Soon To Be Brides

The new mommies and daddies. Daddies and mommies. Daddies. Parents-to-be who were soon going to complete their family with a wonderful little daughter. Mommy, Daddy and Baby and…

Stop it, Caitlin, she ordered herself. She was getting caught up in the charade that Matt had put in place. Her daughter was getting a loving mother.

“Baby wipes,” Matt said, dropping a box into the cart. “Great invention.”

“You sound like an expert on the subject,” Caitlin observed, pulling her thoughts back to attention.

“Hey, I’m a MacAllister. I’ve changed my share of diapers over the years. The MacAllister clan is very big on babies.”

Caitlin laughed. “I’ve never changed a diaper in my life. I’m assuming it’s not all that difficult. It isn’t, is it?”

“I wouldn’t say that. There’s a definite technique to it. If you get a wiggly kid you can be in big trouble if you don’t get that diaper on really fast. There’s a lot of dexterity involved, wrist action, too.”

“Oh, cut it out.” Caitlin laughed. “You’re making it sound like a person needs an engineering degree to do this.”

“That would help, yes,” Matt said solemnly, then burst into laughter in the next instant. “I had you going there for a while, didn’t I? You should have seen your face. No, Caitlin Cunningham, changing diapers is not tough. Now then, do you want to discuss methods of burping a baby?”

“Just hand me another package of those wipes.”

Oh, this was a fun outing, she thought, and Matt was fun and funny. She felt so happy, carefree, so incredibly glad she was who she was. Well, that stood to reason. She was the one who was about to become a mother. But the extra gift of laughter that was accompanying this shopping trip was thanks to Matt MacAllister. She’d remember this evening because it was very, very special.

Back at the house, Caitlin insisted on washing all the baby clothes while Matt was assembling the crib and changing table.

“Don’t forget to wash the diapers, too,” he said, peering in his toolbox.

“Wash the…Matt, those are disposable paper diapers.”

“See?” He grinned at her. “You know more about diapers than you thought you did. If you were a complete dunce about those nifty things you would have dumped them all in the washing machine.I’m just trying to boost your confidence, my dear.”

“You’re cuckoo,” Caitlin said, pointing one finger in the air.

“I know.” Matt chuckled. “But I’m loveable. Ah, here’s the screwdriver I want.”

Lovable, Caitlin thought as she left the room with an armload of clothes and blankets. Lovable? As in, Matt was a man who would be easy to love, fall in love with? No, that last mental babble needed to be split in two.

Yes, Matt probably would be a man who would be easy to fall in love with because he had it all at first glimpse—looks, charm, intelligence, a marvelous sense of humor, and on the list went.

But easy to love? To be a partner with, the other half of the whole? No. Matt the workaholic, the man so dedicated to his career that he had put his own health at risk, so focused on his position at Mercy Hospital to the exclusion of everything and everyone, would not be an easy man to be in love with.

It would, in fact, be impossible to be in a serious relationship with Matt because he wouldn’t do his share, wouldn’t help nurture the love. And like a flame of a candle struggling to stay warm and bright, that love would eventually be snuffed out, leaving the place where it had been in chilling darkness.

Caitlin frowned as she put the baby clothes in the washing machine, then held up the sweet little red dress before adding it to the load.

Where on earth, she thought, was all this heavy, nonsensical rambling coming from? She hardly knew Matt MacAllister. Yet she had jumped all the way from “How do you do, it’s nice to meet you” to passing negative judgment on the man as a life partner. Ridiculous. Really dumb.

Caitlin added detergent to the wash, closed the lid on the machine, turned it on, then headed back to the nursery to see how the mechanic was coming along with the assembling of the crib for precious Miss M.

Matt finished his projects just as Caitlin was putting the last of the freshly washed purchases in the dresser.

“Done,” he said.

“Me, too,” she said, turning to smile at him. “Oh, this room looks perfect, Matt. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, then wound the mobile, causing the perky clowns to march in a circle as the music played. “Dynamite.”

Caitlin laughed. “That mobile is so cute. It’s a terrific gift for Miss M. and she thanks you, too. Now all we need is that telephone call from Carolyn saying it’s time to pack our meager little suitcaseand get ready to go. Oh, I get goose bumps just thinking about it.”

