Chapter 7
Macie sat up and stretched, then looked around. The guest bedroom was beautiful. Decorated in soft shades of yellow and white, it was distinctly feminine. She wondered if Edward had other guest rooms done up with more masculine décor.
Sitting up, she looked around and smiled when she spotted several more bags of clothes that had been deposited just inside the door. Edward was spoiling her and Macie didn’t mind. Not one little bit! She liked it. No, actually, she loved it. After years of not allowing men to buy her anything, other than an occasional meal, it was nice to just relax and let herself be taken care of for a change. She’d been taking care of Kyle for a year, even if nine months of that had been in utero. She’d still done it all on her own. All of her prenatal doctors’ appointments, food shopping, and decisions had been hers alone. There hadn’t been anyone she could bounce ideas off of, no one to talk to when she was scared or anxious. No one to tell her that her quickly expanding body wasn’t ugly.
Still, she didn’t have time to linger. Kyle would be waking up soon and…!
“Where’s Kyle?” she whispered, not remembering where she’d put him to sleep last night. She remembered eating dinner with Edward. She remembered feeding Kyle one last time. But she didn’t remember much after that.
Good grief, she barely remembered changing into this satin nightshirt!
Throwing off the covers, she raced out of the room. Normally, Kyle woke her up during the night. But both of their sleep cycles were off, so maybe she hadn’t slept as long as she’d thought.
Her room opened onto a long hallway and Macie wasn’t sure which way to go. Thankfully, there was a light at one end and she rushed towards it.
Sure enough, the hallway led to the balcony that overlooked the great room. That’s where she found Edward, who was again sitting on the floor, playing with Kyle. It was so unexpected to see the extremely large, muscular man patiently handing a toy to the tiny, little man. Edward seemed to genuinely enjoy watching Kyle gnaw on the latest “treat”.
He must have sensed her presence because he looked up and their eyes locked. Even from this distance, she could feel the lust coming from those dark, penetrating eyes. Her stomach clenched and she was suddenly very aware of her body in a different way. Different from everything she’d gone through over the past twelve months.
Her body was hers again. No, not hers.
It was his!
Shrinking away from the unexpected sensations, she stepped back. “I’ll just…grab a shower.”
And then she spun around, turning on her heel and rushing to the bedroom again.
Vaguely, she noticed several other doors on each side of the hall. Were there bedrooms behind each of these doors? Good grief! And this was only half the house! There were five doors on each side of the hallway with a lot of space between each door! At the end of the hallway, there was a set of double doors. Was that Edward’s room?
She rushed through the still-open door of the pretty, lemon-colored room and pushed the door closed, leaning against it as she fought to get her breathing back under control. Her frantic reaction wasn’t because of her race down the hallway. Instinctively, she knew that she was out of breath because of that heated look from Edward.
“Darn it!” she gasped, pushing away from the door and stomping into the bathroom. It was another sunny room with skylights that made the most of the early morning sunshine. She flipped on the overhead shower, then stripped off the satin night shirt.
After a quick shower, she stepped out and dried off, then left the steaming bathroom. This time, there wasn’t a new outfit neatly folded on her bed, but she looked over at the various bags that had mysteriously appeared in the bedroom. Walking over, she peered inside at the options. This time, she chose a blousy, cotton shirt and another pair of soft leggings. Thankfully, there was also a nursing bra. This one wasn’t nearly as ugly as the ones she’d bought from the discount store. But it still wasn’t particularly appealing. Not nearly as pretty as the lacy pieces she used to wear.
She pulled the thing on with a small sigh, then dressed in the new clothes. There was also a bit of makeup, but the shades weren’t right, so she just used the powder and mascara, feeling better.
There wasn’t much she could do with her hair, so she grabbed the hair band and pulled it into yet another messy bun. Until she was back home and had access to her styling tools, she wouldn’t…!
Abrupt grief tore through her as she remembered there were no more styling tools. Everything she owned was burned to ashes.
“Darn it!” she muttered, then turned away from her reflection in the mirror. “Decision day!” she announced as she walked out of the bathroom. Slipping into her comfy old sneakers, she lifted her chin and forced herself to go downstairs to Edward.
