He'd nearly slammed the screen door before he saw Aubrey curled up on
the couch. The scowl didn't have a chance. He eased the door shut and
walked quietly over to her. Her hand was bunched into a fist on the
cushion. Unable to resist, he took it gently and marveled at those tiny,
perfect fingers. She had a bow around one of her curls, a little ribbon
of blue lace that he imagined Grace had tied on that morning. It was
lopsided now, and only sweeter for it.
He couldn't help hoping that she woke before he had to head out again.
But now, he needed to find Aubrey's mother and discuss reliable
transportation.
He cocked his head, decided it was too quiet for her to be upstairs
doing whatever it was she did up there. He walked into the kitchen and
noted that the signs of a hurried breakfast were still in evidence. She
hadn't gotten to that yet. But the washing machine was humming, and he
caught a glimpse of clothes flapping in the breeze on the line outside.
The minute he stepped to the door he saw her. And hit full panic. He
didn't know what he thought, only that she was lying on the grass.
Terrible images of illness and injury crowded into his head as he rushed
outside. He was barely one full stride away from her when he realized
she wasn't unconscious. She was sleeping.
Curled up much as her daughter was inside. One fist bunched near her
cheek, her breathing slow and deep and even. He gave in to his weakened
knees and sat down beside her, waited for his heartbeat to return to
something approaching normal.
He sat, listening to the clothes flap on the line, to the water lick the
eelgrass, and to the birds chatter while he wondered what the hell he
was going to do with her.
In the end, he simply sighed, rose, then bending down gathered her up
into his arms.
She stirred in them, snuggled, made his blood run a little too fast for
comfort. "Ethan," she murmured, turning her face into the curve of his
neck and inciting the bright fantasy of rolling over that sun-warmed
grass with her.
"Ethan," she said again, skimming her fingers along his shoulder. And
making him hard as iron. Then again, "Ethan," only this time in a squeak
of shock as she jerked her head up and stared at him.
Her eyes were dazed with sleep and bright with surprise. Her mouth made
a soft O that was gloriously tempting. Then color flooded her cheeks.
"What? What is it?" she managed over a stomach-churning combination of
arousal and embarrassment.
"You're going to take a nap, you ought to have as much sense as Aubrey
and take it inside out of the sun." He knew his voice was rough. He
couldn't do anything about it. Desire had him by the throat with
gleefully nipping claws.
"I was just--"
"Scared ten years off me when I saw you lying there. I thought you'd
fainted or something."
"I only stretched out for a minute. Aubrey was sleeping, so--Aubrey! I
need to check on Aubrey."
"I just did. She's fine. You'd have shown more sense if you'd stretched