“Yep.” Matt nodded. “You know, I think ‘Rock-a-Bye, Baby’ is a waltz, of sorts. Ms. Cunningham, may I have this dance?”

“Are you serious?”

Matt closed the distance between them, drew Caitlin into his arms, then began to move her around the center of the room in time to the lilting music. Caitlin stiffened for a moment, then allowed Matt to nestle her close to his body.

And they danced.

They weren’t in a huge ballroom dressed in their finery, with chandeliers twinkling above them as a band played. They were in a medium-size bedroom that had been transformed into a nursery decorated in yellow and white and that was waiting for a precious baby to arrive from the other side of the world.

They danced.

Not to the music produced by professional musicians in tuxedos, but to the tune accompanied by smiling clowns in brightly colored outfits who were keeping step to the music.

They danced.

It was a silly thing to do, yet it was the perfect thing to do, and Caitlin sighed in contentment as she savored the strength of Matt MacAllister, the aroma that was uniquely his, the feel of his tall, solid and nicely muscled body.

The music slowed, the clowns swung lazily around in their circle, then stopped as the last note played and a silence fell over the room.

The dance is over, Matt thought. He had to let Caitlin go and step away from her. But, oh, man, she felt fantastic in his arms, so delicate, so feminine, fitting against him as though custom-made just for him. She smelled like flowers and sunshine, and her dark curls had been woven from silken threads.

He had a feeling…oh, yeah, he knew…that he was going to remember this dance for a very, very long time.

Slowly and reluctantly, Matt eased Caitlin away from him, then dropped his arms to his sides. He nearly groaned aloud when he saw the dreamy expression on her face, the soft smile on her lips.

He wanted to kiss her, he thought. She was so beautiful, so womanly, and their dance had been so special and, damn it, he wanted to kiss her.

Don’t do it, MacAllister, he ordered himself. Don’t even think about it.

“Well,” Matt said a tad too loudly. “I guess I’d better be on my way.”

Caitlin blinked. “Oh. Yes, of course, I… Would you like a dish of ice cream?”

No, Matt thought. He was treading on dangerous ground, his desire for Caitlin liable to be stronger than his common sense. He was going to leave right now, get a solid night’s sleep and be back to normal in the morning. Yes, that was exactly what he was going to do.

“Ice cream sounds great,” he heard himself say, then glanced around quickly with the irrational thought that he would discover the source of his reply.

“It’s mint chocolate chip.”

“Sold,” Matt said. To the jerk who should be walking out the door. “That’s one of my favorites.”

Why had she done that? Caitlin asked herself as Matt followed her to the kitchen. Why hadn’t she escorted Matt to the door, thanked him again for his help with the nursery, then closed the door on his gorgeous face before she did something else as ridiculous as dancing in the middle of a not-even-here-yet baby’s room?

That would have been the smart thing to do. But, oh, no, not her. She was now about to share a sinfully delicious dessert with Matt and prolong this unsettling evening even more. Where was her brain?

Caitlin sighed as she removed a carton of ice cream from the freezer.

Her brain, she thought, plunking the carton on the counter, had gone south the moment Matt had taken her into his arms. Well, all she could do now was shovel in the ice cream as quickly as possible, plead fatigue, then…finally and overdue…send Matt on his way.

“I’ll serve that up if you like,” Matt said. “How many scoops do you want?”

“One.” Caitlin set two bowls next to the carton. “Just one. Small. A small one. I’m going to go check my answering machine for messages while you do that. I’ll be right back.”

Matt watched as Caitlin nearly ran from the kitchen, then he turned to open the carton of ice cream.

Caitlin was jangled, he thought. It made him feel a tad better knowing that she had been just as affected by the dance as he had. It fell under misery loves company, or some such thing.

But if she was struggling with desire as he was, why had she invited him to stay for dessert? He didn’t know the answer to that one. Caitlin was definitely not the type who was inching toward enticing him into her bed after they’d had their snack. Not even close. He knew that, just somehow knew that.

“Matt,” Caitlin said, rushing back into the room. “Oh, you won’t believe this. Well, maybe you will, but I can’t.” She stopped by his side and pressed her palms to her flushed cheeks. “Can you? Believe it?”

