Cassie's Cowboy Daddy by Kathie DeNosky

evening hadn’t been easy, but it had given Logan a glimpse of what fatherhood was all about. He smiled. One of the twins—he still couldn’t tell them apart—had giggled delightedly when he’d let her feed him some of her pudding, and the other one had laid her head on his shoulder and hugged hisneck when he’d finished pulling her T-shirt over her head.
    Taking care of the babies had been hard work, but he’d found himself enjoying it. He frowned. Unfortunately, he’d also found himself pondering things he had no business thinking about.
    As he sponged baby food from the floor and high chairs, an empty ache settled deep in his chest. Even though he recognized it as pure insanity, it didn’t ease the longing, or keep him from reflecting on what it would be like to be part of Cassie’s little family.
    Â 
    When Logan walked into her room a day and a half later, Cassie propped herself up against the pillows. The past couple of days had been a blur, but she was beginning to feel as if she might just survive after all.
    â€œHow are the twins?” she asked anxiously. She hadn’t dared be around them for fear they might catch the flu, and she missed them terribly.
    Logan grinned and pointed to his shirt. “Just fine.”
    She smiled at the spots on his chambray shirt—water and something yellow. “I see you’ve fed and bathed them.”
    He nodded as he set a tray of food on the bedside table. “And they’re down for the night.” He paused as he glanced down at the front of his shirt. “You know, you could have warned me that one of them doesn’t like carrots, squash or peas and the other one likes water sports.”
    Cassie laughed and reached for the bowl of chicken soup he’d brought her for supper. “It’s notthat Chelsea doesn’t like those vegetables. She just likes playing while she eats. It’s like a game for her. And Kelsie absolutely loves being in water.”
    â€œI know,” he said dryly. “I predict she’ll be an Olympic swimmer.”
    â€œCould be,” Cassie said, smiling. She took a sip of the rich chicken broth. “Mmmm, this is good.”
    â€œI opened a can of soup this time, instead of having Tucker make it,” Logan said, chuckling. “If he doesn’t stop being so vain about how he’d look in glasses, I’ll have the skinniest cowhands in Albany county.”
    She laughed. “Or they’ll all quit because you’re starving them.” She took a sip of the orange juice he’d insisted she drink with every meal. “You know, I’ve been thinking I’d like to have a celebration dinner when Ginny and Hank get home.”
    Cassie felt a pang of longing every time she thought of her friend finding the man of her dreams, but quickly tamped it down. She wished Ginny and Hank nothing but the best in their marriage. “Do you think the men down at the bunkhouse would like to join us?”
    â€œI’m sure the guys would like that idea a lot.” Logan grinned. “It will be one night they won’t have to eat Tucker’s cooking.”
    Remembering how Tucker’s beef soup had tasted, she nodded. “I can’t really say I blame them.” She took another sip of juice, then placed the empty glass back on the tray. Yawning, she leaned back against the pillows.
    â€œFeeling any better today?” Logan asked, sitting on the bed beside her.
    â€œYes, but I tire easily,” she said, distracted by his presence. Somehow it seemed extremely intimate having him sit on the bed beside her, carrying on a conversation about ordinary, everyday things.
    He reached out and touched her cheek with the back of his hand. “You don’t seem to be running a fever this evening. That’s a good sign.”
    She caught her breath at the feel of his skin against hers. She might not be running a fever, but her temperature was