knows she’s in Royal. He’s getting brazen about going after her. But then, for the money she was carrying, a lot of people would be willing to go to drastic lengths to get the money back.”
“Do the police know?”
“Yes, they’re at the hospital now, but my friend Clint will stay to guard our mystery Jane Doe.” David shifted slightly closer to Marissa. “I’ll need to go to town tomorrow to meet with my friends.”
“David, I’d like to go see this woman and take Autumn.”
“The mother’s in a coma. She’d never know her baby is there,” David pointed out.
“I know she’s unconscious, but maybe deep down in some depths of her mind or heart, having Autumn there might make a difference. Will you ask if we can do this?”
“She has a nurse, Tara Roberts, who’s taken an interest in her. We can ask Tara,” he decided. “But it seems like an exercise in futility.”
“I know Tara,” Marissa stated. “My niece and nephews were born at Royal Memorial, so I’m familiar with some of the people there. Tara’s great, and I’m glad that she’s interested in this Jane Doe. Can you please find out when Tara Roberts is on duty?”
“Jane Doe’s in ICU. She can’t have visitors,” David cautioned.
“She can have family for brief visits,” she told him confidently. “And Autumn is family, more than Tara or your friend Clint who guards her.”
He stared at Marissa while he appeared to mull it over. “It may not work out, but if you want to try, I’ll ask. I’ll go along with you, though.”
“That’s fine. Thanks. I’ll feel better about it if mother and baby are united briefly.”
“You’re hopelessly optimistic,” he said lightly, and she smiled.
“That’s what my sister Greta always says. According to her, I’m the optimist, she’s the pessimist, Karen is the party girl and Dallas is boy-crazy.”
“Do you concur with the analysis?”
“Sort of,” she said, smiling again.
“When I met you in the baby store and introduced myself, you said you knew me through your older sister. You look a lot younger than your sister.”
“I’m twenty-eight. I often went with her to football games and I watched you play ball.”
“And you remembered me from that?” he asked, and she knew her cheeks were hot and she knew he was going to persist with his questions until he found out the answer.
“Yes, David, I remembered you. I thought you were cute. It was a schoolgirl crush. Satisfied? I got over it.”
“I hope not,” he said, leaning forward. “And whatever it is between us, I feel it, too.”
“I suspect what you feel is lust.”
“Damn straight. My pulse is racing right now. How about yours?” He placed his hand against her throat and waited.
She twisted away slightly. “I can’t help it if my body responds to you, but that doesn’t change my mind,” she said, taking his hand and removing it from her throat where he had been checking her pulse. “Now, you scoot back where you were.”
He grinned and scooted away a few inches, increasing the distance between them only slightly. “So tell me more about your life. How come you were working in the baby store?”
“I majored in sociology in college and that’s what my degree is in. I had a job with the clinic, and after doing that for a few years, I knew I didn’t want to do it forever. I have a minor in public relations and I’ve got applications out right now, so the store job is temporary. So where did you go to college?”
David talked about college and life on the ranch, safe topics that didn’t dredge up emotions or bad memories, yet gave her a glimpse of his life. When Autumn began to cry, Marissa brought the baby to the kitchen and she and David took turns caring for her. As Marissa held and rocked her, they talked. Later that night Autumn had a second bottle, but this time when Marissa got Autumn back to sleep, she stood.
“It’s almost two in the morning, David. I’m going to bed.”
“Want me to carry Autumn?” he offered, standing and crossing the room to Marissa.
“No need. She’s a featherweight,” Marissa replied.
“I’ll bring your things, then,” he said, picking up the boxes of gifts he had brought her. As they left the room, he switched off the kitchen light.
“So when will we go to town tomorrow?” she asked.
“My meeting is at ten in the morning. After that, I’ll talk to Clint and Tara about taking Autumn to the hospital. I don’t want you wandering around alone with her. I’d rather drive back here in the afternoon and pick you two up and take you into town then.”
When they reached her bedroom, he followed her inside and placed her presents on the bed. She crossed to him and caught his hand in hers. As his brows arched in surprise, she said, “Come here, David.”
He went with her and she led him into the hall, pausing at the door. “Thanks for the interesting evening and dinner. Good night.”
He looked amused. “You don’t want me in your bedroom?”
“Not yet,” she answered, and his chest expanded as he inhaled a deep breath.
“That wasn’t the answer I expected, since you tricked me to get me out of your room.”
Marissa smiled. “What was it you said? Sneaky and underhanded sometimes gets you what you want, or some such. Good night,” she repeated with emphasis, glancing toward his bedroom.
He braced one hand against the doorjamb, blocking her way. “Just one kiss.”
“You’ve had a kiss, and I have a baby in my arms.”
“Neither matters,” he said, catching her chin in his other hand and leaning down. Before he could touch her lips, Marissa ducked under his arm and stepped quickly into her bedroom.
“See you in the morning.” She closed the door in his face and let out her breath. How she ached for his kisses! Every