Matt chuckled. “I don’t have a clue if I can, or can’t, because I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh. Yes.” Caitlin patted her cheeks. “I’m going over the edge.” She drew a quick breath. “Okay. I’m fine. There was a message from Carolyn on my machine. We’re leaving Sunday morning for China. This is Thursday, Matt, and we leave on Sunday. Oh, my gosh. I can’t believe this.”

Matt replaced the carton of ice cream in the freezer, then carried the bowls to the table at the end of the kitchen.

“Come sit down and have some of this before you either faint, or float away on your happy cloud.” He paused and frowned. “Sunday morning? Whew. I’m scheduled to make a couple of speeches, attend some fund-raising events and… Homer just isn’t cut out for going in there cold. This is very short notice to find people to take my place.”

Caitlin slid onto a chair at the table. “It’s wonderful notice.”

Matt settled on the chair opposite her and took a bite of ice cream.

“Mmm. Great stuff,” he said. “Are you going to be able to sleep tonight? You’re so excited you’re about to bounce off the walls.”

“I know.” Caitlin smiled brightly. “I can’t stop smiling. In just a handful of hours I’ll be on an airplane winging my way toward Mackenzie or Madison.”

“Take a bite of ice cream. You’re eating for two now.”

Caitlin laughed. “That’s true, in a way. I am getting closer and closer to being a mother. Oh, Matt, we leave on Sunday.”

Matt reached across the table, covered one of Caitlin’s hands with one of his, and smiled at her warmly.

“I’m sincerely happy for you, Caitlin,” he said. “I really am. Your excitement, joy, is contagious, too. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing Miss M. for the first time, instead of just looking at her pictures. That is going to be quite a moment.” He released her hand and picked up his spoon again. “I’d better polish this off. After all, I’m also eating for two.”

“Pardon me?” Caitlin said, leaning toward him slightly.

Matt shrugged. “Well, think about it for a minute. I’m taking the place of your assistant, your girlfriend who flunked roller derby 101. So, for all practical purposes, as I take on the role she would have had during the length of the trip, I become Miss M.’ s…surrogate father.”

Chapter Five

The hours until the group was to meet at the airport Sunday morning were filled with a flurry of activity for Caitlin.

Very early on Sunday morning Caitlin received a telephone call from Matt suggesting that he pick her up, as there was no point in both of them leaving their vehicles in long-term parking. To Caitlin’s self-disgust she could not think of a reasonably reasonable reason why that wasn’t a good idea and agreed to Matt’s offer, reminding him that they’d have to put Miss M.’ s car seat in his SUV.

When the group gathered at the designated gate at the airport, with everyone being much earlier than they needed to be, they were a very excited, emotional and exhausted bunch of people.

Elizabeth Kane, the director of the adoption agency, laughed when she saw them and said not to fear, because they were facing a fifteen-hour nonstop flight, which would give them plenty of time to catch up on their sleep. “And you’d better do just that,” she said, beaming at them all, “because leisurely naps and undisturbed nights are soon to be a thing of the past.”

“Oh, I know,” one of the women said. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

After what seemed like an endless wait, they boarded the plane, Matt having been assigned the seat next to Caitlin. Since Matt was to be Caitlin’s extra pair of hands, Elizabeth explained, she thought by seating them together it would give them a chance to get to know each other better.

When the engines rumbled and lifted the huge aircraft off the ground, Caitlin closed her eyes.

“Are you afraid of flying?” Matt said, glancing over at her.

Caitlin opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“No, not at all. I’m just savoring the fact that we’re on our way, actually on our way at long last.” She paused. “Did you accomplish everything you needed to do at the hospital?”

Matt nodded. “It was down to the wire, but I did it. I haven’t gotten more than a few hours’ sleep in the last three nights, though. But as Elizabeth said, I can catch up during this flight. Fifteen hours. Man, that is grim. I plan to sleep, sleep, sleep during this trip. If I snore, just poke me.”

“I certainly will,” Caitlin said, laughing.

Do not, Caitlin told herself, dwell on the image “poke me if I snore” evoked in her mind. Too late. She could feel the warm flush staining her cheeks.

