Moscow.
Liz shook off the scary thought. She and the baby were fine, and they were going to stay that way. David was looking into things. While she might think falling in love with him was dumb, she trusted him to keep her and the baby safe.
She dressed Natasha, then herself, just in time for David’s arrival a few minutes later. He called from the lobby, then knocked on her door.
“Hey,” he said when she let him in. “Did you sleep?”
Liz took in the broad shoulders straining his suit jacket, the smooth-shaven jaw, the welcoming light in his dark eyes and wanted to wave the white flag of surrender. How was she supposed to resist this man when he was not only gorgeous, but nice, great in bed, terrific with her daughter and currently keeping them both safe from mysterious forces?
“I lay down some,” she said with a shrug. “I’ll be okay.”
His gaze narrowed. “I don’t like the sound of that. Nerves keep you up?”
“I kept waiting for someone to break down the hotel room door.”
“So my hallway security didn’t give you much peace of mind.”
“It helped. I was able to doze off now and then.”
“Uh-huh. Not good. You need your rest.”
She appreciated his concern, but knew there wasn’t anything he could do to change the situation. “I’ll catch up when I get home.”
“Sure. Because Natasha won’t be any trouble at all.”
She smiled. “You’re sweet to worry.”
“I’m more than sweet. I’m practical.” He crossed to the bed and pulled back the covers. “Get in there right now.”
“I can’t.”
“Of course you can. Is she fed?”
“Yes, but—”
“But nothing. Natasha and I are going to hang out together for a few hours. We’ll be back at noon to take you to the orphanage.”
He looked completely serious. Even as she watched, he loaded the diaper bag, then set the car seat in the chair and carried Natasha over to it.
She resisted the need to rub her eyes. “You’re really going to take care of her?”
“Do you doubt my ability?”
“Not exactly.”
“Which means you do.”
She shrugged. “Okay. Yes. You’re a guy.”
He pretended to wince. “Sexist much? Well, anything you can do I can do just as well.”
“At least you didn’t say better.”
“I’m not that stupid.”
He strapped the baby into the seat. Liz noticed that Natasha seemed just as content to be with David as with her. The kid had great taste in men.
David glanced at his watch. “Okay, you’ve got four hours. Sleep. I’ll tell the manager to hold off housekeeping until after noon.”
She sank onto the edge of the mattress and allowed herself to feel her exhaustion. “You’re wonderful for doing this.”
“Don’t I know it.” He bent over and kissed her forehead. “See you soon.”
Liz watched him carry out the baby. Then the door closed and she stretched out on the bed. She really should get up and change into her nightgown. Or at least remove her jeans. Everything would get wrinkled or…
Her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted off to sleep.
David walked down to his car and strapped Natasha into place.
“You’re going to change my morning plans,” he told the baby. “How do you feel about staff meetings?”
The infant giggled at him, then flailed her arms. He smiled back, then climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. As he pulled out, he noticed his parking space was taken by a white van that had just rounded the corner. Lucky driver.
When he arrived at his office, his secretary took one look at Natasha and started to laugh.
“This is new,” she teased. “Are babies the latest in accessory?”
“I’m helping out a friend,” he said. “She’s actually a good kid.” He motioned to his secretary. “Mandy, this is Natasha.”
“Ooh, she’s a sweetie. Can I hold her?”
“Maybe. If you’re good.”
Mandy laughed. “So that’s how you’re going to do it, huh? Tempt me with the baby, but hold her just out of reach so
Liz shook off the scary thought. She and the baby were fine, and they were going to stay that way. David was looking into things. While she might think falling in love with him was dumb, she trusted him to keep her and the baby safe.
She dressed Natasha, then herself, just in time for David’s arrival a few minutes later. He called from the lobby, then knocked on her door.
“Hey,” he said when she let him in. “Did you sleep?”
Liz took in the broad shoulders straining his suit jacket, the smooth-shaven jaw, the welcoming light in his dark eyes and wanted to wave the white flag of surrender. How was she supposed to resist this man when he was not only gorgeous, but nice, great in bed, terrific with her daughter and currently keeping them both safe from mysterious forces?
“I lay down some,” she said with a shrug. “I’ll be okay.”
His gaze narrowed. “I don’t like the sound of that. Nerves keep you up?”
“I kept waiting for someone to break down the hotel room door.”
“So my hallway security didn’t give you much peace of mind.”
“It helped. I was able to doze off now and then.”
“Uh-huh. Not good. You need your rest.”
She appreciated his concern, but knew there wasn’t anything he could do to change the situation. “I’ll catch up when I get home.”
“Sure. Because Natasha won’t be any trouble at all.”
She smiled. “You’re sweet to worry.”
“I’m more than sweet. I’m practical.” He crossed to the bed and pulled back the covers. “Get in there right now.”
“I can’t.”
“Of course you can. Is she fed?”
“Yes, but—”
“But nothing. Natasha and I are going to hang out together for a few hours. We’ll be back at noon to take you to the orphanage.”
He looked completely serious. Even as she watched, he loaded the diaper bag, then set the car seat in the chair and carried Natasha over to it.
She resisted the need to rub her eyes. “You’re really going to take care of her?”
“Do you doubt my ability?”
“Not exactly.”
“Which means you do.”
She shrugged. “Okay. Yes. You’re a guy.”
He pretended to wince. “Sexist much? Well, anything you can do I can do just as well.”
“At least you didn’t say better.”
“I’m not that stupid.”
He strapped the baby into the seat. Liz noticed that Natasha seemed just as content to be with David as with her. The kid had great taste in men.
David glanced at his watch. “Okay, you’ve got four hours. Sleep. I’ll tell the manager to hold off housekeeping until after noon.”
She sank onto the edge of the mattress and allowed herself to feel her exhaustion. “You’re wonderful for doing this.”
“Don’t I know it.” He bent over and kissed her forehead. “See you soon.”
Liz watched him carry out the baby. Then the door closed and she stretched out on the bed. She really should get up and change into her nightgown. Or at least remove her jeans. Everything would get wrinkled or…
Her eyes fluttered closed and she drifted off to sleep.
David walked down to his car and strapped Natasha into place.
“You’re going to change my morning plans,” he told the baby. “How do you feel about staff meetings?”
The infant giggled at him, then flailed her arms. He smiled back, then climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. As he pulled out, he noticed his parking space was taken by a white van that had just rounded the corner. Lucky driver.
When he arrived at his office, his secretary took one look at Natasha and started to laugh.
“This is new,” she teased. “Are babies the latest in accessory?”
“I’m helping out a friend,” he said. “She’s actually a good kid.” He motioned to his secretary. “Mandy, this is Natasha.”
“Ooh, she’s a sweetie. Can I hold her?”
“Maybe. If you’re good.”
Mandy laughed. “So that’s how you’re going to do it, huh? Tempt me with the baby, but hold her just out of reach so
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