A Texas Soldier's Christmas. Cathy Gillen Thacker

side of the nursery, with the silver comforter on the bed?”

      Trying not to wonder if his mind was traveling down the same forbidden paths as her own, Nora smiled. They were both adults. They could handle this.

      “That’s the one,” she confirmed lightly. “There are towels, washcloths and soap in the hall bath, extra toothbrushes and toothpaste, if you need that.”

      Thunder roiled, even louder.

      He nodded again. “Thanks.”

      She felt him watching her as she headed upstairs, realizing that despite everything, even when they were moving apart, fate kept throwing them back together again.

      * * *

      NORA FELL ASLEEP listening to the sound of the rain still drumming on the roof and thinking about Zane. She woke to the sound of an even softer rain and Liam starting ever so gently to fuss.

      By the time she had changed her son’s diaper and put him in a new playsuit, the sumptuous smell of breakfast cooking filled the air.

      She went downstairs, not all that surprised to see Zane standing at her stove, making himself completely at home. Bare-chested, with his jeans riding just below his navel, he looked sexy as hell. It was all she could do not to run her fingers through his rumpled hair and rub her cheek against the morning beard lining his square jaw.

      HE SMILED WARMLY at her and the baby in her arms. “I’ll be out of here as soon as my shirts are dry. In the meantime I thought you might be as hungry as I am.”

      She was.

      Trying not to think how often he had made breakfast for her in the past, never mind how often they had made hot, passionate love to each other after that, she eased past him. Retrieved a bottle of formula from the fridge. “What are you making?”

      He looked in the pantry, emerged with a bag of tortilla chips. “Migas.”

      Her favorite.

      And he’d brewed coffee and poured juice, too.

      This was all so cozy. Too cozy.

      She put Liam’s bottle in the warmer, still cuddling her son close, then looked out the window at the water pouring down.

      He followed her glance. “Yep, it’s still raining.”

      She had hoped it would have stopped by now, but that did not look very likely, given the gloomy skies overheard.

      Zane cast a glance at her drenched shrubbery and lawn. “No thunder, though.” He beamed as Liam offered him a toothy grin. Reaching out, he gently touched her son’s cheek. Liam chortled softly in response.

      Zane slid his little finger into her son’s tiny fist.

      Liam held on tight.

      The way Nora wanted to hold on...

      Oblivious to her forbidden thoughts, Zane regarded her son, then lifted his glance to meet her gaze. “I forgot to ask you last night. Do you have to work today?”

      Acutely aware of how wonderful it would have been if Liam had been Zane’s child, Nora shook off her wistful mood. She swallowed around the sudden parched feeling in her throat and forced herself to meet Zane’s eyes. “No. I’ve got the day off.”

      Liam jerked on Zane’s hand. Grinning at the mingled demand and curiosity in her son’s baby blue eyes, Zane stepped closer still. His smile widened as Liam chortled happily.

      Zane nuzzled Liam’s knuckle, eliciting another happy gurgle, then smiled again and turned his attention back to her. “Any plans?” he asked, that charismatic intensity solely focused on her now.

      He smelled like toothpaste and soap. And pure, primal man.

      Blushing at the memories the tantalizing fragrance elicited, Nora turned her attention away from Zane and plucked the bottle out of the warmer.

      Working to corral her escalating feelings, she sat down at the table to feed Liam. “My sitter is coming at ten o’clock. I was going to go get a Christmas tree, but with it raining, I don’t know that it’s the best time to try and pick one out. I wouldn’t be able to bring it inside until it dried out anyway, so I’ll probably get a jump on my holiday shopping instead.”

      Still listening, he crumbled chips in his fist, and stirred them into the pan of scrambled eggs and cheese.

      Nora drew a deep breath as the Tex-Mex aroma filled the room. “In any case, not to worry,” she continued, giving him a look to let him know this meal would not be followed with the usual passionate lovemaking. “I can drive you over to get your pickup truck and drop your jacket off for cleaning on the way.”

      Zane flashed a sexy smile. “Actually, I’ll take care of the dry cleaning if you do me a favor.” He spooned up a plate of migas and a side of salsa, and carried both over to her.

      Curious, she met his eyes. It was unlike him to drive a bargain. Usually he gave, then walked away. Thereby keeping control of the situation. But now he clearly wanted something from her. Something he seemed unsure she would be willing to give.

      Aware this was a first, she looked at him, waiting.

      He grabbed his breakfast and sat down opposite her, their knees touching briefly beneath the table. Then, his emotions suddenly as fired up as hers, said, “Come out and see the ranch my father left me in his will. And give me your unvarnished opinion about what you think I should do with it.”