Page 13 of Mistletoe Meet Cute
Sophie pumps her tiny legs, fists opening and closing as if she already knows exactly how to play me to get what she wants. And there’s no mistaking this little lady wants to be picked up.
“Hi, sugar plum,” I whisper as I squat down slowly in front of her, making sure Cujo with the giant pink tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth doesn’t attack me for talking to her baby.
The tan and white bulldog moves in front of Sophie but doesn’t growl, she simply places her head in the baby’s lap likeGo ahead, try to steal her now, lady. I dare you.
Thankfully, Camden appears in the doorway a moment later, big and broad and still just as broody as earlier, his arms crossed like he’s unimpressed with me being here, even though he knew I was coming. His eyes flick from Sophie to me, skipping right over the dog currently stopping me from picking up the baby.
“She just woke up,” he says with a beautifully gravelly voice, one that may have graced one or two of my dreams since the first time I heard it. “She’ll need a bottle soon.”
“I think her bodyguard might have other plans.” I smile at the dog, whose big old head is still in Sophie’s little lap. “Does Cujo have a name?”
Camden grips the back of his neck as he looks at the dog with a look somewhere between love and frustration in his eyes. I’m already noticing it’s a familiar look for this man. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“And... do you think you might want to share it with me?” I push, still waiting for the pup to growl or snap or do something to scare me away from her baby.
“Madden—come.” Camden’s words are clipped, and Madden immediately lifts her head and trots over to her owner. “He’sthe biggest softy you’ll ever meet. Don’t worry about him. Not much of a watchdog unless you get too close to Sophie. The fact he let you this close says you must have passed his test.”
Okay... not a girl dog. Got it. I smile, wondering if he was grading on a curve. I mean, I passed a test I didn’t know I was taking, so I guess I shouldn’t be picky.
Slowly, so Madden sees it coming, I scoop Sophie out of her chair, happy when he doesn’t growl, and nuzzle her head as she tucks herself against my shoulder like she belongs there, right before she drools down the front of my shirt without a single ounce of apology. I have a feeling I’m going to fall in love with this little girl before her daddy can even throw a touchdown. When all my friends were playing teacher or doctor, I was playing mommy with my dolls. I didn’t want students back then. I wanted babies. Something I still want, desperately. But to have a baby, you need to have a man or a bank account big enough to pay to get you what you need from a man to get pregnant. I have neither. And while I wouldn’t say I’m exactly in a big rush for either, I also wouldn’t say that it’s not something I’ve thought about.
I breathe in Sophie’s baby-soft scent and melt. Okay... time to get to work. “Any chance you have a schedule for me to follow?”
Camden guides me into the kitchen and pushes a notebook across the counter with black handwriting scribbled across the pages. “My brother-in-law told me to write everything down.” He runs his hand through his hair and stairs down at the paper. “I may have gone a little overboard.”
I open it and flip through the pages, smiling. “Not overboard. Just thorough.”
“She’s the most important thing in my world, Holly.” Damn. There goes the first crack in my heart. Forget good dad. I’m betting he’s a great dad. “Hell, she’s my world.”
Yup. There go the ovaries.
Down girl.
Do not drool over your new boss.
I drag my eyes away from the incredibly sexy man in front of me, back down to the notebook on the counter and skim through the pages. Sophie’s entire routine seems to be written down, from feeding times and amounts to naptimes, bathtime, and where he keeps all the supplies. There’s a list of names and numbers to call in case of emergency, as well as the addresses for the doctor’s office and the hospital.
He’s thought of everything. “This is great. Thank you.”
Camden shrugs, uncomfortable with the praise. “Listen, I appreciate you doing this. You’re really helping me out. I’ve never left her with anyone besides my old nanny or my sister and can’t say I love the idea of doing it now.” He drags the pad of a big finger down the slope of her little nose, smiling, and wow, this man should smile more often. “Hopefully, she won’t give you too much trouble.”
Pretty sure she’s not going to be the trouble...
Nope. Not going there.
“We’ll be fine,” I promise Camden before shifting Sophie between us. “Isn’t that right, sugar plum?” I sway the two of us from side to side, enjoying the way her eyes focus on mine. “We’re going to eat a little something and spend the afternoon getting to know each other.”
“Sugar plum?” he asks with an arched brow.
Oh come on . . .
He can’t possibly?—
“Like theNutcracker,” I tell him, expecting some flicker of recognition. What I get is a blank face instead. “Really? Nothing?”
He shakes his head.
“Seriously, do you hate Christmas?”
