Simple Man

  “Did you give him anything?”

  “I don’t have anything here. I know. Stupid. I—”

  Before he could finish, she said, “I’ll get something on my way over. I’ll be right there. Try dabbing his neck with a cool cloth.”

  “I did that.”

  “Good.”

  He ended the call and paced. Logan was completely inconsolable. He’d stripped him down to a diaper and held him with a thin receiving blanket wrapped at his hips. When Kate finally got there he wanted to collapse. He held open the door as she climbed out of her car.

  She was in flip-flops, a vintage Madonna t-shirt, and sweats. She looked totally different. She looked young and…cool.

  She stepped inside, holding a bag from the pharmacy. Her hands immediately went to Logan’s back and she winced. “Here, let me take him for a minute. You’re frustrated. Babies can sense that.”

  He handed him over and took the bag from her.

  “I also brought my humidifier in case you needed it.”

  He sorted through the items in the bag. She’d bought a lot of stuff. “A humidifier?”

  “In case he’s stuffy.”

  Shane nodded. Logan screamed, and Kate rocked him on her hip. Her ass looked great in those cotton pants, but now wasn’t the time.

  He cracked open the box of Tylenol and read the label. “How do I get him to drink this?”

  “There’s a syringe in there.”

  “Where am I injecting it?”

  She laughed. “Into his mouth.”

  Shane measured out the dosage and went to Logan. He was still crying, but had now worked himself down to quiet, shivering sobs. His little body shook with tremors every few seconds as each big snuffle hit. Shane had never seen anything sadder.

  “Here, buddy. This is going to make you feel better.” He brought the tip of the medicine injector to his mouth and Logan turned away.

  “Come over here,” Kate said, heading for the couch.

  She held Logan on her lap so that he couldn’t squirm. Shane quickly injected the medicine in his mouth. He swallowed thickly and began to scream again. Kate turned him to her shoulder and soothed him.

  Shane sat back and dragged a hand over his head. He needed a minute. He sat simply watching Kate’s foot bounce. She had blue nail polish on her toes. That was unexpected.

  When Logan quieted again she asked, “Do you want to try to give him another bottle?”

  Shane dumped the bottle he’d been using and made a fresh one.

  “Maybe not heat it up since he’s so warm already.”

  He shrugged and carried it over. He expected Kate to hand him the baby, but instead she gestured for the bottle. He handed it to her.

  She turned Logan in her arms and softly whispered as she angled the bottle. Tension unraveled in his shoulders as Logan began to drink. Shane stood idly to the side as she fed his nephew. His mind went blank at the vision. There was something so incredibly…beautiful about watching Kate feed Logan.

  “What?” she whispered.

  “You’re good at that.”

  She smiled and stared down at Logan who was drinking with his eyes closed. “I have two nieces.”

  “Do you spend a lot of time with them?”

  “I’m twenty-five and single. According to my sister that makes me the best babysitter in the world.”

  “What are their names?”

  “Keira and Kiley.”

  He stared a while longer. Logan finished the bottle and remained asleep. They probably shouldn’t move him just yet. Shane sat beside her on the couch.

  “Thanks for coming over.”

  She smiled. “No problem.”

  “I’ll give you money for the things you picked up.”

  Her mouth opened as if she wanted to object, but she said nothing, only turned away to gaze at Logan. Her hand touched his head. “He feels like he’s cooling down. I bought a thermometer that goes in his ear. We should probably take his temperature now, so we know if it drops or goes up.”

  “Good idea.”

  He opened the thermometer and returned to the couch. She turned her body so that he could place the tip of the thermometer in Logan’s ear. Shane kneeled and waited. Logan’s face rested along the soft curve of Kate’s breasts, which filled out her worn t-shirt to perfection. The thermometer beeped.

  “One hundred point one.”

  “That’s good,” she said.

  “It is?”