Edward kept glancing up at the balcony, waiting for another peek at Macie. First thing in the morning, she’d looked…tousled. There was no other word to describe her beauty. Those long, dark locks had been mussed, wisps flying up around her head and neck. The satin night shirt hadn’t hidden much from his view either. Especially not when those newly enlarged breasts tightened so the nipples pressed against the shiny material.
He'd always thought that skimpy, lacy negligees were the epitome of sexual enticement. He had to revise that opinion now. Satin was clearly a better option!
Before he could brace himself for another appearance, Macie was coming down the stairs. This time, her hair was wet, which was still sexy, and she wore a billowing shirt with leggings that showed off her trim legs and adorable ass.
Another opinion blasted to hell. He’d always loved a woman in a pair of jeans. But now he was revising his preference to leggings. There wasn’t anything better than a woman’s legs and ass showcased by the tight spandex.
“Good morning,” she ventured, her tone and the lowered lashes indicating that she felt shy.
“Good morning,” he replied, trying to stop his eyes from moving over her. Again. “Did you sleep well?”
She thought about it for a moment, those green eyes lighting with that familiar sparkle. “Yes,” she finally replied. “I slept extremely well.” She glanced at Kyle. “He didn’t wake up last night?”
“He did. But I had him in my bedroom so I fed him a bottle.” He stood up with Kyle in his arms, snuggling the tiny boy against his shoulder. “I know that you said something about needing to nurse him, but you were so exhausted last night, you barely even made it to bed. So I made the decision to take care of him instead of waking you.” He glances down at her breasts, then back to her eyes. “I hope that’s okay.”
She smiled and he noticed that the dark circles were nearly gone from underneath her eyes.
“That was truly kind of you.”
“You look better. Are you hungry?”
“Very.” She grinned. “Are you going to make me another grilled cheese sandwich?”
He chuckled, enjoying her teasing. “Not a chance. I asked my housekeeper to come in, even though it’s Sunday.” He lifted a hand, stopping the objection. “I know you said that you didn’t want the villagers to gossip, but Ms. Kealy is very discreet. She’s worked for my family longer than I’ve been alive. We can trust her. I promise.”
He watched as Macie nervously fisted her hands at her sides, then slowly extended her fingers again. Edward hadn’t realized how tense he’d been until she nodded her approval.
“Fine.Thank you.”
“Good,” he replied. “How about some French toast for breakfast?” he offered. “I don’t know what Ms. Healy puts in her batter, but it’s seriously the best I’ve ever had.”
Edward led Macie into the kitchen and introduced her to his housekeeper. “It’s a huge pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kealy. I’ve heard a great deal about you. Apparently, you have magical powers with French toast.”
“Oh pish!” the elderly woman exclaimed, blushing as she gave Edward a sidelong glance. “His Grace is just stuffing things a bit.”
Macie wasn’t sure what “stuffing things a bit” meant, but assumed that the housekeeper thought Edward gave out false flattery.
“Just wait until you try them,” he said to Macie, then turned to Ms. Kealy. “You’ve already met my son.” He gave Kyle a little bounce. “But Macie is concerned that you might spread news of their presence here at the house. She might be in danger. I’m trying to convince her that this house is a safe place to hide from some very bad men.”
Ms. Kealy pressed her lips together and gave Macie a sharp nod. “Absolutely, Ms. Meyers! Not a word of your presence here will slip through my lips.” Her Manchester accent intensified with her assurance. “His Grace will protect ye here. Never ye mind about the wee boy. Whenever either of ye need a break, I’d be more than happy to care for his lordship.”
It took Macie a moment to realize Ms. Kealy was referring to Kyle as “his lordship”, which was startling since she’d always thought of lords as elegant, snobbish men who lazed around their estates, gambling and drinking port. Lords weren’t tiny humans who barfed on her shoulder when they had a tummy ache.
“Thank you,” Macie finally replied with a slight nod. “That’s extremely generous of you.”
