Melissa McClone – New Arrivals: Surprise Baby for Him: The Cattleman's Adopted Family / The Soldier's Homecoming / Marriage for Baby (страница 14)

‘She’s having a great time here,’ Amy admitted softly.

‘She is, isn’t she?’ He was still smiling.

She wanted to remind him of his intention to let Bella return to Melbourne at the end of their stay, but she was silenced by the shining light in his eyes. For the first time since she’d met him, he looked genuinely happy.

After Seth showered and changed into fresh clothes, he went through to the kitchen, where he found Bella at the kitchen table, glowing pink and clean after her bath, smelling of baby talcum powder and wolfing down a bowl of Ming’s special chicken congee.

‘Hi, Sef,’ Bella called, waving her spoon at him. ‘My eating dinner.’

‘Lucky you.’ He found himself smiling back at her. He’d been smiling so much lately it was a wonder his face hadn’t cracked. ‘Is Amy about?’ he asked Ming.

‘She’s taking a shower.’ Ming turned from the stove, shot a shrewd glance Seth’s way, and grinned. ‘I reckon she’s doing the same as you.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Getting spruced up for your dinner date.’

‘It isn’t a date.’

Ming’s keen gaze took in Seth’s clean moleskin trousers and neatly pressed shirt and Seth felt the back of his neck grow hot.

‘I thought I explained,’ he said tightly. ‘Amy’s a friend of Rachel’s. You remember Rachel? Rachel Tyler?’

‘Of course.’ The cook frowned and turned back to the stove. ‘But Amy Ross is nothing like Rachel.’

‘No,’ Seth agreed as he helped Bella to scrape the last of the chicken and rice porridge from the bottom of her bowl. ‘Amy’s not remotely like Rachel. They’re chalk and cheese.’

He heard a sound behind him and turned to find Amy in the doorway. Her hair was loose to her shoulders, brushed and shining, and she was wearing a white summery dress with no sleeves and a soft, floaty skirt. She carried an apricot silk wrap, and her skin looked natural and free from make-up. She was…in a word…

Lovely…

Breathtakingly so.

And she looked as if she might, at any moment, burst into tears.

Seth cursed beneath his breath as he realised she’d overheard his conversation with Ming, and the comparison with Rachel. Damn. He’d meant it as a compliment, but it could just as easily have sounded like a put-down to her. Problem was, he couldn’t explain exactly what he’d meant by his ‘chalk and cheese’ statement without embarrassing her in front of Ming, and without casting her best friend in a bad light.

Despite the abrupt and awkward silence, Amy came into the room and flashed a bright smile, clearly determined to carry on as if she’d heard nothing. ‘Has Bella finished her dinner?’

‘She’s eaten every drop,’ Seth told her.

‘Ming, you must be a genius.’ Amy admired the empty bowl elaborately. ‘Bella doesn’t normally eat much in the evenings.’

Ming grinned. ‘Everyone likes my cooking.’

‘You should thank Ming, Bella.’

‘Thank you, Ming,’ the little girl parroted obediently, but her smile was genuine enough to melt the shy cook’s heart.

‘Now drink up your milk because it’s time for bed.’

As soon as the milk was down Amy whisked the child away.

Not once did she look at Seth.

Amy took a deep breath as she walked across the subtly lit veranda, past a table set prettily for two, with a candle under a glass dome and a pink ceramic bowl filled with floating flowers. She found Seth sitting on the top veranda step, staring out into the vast, moony black night.

‘Seth?’

His head whipped around and his gaze was fierce.

She swallowed. ‘Would you mind saying goodnight to Bella?’ Smiling awkwardly, she explained, ‘I’m afraid she won’t settle without a kiss from you.’

‘Sure.’ He stood quickly and looked as uncomfortable as Amy felt.

‘I’ll wait here,’ she said steadily, but she was fighting tears as she watched him go. It was so silly. She was upset on all sorts of levels tonight.