  “Yeah. Anything over one hundred point four is cause for concern. Hopefully the medicine will bring it down. We’ll check again in about a half hour.”

  She was so calm. He didn’t know who she was soothing more, Logan or him. Shane glanced back down at Logan, peacefully sleeping on her chest. Probably Logan.

  He sat awkwardly waiting for her to say something. Finally, he decided to break the silence. “What were you doing when I called?”

  She blushed.

  He laughed. “What?”

  “Watching Teen Witch.”

  For some reason he could totally see her doing that. Not the woman who’d first come to interrogate him in her cardigan, but this chick in the Madonna shirt…yeah, he could see that. “Teen Witch, huh?”

  “Yeah, there was an eighties marathon on. Goonies was next.”

  “I love Goonies!”

  She looked at him with a dead serious expression and said, “Goonies never say die.”

  Dear God, he was in love. “What channel?”

  “Twenty-eight.”

  He grabbed the remote and switched the channel. It was right at the beginning, Cindi Lauper was still singing. Perfect.

  They watched quietly for a while and then she admitted, “I used to love Brand.”

  He gazed at her. “Really?”

  She giggled and nodded.

  “I was always a chunk fan myself.”

  “He’s skinny now,” she told him.

  “I know. His wife’s hot!” Her expression froze. Probably not the right thing to say. “Sorry.”

  He faced the television and the silence grew between them. Why did he say that? Needing to break the silence, he said, “Here, I’ll take him to his crib.”

  “Oh.” She looked down as if she forgot she was even holding the baby. Logan had been sleeping so peacefully for the past while. She handed him over and he carried him to the crib.

  When he came back out she was standing. “Are you leaving?”

  She nibbled her lower lip as if debating. “You seem to have everything under control now.”

  “I…I thought you were gonna watch the movie with me.”

  “Don’t you have work in the morning?”

  “I’m not going.” He decided in that moment. “I need to take Logan to the doctor’s to make sure everything’s okay.”

  “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

  He stepped closer to her. He wanted her to stay. “What time do you go into work tomorrow?”

  “I only have one case to deal with tomorrow. I can do that whenever. My schedule’s flexible. Why?”

  He took another step closer. She looked at him and he noticed the way her chest rose and fell slightly with each breath. “Stay,” he whispered. “Watch the movie.”

  Her lower lip disappeared beneath her little teeth. A small V formed in her brow as she considered his offer. He held his breath.

  “Okay,” she finally whispered.

  He smiled and they sat down on the couch. She sat at the far end so there was a whole cushion between them. They watched the movie in utter silence. Kate barely seemed to move. He kept glancing over at her and sometimes caught her staring at him. Whenever he found her watching him she blushed and quickly turned back to the movie. Little by little he made infinitesimal shifts closer to the middle of the couch.

  He shifted when it came to the scene of Brand and Andy’s kiss in the water. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Kate watching him again. She was sitting up straight, her breathing shallow.

&nb
sp; Tension rolled around them. “Fuck it.”

  He turned and she jumped when he leaned in. His lips found hers and his hand cupped the back of her head. She was all warm softness and smelled like the beach.

  She sighed and her mouth slightly opened letting him in. He scooted closer and eased his body over hers. She slouched into the back of the couch. Her hand gripped his bicep, squeezing slightly. She tasted amazing.

  His mouth pressed over hers as he slowly eased his tongue into her mouth. She made a soft hum of pleasure that seemed to vibrate all the way to his core. A rush of excitement tunneled through him as they found a more comfortable position. Sweet Jesus she had an incredible mouth.

  He hadn’t kissed like this in so long. They were actually making out. He nudged her body down on the couch and her knees curled, lightly bracketing his hips. His body pressed into the cradle of her thighs and she moaned. She was all warm curves and sweet caresses.

  Her hands coasted over his back, tickling him and making him arch like a cat. His fingers brushed over her soft blond hair and he stared at her, his own mane making a curtain around them. “You’re so pretty.”

