Page 42 of No Place for Single Cowboys

They hadn’t discussed how they would divide food, but Chance knew he couldn’t have her in his house and not feed her. This way, he could be busy cooking and not looking at her. Grilling would settle his mind.

When he stepped out onto his back porch, there was the final trigger—the baby’s crib, all boxed up. Right where he’d left it.

Sweat broke out on his forehead. Christ, he’d not only invited a woman to live with him, they were about to turn into a ready-made family in a few weeks.

His first impulse was to get into his truck and drive to the Red Dog. He was so shook up the Swing Inn wouldn’t do. He needed something rawer.

But Chance was stuck here, needing to feed Cordy and the baby, even though he also needed to get the hell away.

He made himself breathe. All he had to do was light the coals. Set up the chimney starter, get the fire going. He’d done it a million times. He could do it in his sleep.

He didn’t move.

Her noodle dog watched Chance from a corner of the porch. The dog had done a few circuits of the house, sniffed around outside, then set his butt down in that corner and hadn’t movedsince. Chance almost admired how lazy the dog was—right now, Iggy only had one eye open. Apparently, opening both would require too much effort.

There was a dog in his house, too.His muscles locked up all over again. Woman, baby, dog—all the things Chance had never wanted to have. And they’d arrived in one short afternoon.

The sliding door opened with a soft whoosh.

“You don’t need to make dinner for me.” Cordy’s voice was quiet but as twisted up as Chance was feeling. “This isn’t…”

When she didn’t go on, he turned to look at her. She was still in her cutoffs and tank, a sliver of belly peeking out between her hem and waistband. The smudge was wiped off her cheek, and the scarf was gone.

She still made his blood pound.

Cordy lifted one shoulder in a weak shrug. “We’re roommates. No need to make it more than it is.”

She was giving him an out. Chance ought to grab it with both hands.

But he couldn’t shake this notion that she needed to eat. It was deeper than an urge, almost like an instinct. Not feeding her would be like holding his breath until he passed out—impossible.

He shrugged, too. “It’s easier to cook for two instead of one. Anything you can’t eat?”

Cordy rolled her eyes. “Sometimes it feels like every food is dangerous. No deli meat, soft cheese, sushi, no tuna ever, no raw eggs or anything with raw eggs, no sprouts, no unwashed veggies, no raw juices, and my meat has to be well done. Oh.” She lifted a finger as she remembered one last thing. “No caffeine.”

Chance could only stare at her. “That… Do you have anything left to live for, giving up all that?”

She patted her belly. “Yup.”

Right. Her life must have turned completely upside down once she saw the positive pregnancy test. Giving up coffee would have been easy compared to everything else.

Still, he planned to give her the biggest, fanciest coffee the Donut Palace offered the moment the baby was out.

“Well, I won’t ever do raw fish for dinner,” he said. “So we’re safe there. But what the hell is raw juice? You can cook juice?”

“I don’t know.” Laughter shone in her voice. “I just remember reading raw juice on one of those do-not-eat lists, and it stuck with me.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure all your juices are cooked, then.”

“Oh, and I am allergic to tree nuts. I had to tell Ruby that for the meal train.”

He paused with the lighter next to the chimney starter. “There’s no train around here.”

“That wasmyfirst thought. Apparently, people sign up to bring you food after the baby is born. Ruby said she would arrange it.”

“That’s great,” he said. “People should help you.”

“I’ll share with you, don’t worry. There will be way too much for just me.”

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