Bella’s demand that Seth be the one to tuck her in had hurt. Amy hated to think she was jealous, but the little girl was falling for Seth fast and hard. She seemed to be totally fascinated by him—utterly trusting, excited and enthralled.

Amy told herself it was because Bella had very little experience of men. Rachel had stopped going out with guys once she’d known she was pregnant, and, of course, Dominic had stayed well out of any scene that had involved Bella.

But now, it was almost as if Bella sensed that Seth was special, and connected to her. It was fanciful to think that the child knew he was her father. But very soon he would want her to know the truth, and, although she was too little to really understand, it would be an important step in cementing their emotional bond.

Leaving her wrap on the veranda railing, Amy leaned against a post and looked out at the inky sky where a silvery half-moon was glowing softly through a gap in the trees. She thought again about the conversation she’d overheard in the kitchen.

It was really silly to be upset about that. She knew very well she was different from Rachel. It was very true they were chalk and cheese. Their differences had kept their friendship in balance. But it was only logical that, if Seth had been madly attracted to cheese, he was unlikely to fall for chalk.

Of course she knew that.

She had never, in her wildest dreams, expected Rachel’s ex to be interested in her. She just wished he hadn’t held her hand this evening, hadn’t made that one slow, deliberate stroke on her skin. She was quite, quite sure she would remember that slide of his thumb for the rest of her life.

But how idiotic was that?

Anyone would think she was a trembling virgin who’d been locked away in a tower for a hundred years and knew absolutely nothing about men. Truth be told, she’d had experience, but she had a terrible habit of picking the wrong kind of guy. Each relationship had ended unhappily.

If she had any brains she’d avoid men completely. How on earth had she allowed this man, this highly unsuitable man, to reduce her to such a pathetic state in such a short space of time?

She was a fool!

At the sound of Seth’s footsteps, she spun around.

‘All quiet on the nursery front,’ he said, smiling.

‘Is Bella asleep?’

‘Just about.’ He came and stood close beside Amy. ‘And judging by the aromas coming from the kitchen, I’d say our dinner’s almost ready.’

‘Something smells amazing. Is it curry?’

‘Seafood curry. One of Ming’s specialties.’

‘Wow. So we’re in for a treat.’

On cue, Ming appeared with a bamboo tray holding a bowl of steaming jasmine rice and a large blue and white covered pot, which he placed in the centre of the table.

‘Thanks, Ming,’ Seth said with the very slightest hint of an amused smile and a courteous dip of his head.

‘Enjoy.’ Ming bestowed them both with an eloquent grin before disappearing discreetly.

Seth pulled out a chair for Amy and, to her dismay, the old-fashioned gesture set her heart speeding again.

She kept her gaze lowered as he sat opposite her and she told herself again to remember that she was the guardian of Bella’s future. That was her role here.

It was time to forget the handholding, the suntan, and the heavenly blue eyes. Seth was her host and she was his guest. No more, no less.

She took a deep breath and smelled their fragrant meal and the scent of frangipani. In the glow of the candlelight, Seth’s shirt gleamed whitely and his throat was a dark shadow above the V of his open collar. She concentrated on safer things—the smooth gleam of silver cutlery, the crisp white napkins and the fine matchstick placemats dyed a deep watermelon pink.

Helping herself to fluffy spoonfuls of the aromatic rice and curry, she made a stab at polite conversation. ‘I have to keep reminding myself that this is a cattle station,’ she said. ‘I feel as if I’m on holidays at a beautiful resort.’

‘Well, this should be a holiday for you. I’m sure you deserve a break,’ Seth said with a smile. ‘But tomorrow I’ll take you and Bella to see the rest of Serenity. You’ll soon see there are plenty of cattle.’

‘How many?’

‘At the moment we have around seven thousand.’

Amy’s eyebrows lifted. ‘More than a few, then.’ Between mouthfuls, she added, ‘This food is sensational.’

‘Ming’s outdone himself tonight.’