During the flight the international dateline was crossed, and by the time the plane landed in Hong Kong in the early evening, no one was certain what day it was or how far off their physical clocks were.

They were transported to a nice hotel by a waiting van, checked in as a group by Elizabeth and arranged to meet again in the lobby in an hour to go out to dinner.

“We’ll be going to a restaurant a few blocks from here,” Elizabeth said, “so we can walk, and I’ve made a reservation, so they’re expecting us. My groups always eat there during this stopover in Hong Kong.

“I took the liberty of ordering for all of us, and there will be a multitude of dishes on a lazy Susan in the center of the table. You’ll have the opportunity to sample all kinds of delicious offerings.”

On the third floor, where the entire group had been booked, Caitlin used a plastic key card to open the door to her room, settled her suitcase on the luggage rack, then snapped on a lamp. She frowned as the bulb remained dark. Moving carefully in the darkness she tried another lamp with the same result.

She inched her way back to the door and opened it to allow the lighted hallway to cast a dim glow over her room, then frowned.

She would, she supposed, have to find the telephone, wherever it was hiding in there, and call down to the desk to tell them the electricity wasn’t working.

The door directly across from her opened suddenly and Matt appeared, his room brightly lit behind him.

“Problem?” he asked.

“I apparently don’t have any electricity. None of the lamps work.”

“Do you have your key card?”

“My…yes.” Caitlin held up the card that was still in her hand.

Matt took it and slipped it into a slot on the wall by the door beneath the light switches. The lamps Caitlin had fiddled with immediately lit up.

“Let there be light.”

“For goodness’ sake. How did you know that was what to do?”

“I read the material the airline provided while you were playing what must have been over a thousand games of gin rummy with the others.”

“Oh.”

“May I see what kind of view you have from your window?” Matt asked. “I’m staring at the rear of the building behind us.”

“Oh, well, sure, of course, go right ahead.”

As Matt crossed the room, the door closed and Caitlin stared at it for a long moment.

Dandy, she thought. Now she and Matt were together in her room with the door closed. What if the others saw them come out when it was time to meet in the lobby? She’d spent as much time as possible, when she wasn’t sleeping on the airplane, playing cards and visiting with the others instead of sitting by Matt as though they were a couple. The last thing she wanted was for rumors to start about a possible romance between her and Matt MacAllister.

So far she hadn’t been aware of any speculative glances or sly smiles directed their way, but exiting her room with Matt would not be a terrific idea. She was hoping that the group would continue to remember that Matt was simply stepping in to help her out.

She had no intention, Caitlin thought, of using up any mental or emotional energy that should be directed toward her daughter denying queries about what was taking place between her and Matt. Especially since nothing was taking place between her and Matt. Nothing at all.

So what if she’d been aware of how peaceful he appeared when he slept, yet still had that aura of blatant masculinity emanating from him?

So what if she thought it was so endearing the way he rubbed his eyes with his fists like a little boy when he first woke up?

So what if there was a rugged earthiness about him that sent shivers down her spine when he needed a shave?

None of that was important. It didn’t mean a thing.

“Las Vegas,” Matt said from over by the window. “That’s what Hong Kong reminds me of. Lots of neon lights, people crowding the sidewalks, noise, cars, the whole nine yards. Come look at this, Caitlin. See if this view doesn’t remind you of Las Vegas.”

“I’ve never been to Las Vegas,” she said, staying by the door.

“Oh, well, come take a look anyway.”

With a silent sigh, Caitlin crossed the room and joined Matt at the window. He slipped one arm across her shoulders, then pointed toward the street below.

“See? You’d never know you were in an Asian country. That is due, madam, to the fact that Hong Kong was under British rule for many, many years before once again being claimed by mainland China, and is very westernized, if there is such a word. However, when we arrive in Nanjing tomorrow, then later go on to Guangzhou, you will experience the real China of today.”

“Do tell.” Caitlin managed to produce a small smile.

Matt had nestled her close to his body, she thought frantically. His big, strong, oh-so-warm body. Such heat. It was weaving its way from him into her, swirling within her, then pulsing low and hot. He was being so nonchalant about having his arm around her, acting as though it didn’t matter, just happened to be where it had landed. Well, she could match him sophistication for sophistication, by golly. Unless she fainted dead out on her face first.

