Seducing the Attorney (At First Sight Book 5) by Janet Lane-Walters Page A

cupcakes sat on the table. He slid onto the couch beside her.
    Lauren picked up one of the cupcakes. “You’re evil. I’ll have some coffee, too.”
    He poured a cup, added cream and sugar and handed the beverage to her. He lifted his own cupcake and licked the icing. “How did she find a way to make this taste like whipped cream?”
    Lauren shook her head. “How would I know? I don’t cook.” She looked away and prayed he wouldn’t see what her eyes gave away.
    He bit the pastry. “This really does taste like pumpkin pie.”
    “Grace is good at what she does.”
    He nodded. “What does she plan to do for Christmas?”
    “She mentioned gingerbread and candy cane. I really hope her shop succeeds.”
    “How long have you known her?” He sipped coffee.
    “Met her at the group home. We shared a room and she was my only friend there. I hated the place. She adapted. When I ran away we lost touch. I wrote her several letters. When I returned for college, I looked for her.”
    “Up, up,” Jamie called.
    Tony lifted him from the play table and set him on the carpet. Jamie crawled to the coffee table and pulled himself to his feel He released his hold on the edge of the table and took a step and a second one before landing on his rump.
    Lauren clapped her hands. “He’s walking.” She sat on the rug and lifted him to his feet. “Tony, sit across from us and hold out your hands.”
    Tony followed her suggestion. This time the small boy took three steps before sitting down. Tony scooped him up. “Doing great, Tiger.”
    “Gr, gr.” Jamie clapped his hands.
    For a time they coaxed him to walk from one to the other. The last time he tumbled to the thick carpet he sprawled on his stomach. The clock chimed eight times.
    Lauren rose. “Looks like I’d better change him and take him to the condo.”
    Tony lifted Jamie and held him against his chest. “Why? There’s a perfectly good nursery upstairs. There are diapers and sleepers.”
    Lauren looked away. Had the weaning process begun? Was Tony about to start a fight for single custody? “I should go.”
    He caught her hand. “We need to talk about the changes.”
    Her hand tightened. So did her gut. She wished she hadn’t eaten so much. Was there more to his relocation than what she’d feared? Was this the time to take a chance and discover if Tony's change had plunged beneath the surface? “All right. To the nursery.”
    He walked with her to the stairs. “I’m glad you’re staying.”
    He sounded pleased with her decision but she couldn’t decide why. “We’ll need a bottle.”
    “Does he really need one?”
    “If he wakes while I change him, he will.”
    Tony detoured to the kitchen and returned with a partly filled bottle. “Here you go.” He led the way upstairs.
    In the nursery Lauren changed Jamie. He whimpered a bit but returned to sleep when she fed him some of the milk.
    On their way out of the room Tony flipped a switch. “We can hear him no matter where we are.”
    Lauren turned toward the back stairs. “I know you want to talk about custody. I’m not ready. I’ll go home. When he wakes, call me. I’ll come for him. It’s only a ten-minute trip.”
    Tony grasped her shoulders. “Don’t leave yet. There’s something I want to show you. I’ve a question for you.”
    He stood so close she felt the warmth of his body. The aromas of his aftershave and the scent particular to him brought tears to her eyes. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and beg him to let her stay with him forever. She couldn’t. She had goals to reach. She nodded. “I’ll stay a bit.”
    Tony clasped her hand. “Close your eyes.”
    His request puzzled her but she did. He slid his arm around her waist. They walked and halted when he opened a door and then another. Lauren opened her eyes and frowned.
    A bathroom. Why? The Jacuzzi looked tempting and the large shower reminded her of the night they’d first made love. She wanted to ask why here and why