His Perfect Woman (Harlequin Superromance) by Kay Stockham Page A

time than after Max was born.”
    â€œThat’s wonderful.”
    Ashley waved Melissa deeper into the room, looking nothing like a woman who’d just given birth hours before. “Come on, don’t be shy. Isabella and I need another female in here to help even up the numbers,” she said with grin. “And I want to thank you for helping us yesterday.”
    Melissa handed Ashley the bouquet, giving her a hug and murmuring something Bryan couldn’t hear. Ashley’s face softened and she shared a look with her husband before discreetly shooing Joe away. Joe placed his hand on Melissa’s shoulder and squeezed gently before leaving the bed and moving to Bryan’s side.
    â€œQuit staring.”
    â€œShut up,” Bryan muttered, unable to take his eyes off Melissa’s heart-shaped rear when she bent over the side of the bed rail to hug Ashley again. Dressed in snug jeans and a loose, button-down shirt, Melissa looked great. Healthy. But he’d noticed the exhaustion around her eyes when he’d picked her up this morning, and knew without a doubt she hadn’t slept, either. But why? The baby’s birth? The kiss? She’d suggested never speaking of it again. Because it hadn’t mattered to her? Didn’t affect her the way it had him?
    He heard Melissa softly say Joe’s name and jealousy made itself known. How healthy was it that Melissa was friends with her ex-lover’s wife? Was it a way to be close to Joe?
    The two women stopped whispering, and Ashley smiled as she patted Melissa’s hand. “The flowers are beautiful,” she said, her tone a little louder and now including the rest of them in the room, “and they smell wonderful. Thank you again, Melissa. For everything.”
    â€œMommy, Mommy!”
    Before Melissa could respond, Ashley’s son barreled into the room pulling a young hospital volunteer behind him. He let go of the girl’s hand once he spotted Bryan.
    â€œUnc’ B.!” Max torpedoed himself against Bryan’s legs and wrapped his arms tight, grinning. “Me, me! Up!”
    Bryan chuckled at Max’s antics and saw Melissa watching them, a smile on her face. The first true smile he’d seen all day.
    â€œWould you like a turn?” Carefully, keeping his movements steady and sure, given the munchkin pulling on his legs, Bryan shifted the baby in his arms while Melissa eagerly stepped close. During the transfer to Melissa, a minuscule hand escaped the hospital blanket.
    Melissa’s laughter filled the air, her face instantly softening with love. “Well, hello to you, too. Oh, Ashley, she’s beautiful .”
    â€œSee? Everybody knows who’s got the looks in the family,” Wilson teased from the corner of the room.
    Bryan picked up Max, distracted by the expression on Melissa’s face. She stared at the baby, transfixed, her lips curled up at the corners, her eyes sparkling.
    Beautiful was right.
    Everyone went back to chatting, but Bryan couldn’t take his eyes off Melissa even though he knew he’d get some ribbing later from Joe.
    Wilson made a joke, and they all laughed. But still he watched her. That’s why he saw the instant she started and stiffened like she’d been stabbed. The color left her cheeks and then returned in a blazing rush. A split second later, his heart slammed into his chest when a tear trickled down her cheek and Melissa hurried to wipe it away. “Melissa?”
    At the sound of Bryan’s voice, Ashley turned her head and gasped. “Melissa, what’s wrong? Why are you upset?”
    â€œI’m fine. Really .” She sniffled and released a strained laugh, but no more tears escaped. “I think I’m having sympathy mood swings for you,” she joked huskily, trying to add a smile and failing miserably. “She’s beautiful, Ashley. Just so…so perfect . I’d forgotten how—I’d forgotten.