ever compatible!
But therein lay the trouble. She was in love with him. Crazy in love. Canât-breathe-in-his-presence love. How could she make a civilized agreement knowing that her heart was so completely engaged and his was not? How could either of them be happy under such circumstances?
She heard the sound of his voice in the other room, rising and falling in that beautiful lilt, and below it the sound of nonsense baby noises. She picked up his shirt from the floor and tossed it on, buttoning it as she crept into the other room. At the sight that greeted her, her heart squeezed so hard it was as if a fist had it, and she had to take a moment to remember to breathe. Fresh blood and oxygen rushed back in, filling her heart and her throat, the pure, sweet gold of love.
For there was Dylan in a pair of jeans and nothing else, kneeling on the floor where heâd spread a blanket. On the blanket was a freshly diapered Merry, gurgling and cooingand squeaking in response to his low, intimate conversation. He was dressing her, and by the look of the babyâs damp head, she was freshly bathed.
âSo you think I should just tell her, do you?â he said and waited for Merry to chortle back, her hands and feet going a thousand miles an hour.
Oh, Kyra thought, it didnât matter if he didnât love her the same way she loved him. She had plenty of love in her for both of them, and he loved Merry and he would be faithful and work hard and make love to her.
Tears sprang to her eyes. Wasnât that what real love was about anyway?
âGood morning,â she said quietly.
âOh, ho!â Dylan cried. âHereâs your mommy now! What say you, girl? Tell her youâre sorry you made her so tired she slept clear through the night.â
âDid she sleep all night?â Kyra asked, padding closer.
âDa la la la da,â Merry said, her head turning in a gratifying way to see where Kyra was.
âTechnically all night, since she didnât start fussing until 4:00 a.m.â His diamond-bright eyes fastened on her face. So early in the morning, his beard was heavy and grizzled. âHow are you this fine morning?â
She nodded, a very small smile spilling over her lips. âVery well, thank you.â She brushed a hand over his chin, realizing as she did so that there was something about Dylan Jones that made her lose her lifelong shyness. âThis is a very sexy look, I must say.â
He caught her hand and kissed the palm, then took a breath. âMerry and I, we have something to confess to you.â
Rocking back on her heels, she frowned. There was gravity in his face. âYou changed your mind,â she said dully.
âNot exactly,â he said and propped Merry against his side, the length of her back against his arm, her happy-baby expression unmistakably a smile as she cooed toward Kyra.
âWait,â she said and kissed Merryâs nose. And then kissed Dylan, too. She took a breath and rocked back on her heels. âOkay, tell me the bad news.â
At 5:49 a.m., Dylan Jonesâwho was the most gorgeous, kind, honorable and, not to mention, sexy man she had ever metâsaid, âItâs just that I think you should know the whole truth, Kyra. I would like to marry you and I would like to make the agreement we discussed, but I also think itâs fair to tell you thatââ He paused, looked at the baby, then back to Kyra. âWell, itâs foolish and I have no way to make it sound less so, but Iâm marrying you because I hope someday youâll find it in you to love me the way I love you now.â
All the little signs and signals sheâd been noticing since she first laid eyes upon him, all those pointers that made him seem so familiar, dropped into place. She smiled slowly. âI see.â
He cleared his throat. Nervously.
Kyra laughed. She fell forward and kissed tiny baby toes and then Dylanâs fingers and
C. J. Cherryh
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