Quade's Babies - Brenda Jackson [24]
Quade inhaled deeply, quickly deciding that if Thorn, of all people, could handle fatherhood, then so could he. There were three newborn Westmorelands who were depending on him and he would not let them down. Whether Cheyenne liked it or not, he intended to be an essential part of his kids’ lives. He decided right then and there that he would be an essential part of Cheyenne’s life, as well.
As if she read his mind, Cheyenne turned and he saw her frown. The frown slowly eased away from her brow, but not before she had scanned the entire length of him with a heated gaze. His body automatically responded and the silence in the room seemed to thicken, lengthen. She may want to deny it, but it was there—that same sexual chemistry, the physical attraction that had held them within its clutches almost a year ago. As far as he was concerned, it was as potent as ever.
Deciding it was time to meet his son, Quade slowly began walking toward her, crossing the room with purposeful steps.
Lifting Troy up toward her shoulders, Cheyenne tried concentrating on the baby and not on Quade. But she couldn’t stop her gaze from devouring him with every step he took toward her.
The man was fine. Every inch—from his muscled shoulders, to his firm stomach, to his tapered hips. And it didn’t take much to make her recall having his oh-so-fine male body on her and inside of her.
And then there were the kisses. Case in point, like the one they had shared earlier. The one she had started, but that she had eventually become victim to. The man had a way with his tongue and could use it to nip, stroke and tease her into submission. It was an instrument of pleasure that delivered every time it entered her mouth.
She released a trembling breath thinking, if she didn’t develop a backbone, she could become putty in his arms. She was almost already there. She hadn’t been firm enough when he had suggested marriage and had even agreed to think about it. What kind of nonsense was that?
When he came to a stop in front of her, he reached out his hands. “May I?” he asked, surprising her by his request. When it came to babies, most men preferred taking the hands-off approach.
“Sure,” she said, and slowly, gently eased her son off her shoulders and into his father’s outstretched hands. She saw Quade’s hands tremble slightly before holding their child in a firm yet gentle grasp. It was at that moment that she saw things clearly. Although he was putting up a brave front she could tell that he was really at a loss as to what to do now that he had the baby in his arms.
Quade nervously glanced up at her. “He’s tiny.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, and just think he’s the biggest of the three. Just wait until you get a chance to hold his sisters.”
She could actually see the blood almost drain from his face and somehow managed to keep from laughing out loud. But not before he met her gaze and saw the amusement lighting her eyes.
“Enjoying yourself at my expense, aren’t you?” he said, before looking down into his son’s face.
Her smile widened. “You did ask to hold him.” And it was then she noticed that Quade seemed to be frozen in place as he stared down at Troy. Following his gaze she saw why. For some reason, Troy was staring back at Quade. Holding his father’s gaze with an intensity that seemed strange even to her.
“Does he stare at everybody like this?” he asked her.
Cheyenne glanced back at Quade. “No,” she said honestly. “And it’s not because you’re the first man he’s seen. My four cousins visit often.” She shrugged. “I guess there’s something about you that fascinates him.”
“You think so?”
“Probably.” Cheyenne decided not to add that something about him had definitely fascinated her when she’d first set eyes on him.