“Also, His Grace mentioned that ye need a few things for the wee lad. I’m gonna drive to the stores located two towns over to get supplies, because no one there will associate me with the estate.”
Macie glanced at Edward and sighed with relief. “That…thank you!” she told them. “I was trying to figure out how to get more diapers and formula.” She gently tweaked Kyle’s toes. “I only grabbed what I could stuff into a small travel bag.”
“Don’tcha worry none. I’m on a mission!” She turned around, wiping her hands on her apron. “But first, set yerself down and I’ll have breakfast for ye in a trice.”
Macie was too stunned to react. Slowly, she turned to look at Edward.
He merely chuckled, then led her over to what she could only interpret as a coffee bar. “I can’t drink coffee,” she told him, pointing to Kyle. “Remember? Whatever I eat, he eats. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not have a baby cranked up on caffeine.”
He nodded, then opened a beautifully carved wooden box. “How about tea?” he offered. “There are several varieties of herbal tea to choose from.”
Macie sighed with happiness. “Yes!” she gushed, then leaned over the box. “Lemon-ginger! This is going to be wonderful! Thank you!”
“Don’t thank me. Ms. Kealy is the magician here.”
Macie glanced over at the woman who was bustling about the massive kitchen. She seemed to be deeply engrossed in cracking eggs and adding ingredients to the mixing bowl.
Thirty minutes later, Macie had to agree with Edward’s assessment. Breakfast was divine, Macie thought as she finished off the last of the truly amazing plate of French toast. Even better, Edward held Kyle throughout the meal, giving her the first distraction-free meal Macie had enjoyed in over three months. No, longer than just three months since Kyle had distracted her pretty often by kicking her internal organs before birth. Or just moving about. Or just taking up so much space in her belly that food wasn’t an option.
“Now for the work part of our plan,” he announced. “This way. Kyle and I cleared out my office earlier today so that you’ll have a space to work.”
“You didn’t have to clear out,” she protested, following him down yet another long hallway. “What’s that?” she asked, pointing to a large room that seemed to be empty.
Edward stopped and retraced his steps, all three of them peering into the large room. “That’s the ballroom,” he explained. “My ancestors held large gatherings here during the last century.” He shrugged. “I’ve renovated most of the house, but I haven’t figured out what to do with this space.”
Macie loved the long windows that…actually, they were doors that opened up to what looked like a long, grassy area. But she wasn’t sure what was outside because filmy curtains blocked the view.
“I’ve never known anyone who had a ballroom before,” she teased. “Maybe you could use it for a fencing arena?”
He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “Do you fence?”
“Nope!”
“Neither do I,” he replied with a shrug. “Keep thinking. I’m open to suggestions.”
They continued down the hallway until he stopped in a smaller room that was lined with bookcases, which were overflowing with books.
“Wow! This is…amazing!” she whispered, stepping into the room and looking around. “You actually get work done in here?”
“Of course.”
She rolled her eyes at his blasé tone. “I’d be distracted by all of the books. Have you read all of them?” Macie looked up at him. “Or are these just for show?”
He moved closer to her, holding Kyle in one arm. “Do I ever do anything just for show?”
And just that fast, the easy camaraderie disappeared, replaced with that intense awareness of each other. She held her breath as he captured her gaze. “No,” she whispered, remembering how he’d followed through on every promise that weekend. Nothing had been fake. His abilities were very, wonderfully real.
“Glad you remember that,” he murmured, his voice huskier than it had been a moment before. His eyes searched hers and Macie’s head spun slightly. Was this when he would kiss her? She desperately wanted that kiss. Ached to be held in his arms and to lose herself in the bliss of his sexual prowess. Macie wanted to forget about the danger, the responsibilities for a tiny baby that she’d shouldered for so long. Just one kiss…!
Then she realized what she was thinking. Forgetting her responsibilities was why Kyle was in this world. She’d forgotten to be responsible. She no longer had that option.
“I should…get to work.” She stepped back, clasping her hands together as if she needed to stop herself from reaching out.