“I am telling you,” Matt said, chuckling, “so pay attention, because people pay tour guides beaucoup bucks for information like this.”

“I’m etching it all on my weary brain. I even got a bonus because now I know what Las Vegas looks like back in the States.” She cleared her throat. “Well, thank you for solving the mystery of the electricity. You were a hero to the rescue of a damsel in the darkness.”

Matt turned his head to smile at her, but his smile disappeared quickly as he realized that Caitlin was only inches away. His gaze swept over her delicate features, lingered on her lips, then he looked directly into her dark eyes.

“I don’t think,” he said, his voice husky, “that I’d be off base if I kissed you, Caitlin. After all, we have slept together.”

Caitlin blinked. “We…we what?”

“Slept together. On the plane. Right there, side by side, we both were sleeping. So, therefore, we slept together. Sort of.”

“That’s the silliest—”

“No,” he interrupted, lowering his head slowly toward hers, “it’s not. And there is nothing silly about how much I want to kiss you, how long I’ve waited to kiss you, or about the fact that I’m about to kiss you.”

And he did.

Caitlin stiffened as Matt brushed his lips lightly over hers, then shivered when he repeated the sensuous journey. He encircled her with his arms and pulled her close to his rugged body as he intensified the kiss, parting her lips to slip his tongue into the sweet darkness of her mouth.

Caitlin’s hands floated upward to entwine behind Matt’s neck, then her lashes drifted down as she savored the taste, the feel, the aroma of Matt.

She’d fantasized about this kiss, she thought hazily, dreamed about it, had been waiting, as Matt had, for it to take place.

Nothing more should, nor would, take place between them, she silently vowed, but this kiss was theirs to share, the memories of it to do with as they each desired.

Matt lifted his head just enough to draw a quick, sharp breath, then his mouth captured Caitlin’s once again in a searing kiss.

Oh, Matt, Caitlin thought as she trembled in his arms. He had picked the perfect place for this to happen. Hong Kong was…was sort of in limbo, a place of bright colors and surging crowds, a mixture of cultures, the old, the new, creating an otherworldly aura.

It wasn’t the reality of Ventura, nor of the China where her daughter waited. What happened between her and Matt here in Hong Kong was separate and apart from what truly existed. So be it.

Matt broke the kiss, took a rough breath, then eased Caitlin gently away from his aroused body.

“I should apologize for doing that,” he said, his voice gritty with passion, “but I can’t because I’m not sorry. I’ve wanted to kiss you from the moment I saw you, Caitlin. Before you decide to be mad as hell, remember that you shared these kisses, held nothing back.”

“I’m not angry,” she said, her voice unsteady. “I wanted that to happen as much as you did, Matt. The sensual tension between us has been building and building and… But that’s over, now, done. Nothing like this is going to take place between us again.”

Matt frowned and dragged a restless hand through his hair.

“I don’t understand. We just shared kisses that were sensational, unbelievable. We also get along great together, have fun, laugh, talk. Something is going on here, Caitlin. Don’t you want to know what it is?”

She took a step backward and wrapped her hands around her elbows. “No, Matt, I don’t.”

“Why in the hell not?” he said none too quietly.

“Because,” she said, dropping her hands to her hips and matching his volume, “I am on this trip for one purpose. One. My daughter. She is all I’m focusing on. I certainly don’t intend to fit a short-term affair in around the edges of my busy schedule over here. No, I’m not sorry about the kisses, but nothing else is going to… No.”

“You’re making whatever this is between us sound cheap and tacky, Caitlin. I resent that.”

“Well, excuse me to hell and back,” Caitlin said, plunking down on the edge of the bed. “Okay, you don’t like my short-term-affair description. Fine. What would you call it if we continue, end up in bed together?

“Tell me, Matt. Have you been struck by Cupid’s arrow, fallen head over heels in love with me, intend to not rest until I agree to marry you?”

“Oh. Well, no, but give me a break here. That sort of stuff only happens in the movies or those romance novels that women read. Let’s be realistic.”

“I am being realistic. We’re sexually attracted to each other, plus we have fun together, enjoy each other’s company. However, since we’re not in love with each other, taking this further would be nothing more than a short-term affair. I rest my case.”