  She turned a delicate shade of pink and leaned up to press her lips to his. Still amazed she was letting him kiss her, he slowly lowered his lashes. The gentle weight of her fingertips on his skin was incredible. He was rock hard. Deepening the kiss, he pressed his body into the cradle of her thighs. Energy shifted to something hot and intensely intoxicating. He drew back, not wanting to spoil the moment.

  Her lips were puffy and she was breathing fast. Did she feel it too? His fingers toyed with the edge of her shirt. “I like this,” he whispered. “Your shirt.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Can I take it off?” Fuck. He shouldn’t have said that. She wasn’t like the girls he picked up at the bar.

  Her lips parted and she stilled. Just like that, he watched her grow very aware of where they were, and what they were doing.

  Shit. He didn’t want her to wig out. “Don’t,” he whispered.

  She blinked at him. “Don’t what?”

  Their mouths were still very close. “Don’t say we have to stop.”

  She glanced over at the television. “The movie’s over.”

  “So?” Everything inside of him feared she’d bolt.

  “I said I’d stay for the movie.”

  He looked at the television. “Breakfast Club’s coming on next.”

  Her eyes closed as a regretful expression tightened her mouth. He was losing her. He could sense it. He quickly pressed his lips to hers, begging her to stay. She kissed him back for a moment then turned and gave him her cheek. “I should go.”

  He pressed his forehead into the curve of her neck as disappointment doused his mood. “I don’t want you to,” he admitted, breathing in the soft beach scent of her hair.

  “But I should.”

  “Why?”

  Her hands remained around his neck, holding him to her. “Because I’m your caseworker and this isn’t right.”

  “Says who? It feels right.” Desperate for her to stay, he slowly nudged her with his body, showing her how much he was enjoying her in his arms.

  She whimpered as though she were having some major debate in her head. “Shane—”

  “Stay. Please.”

  “What about Logan?”

  He hesitated. What if this was a test? “He’s too young to date,” he joked and she laughed.

  “You know what I mean. He’s sick.”

  Yes, he was. Damn it. He didn’t want her to think he was thinking with his dick and not being a good guardian. Hesitantly, he sat up and she slowly followed, righting her clothing that had been nudged out of place. The flash of her stomach made him want to throw her back down and peel off her clothes.

  He shifted awkwardly, painfully aware of his hard-on.

  “Will you be okay?”

  He looked at her, misunderstanding for a moment then realized she was referring to Logan, not his blue balls. “Yeah.” He stood. “Thanks for tonight—the medicine, I mean. How much do I owe you?”

  She shrugged. “We can figure it out later.”

  “I don’t want you paying for that stuff. It’s my responsibility.”

  “It’s okay.”

  He stepped close and brushed her chin with the backs of his knuckles. “Kate, tell me how much you spent.”

  She drew in an unsteady breath. Good, she was as affected by his nearness as much as he was by hers. He didn’t want her to act like nothing happened.

  Leaning down, he brushed his lips to hers and whispered, “Where’s the receipt?”

  “It was twenty dollars,” she breathed against his mouth.

  He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Kate turned away. Why was she uncomfortable taking money from him? Logan was his responsibility, not hers. “Here.”

  Her mouth tightened as she took the bill. He followed her to the door. “Thanks for…having me.”

  “Thanks for helping with Logan.”

  She nodded and turned to leave. He caught her wrist and jerked her back. His body covered hers as he pressed her into the wall and kissed her deeply. She sighed and melted into him. He kissed her passionately. Giving her something unforgettable, so she wouldn’t try to act like nothing happened, which he already sensed her planning to do.

  When he pulled away they were both breathless. Her lips were nude and puffy. God, she was cute.

  “Goodnight,” he whispered.

  “Goodnight,” she mimicked. And this time, when she tried to leave, he let her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Shane dried off from his shower and combed out his hair. It was getting really long. He wondered if Kate liked long hair on guys. And tattoos. And did she like musicians for that matter? Tonight he’d seen a whole new side of her. His prim and proper caseworker was a little bit of a retro punk. He liked that.