“Right,” Edward replied, shifting Kyle to his other hip. He’d been about to kiss her. He’d forgotten her desire to avoid a sexual relationship with him and he’d just let that issue fade out of existence for one moment.
Their current situation came back to him with a thud.
Turning, he gestured to the office area. “I had one of my people deliver a new laptop this morning. Everything is connected to Linx. I was going to set up a new user name and password for you so that you weren’t logging in under your own name, but I wasn’t sure how to do that. Normally, human resources handles any new employees and sets them up with computer access.”
He watched as Macie rubbed her palms against her leggings. Was she fighting to ignore the sexual tension as well?
Interesting. He’d have to figure that mystery out when he wasn’t in pain from needing her.
He continued, noting that tell-tale sign for later consideration. “I’ll be in the great room with Kyle. Let me know when you need to feed him again. But I can also give him another bottle.”
And then he walked out, his mind whirling with questions.
Not to mention, his son…he still loved thinking that…needed a fresh diaper.
“You’re sort of a mess!” he said to Kyle who tried to take Edward’s nose with his tiny fist. “Yeah, you can be charming, but your cuteness is obliterated whenever I have to change one of those dirty diapers, my man.”
He did the deed, keeping his nose as far from the mess as possible. He’d learned the hard way to keep something over the little guy’s groin area. Being sprayed with urine wasn’t something he wanted to experience a second time.
When Kyle was cleaned up and a fresh diaper neatly strapped on, Edward took Kyle back to the area with the toys. “You need some new stuff, don’t you?” he said to the infant, handing him a red, plastic circle.
His fascinated observation of his son was interrupted by Ms. Kealy stepping into the great room with a piece of paper in her hand.
“I’m off to get supplies, Yer Grace,” she announced, bustling towards him. “Can ye take a gander at this list and see if there’s anything else ye might need?”
Edward stood up, Kyle in his arms and the red toy in Kyle’s hands. He took the list and skimmed it, but shook his head a moment later. “I’m relying on your knowledge of babies, Ms. Kealy,” he told her. “I’m new to this dad thing.” He rested Kyle on his hip, feeling more confident now with the little man. “If there’s anything else that you think you might need, just get it. I don’t care about the cost. Charge it to the household credit card and go wild. He’ll need clothes and diapers, formula, and…and something to hold him?”
Ms. Kealy nodded. “All on the list, Yer Grace. I’ll get as much as I can.”
“Why don’t you take my SUV?” he offered. “You might need the extra space.”
Ms. Kealy hesitated, then eyed the list and nodded. “Aye. That would be a good idea.” A moment later, she bustled off to the kitchen to get the keys.
Because of the size of the house, Edward didn’t hear the garage door open or close, but he moved to the front of the house and watched as Ms. Kealy drove the big, black SUV down the driveway. Then he gazed down at Kyle who was still trying to shove the red teething ring into his mouth. Unsuccessfully, thank goodness.
“Okay, so what are we going to do while we wait for her to come back?” he asked his son. “How about a walk down the trail? You are looking a bit pale, my boy. Perhaps a bit of sunshine?” Then he saw the rain clouds and changed his mind. “Or maybe you would like to go out and meet the horses? I’m sure that they’d be fascinated by you as well.”
Since his stable master and his team were off on Sunday, he thought that it would be pretty safe to take Kyle out to the stables. Most of the horses were in the pastures by this time of day. One person came in on Sunday morning to clean out the stalls and feed the horses, then release them out into the pasture and another person arrived in the evening to feed them again and stable them for the night.
Edward grabbed a raincoat and, with Kyle wrapped up in his arms, went out to the stables. And he’d been right. Kyle was fascinated by the horses. What was even more interesting was that the horses, including his personal favorite, Sanford, were just as curious about the small human that had been brought out to their midst. The horses all hurried to the fence line, eager for the treats that Edward always brought for them. Then they sniffed Kyle, enduring the most adorable scene where Sanford snuffled the boy’s tummy and Kyle grabbed onto the horse’s muzzle and giggled. The two seemed to fall in love instantly as Edward watched with amazement.
Edward could only assume Kyle had that effect on everyone!