To Claim Her by Renee Burke Page B

Those might have influenced his thinking some.”
                  He nodded.  “Go on.”
                  She spent the next few hours talking about the milestones, big and small, in Eddie’s life.  His daycare, sleep habits, favorite toys, trips to the lake, starting preschool soon, and plans for the summer.  She answered Mark’s questions and tried to fill in any gaps to help him know everything he wanted.  She even pulled out the album she had rescued from her house and showed him the snapshots that she had.  “There are a lot more on my computer that I haven’t printed.  He’ll love telling you about them.”
                  “I’ll love hearing all about them.”
    “I’m sorry.”
                  They fell asleep that way, sleepily sharing bits from the past four years, and when she awoke before dawn snuggled into his big body she didn’t panic as she have just days before.  She sighed and settled into his warmth before closing her eyes and nodding back off to sleep.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Gretchen planned to spend the next day catching up with Eddie and working at the kitchen table rather than jaunting across town to get through the day. Normally, she was up with the sun to spend time with Eddie before heading out to Sebastian’s for his breakfast and medicines.  Now that she was just up the stairs, the urgency might have been gone had she not been on pins and needles about the day ahead with Eddie and Mark.  According to Mark, it was smooth as could be, and she hoped that easy attitude would last.   
    She put on jeans and a top and went downstairs.  Eddie was still sleeping but she knew that wouldn’t last.  She sat up her computer in a corner of the kitchen where she would be out of the way and connected to the internet.   
    She felt small hands on her arm and turned to see a sleepy Eddie standing beside her. 
    “Wow!  You were stealth!”
    He grinned a big toothy smile.
    “Been practicing?”
    He nodded.  “Can I have some chocolate milk?”
    She opened her arms, and he stepped into them for a big hug, grunting as he tried to squeeze the life out of her.  “Missed you.  Did you have fun?”
    He released her and climbed into a chair at the table.  “We played at the pool and the zoo.”
              Gretchen heard the stairs creek and glanced toward them in time to see Mark step into the kitchen.  He wore shorts and his chest was bare.  She immediately flashed to a memory of licking across the smooth skin the morning before.  Her face flamed, and he smirked as if he could read her mind. 
    “Morning, Eddie.”
    Her attention was diverted to Eddie standing up from the table. 
    She watched painfully.  He didn’t move away from the chair, just stood there, and her heart squeezed at the idea he might not be sure Mark would want a morning hug. 
    “My dad came back.”
    She nudged her head toward the table as she made for the fridge.   Mark went easily and sat, pulling Eddie into his lap.  She exhaled in relief.  “I know!  It’s very exciting.”
    Eddie nodded.  “He says he’s going to teach me to play ball today.”
    She sat the glass of milk on the table before gesturing a coffee cup at Mark in offering.  
    “Black.”
    “I told him I already know how to play from watching on TV.”
    Mark nodded.  “That can teach you a lot.  It may feel a little different when you do it yourself.”
    Eddie eyed him suspiciously.  “Have you ever played?”
    Mark’s smile was wry.  “About a hundred years ago.”
    “Really?”  He drank his milk and listened. 
    “Well, maybe not that long.  I played in high school and here and there in the military.  Second base.”
    Gretchen had watched him in his mouth-watering uniform when they dated.  He was fit and gorgeous, and she had hated knowing she wasn’t the only one on the sideline watching with more than just team spirit.
    Gretchen fixed toast and