  After pulling on a pair of sweats, he checked on Logan, laying a palm gently on his back. Sometimes he was so still when he slept it was almost frightening. His body temperature felt good, normal.

  Today had been terrifying. He was definitely taking his little man to the doctor’s tomorrow to see what was what.

  Quietly pressing the button on the thermometer, he reset it and pressed it to Logan’s ear. 97.9. Shutting his eyes, he let out a breath of relief and thanked the gods his temp dropped.

  At the closet he pulled out the soft quilt that belonged to his mother. When he was a little boy and didn’t feel good, she’d cover him with it and let him rest on the couch all day. While his friends were at school he’d catch up on Three’s Company reruns and Gilligan’s Island. He always passed out during The Facts of Life.

  He scooped Logan up and cradled him to his chest, shushing him when he started to stir. He told himself he was comforting his sick little man, but knew he was acting more for his own piece of mind.

  Shutting out the hall light, he carried Logan to the couch and made a nest of pillows along the floor. He carefully reclined, curling his arms protectively around his boy, and faced the back of the couch. He needed a new couch.

  Shane stared at Logan, experiencing a wonder of emotion welling up inside of him out of nowhere. He’d been scared tonight—really scared—more scared than he’d probably ever been. He’d be more than willing to admit at this point that babies were not as easy to take care of as they seemed.

  Logan’s small, rosy mouth puckered and he sighed in his sleep. He looked like an angel. So much so, Shane was tempted to check for wings.

  He smiled. “You’re my boy.”

  That night he rested on the surface of sleep, never really truly relaxing, tuned into every whispered breath or sound Logan made. It was a tense night, but at the same time, totally reassuring to hold him through the dark.

  Somehow, Shane’s rest didn’t matter. He was exhausted, but found a reserve of usable energy to take care of Logan. He’d always take care of him, no matter what.

  The foll
owing day, once they returned home from the pediatrician’s, Shane cleaned. His place hadn’t been tidied up like that since…ever. It needed a good scrubbing desperately.

  He reorganized his medicine cabinet, assigning an entire shelf to baby stuff. He cleaned out the drawers in his bedroom, which were mostly jammed with CDs and crap. He actually folded his clothes and put them away. It was a novel concept, not leaving clothes out on the dresser or the floor or wherever. He even arranged two drawers for Logan’s pint-sized wardrobe and blankets.

  The doctor said Logan likely picked up a twenty-four hour bug. Shane had tons of questions and the other parents in the waiting room gave him the stink eye as he left, probably because he took up so much of the doctor’s time. Well, tough shit.

  By the following evening his little man seemed to be acting more himself. Shane vacuumed and spread a blanket out on the floor along with several toys. He didn’t have much. There was a used baby toy store he passed on the way home from work he wanted to stop by next time he got paid. Right now Logan’s favorite toy was a rubber spatula.

  He compulsively checked his phone, but other than a few texts from the guys there was nothing. He didn’t know why he expected Kate to call. She never had before, but for some reason he found himself wishing she would.

  When he was done for the night he sat on the floor with his back to the couch and played his acoustic as Logan sang and gurgled along. Logan liked being serenaded so Shane sang him some Jack Johnson and rolled into a bit of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

  Logan’s eyes grew heavy. He blinked slowly and rolled to his back. His hands balled into pudgy fists and played over his face. Shane quietly watched as he played, finding it therapeutic to observe his little man discover new things at every turn.

  As his fingers gently strummed the notes Logan grew more and more sleepy. He played on, singing softly, turning the riff into a soft lullaby. Logan was sound asleep by the time he crooned the verse about clouds being far behind.

  Shane played out the song, ending on a slow harmonic pull of his voice. Grinning, he placed his guitar on the couch, and carried Logan to his crib.