Not Quite Mine(Not Quite series)

Chapter Twenty-One





Monica’s words spoke to her all night long…even during the three o’clock feeding and diaper changing of Savannah.

Fear. What did she really fear?

She feared Savannah’s biological mom changing her mind.

She feared that her secret would be revealed before Patrick could identify the real mom.

She feared…nothing else. At one point, she’d worried how Dean would react to Savannah. If the last couple of weeks were any indication, Dean was on board the baby express and more than willing to help. The fact that he knew about Savannah helped with the overall hiding of her. None of her family suspected a thing and for that, she was profoundly grateful.

With the lights in her room dimmed and Savannah sucking on her nightly bottle, Katie wrote down the pros and cons of moving in with Dean. Since she’d taken on the job as hotel interior designer, charts and lists had become something she couldn’t live without.

“Let’s start with the bright side, shall we, Savannah?”

Savannah pulled in her cheeks and blinked.

“Pros…we get to see Dean every day,” she whispered. And I can sleep with him every night.

“You can have your own room. It’s a house and not an apartment.” Not that she minded living with Monica, but compared to what she was used to, her current personal space was smaller than her closet back home.

“If Jessie were to drop in to visit Monica, we’d be busted.” Katie put a few pluses next to Jessie’s name on the paper.

“I can work from Dean’s house some days. Oh, and carpool.” Not that she’d ever worried about that in the past.

Now for the cons…“We’ll miss Monica.” Yet even as she jotted Monica’s name on the con side of the paper, she had to write it on the plus side, too. Monica would never complain, but Katie had ambushed her into staying with her in the first place. She was young and single. Taking care of a baby after helping her own sister with her nephew couldn’t be on top of her list of things she wanted to do. Besides, visiting Monica would be easier and more appreciated if they didn’t live together.

“Babysitter?” She wrote the word with a big question mark next to it. Mrs. Hoyt was the only babysitter Savannah knew outside of Monica. Maybe Mrs. Hoyt could be bribed to drive over to sit with Savannah. Katie would have to ask or start her search for a sitter again.

     





Katie put aside her pen and removed the bottle from Savannah’s lips to burp her midway through her meal. After only a few encouraging taps on her back, Savannah belched better than a fan at a baseball game and then settled in to the remainder of her meal.

She tapped her pen on the paper, searching for another con. Everything else she could think of fell under the unknown category.

How would Dean react to being a full-time live-in with an infant? With her? Would they tire of each other? Would their feelings fade?

The question that kept popping up in her head was, would she regret not taking a chance if she didn’t move in with him? The answer was a big, huge yes.

Placing her notepad aside, Katie removed the bottle from Savannah’s slack lips and carefully lifted her into the bassinet. Then Katie settled back in her bed.

As Katie drifted off to sleep, she lost most of the fear she’d been thinking about all night and replaced it with excitement.

Outside of a weekend engagement, she’d never lived with a man she wasn’t related to. There would be challenges, but Dean was right. She confronted life’s tests head-on.





Jo typed away at her desk when Katie strode into the office the next day. She glanced up long enough to say a quick, “Hey, Katie.” And then kept on typing.

“Hi,” she said before glancing beyond Jo and seeing that Dean’s desk was empty.

“Where is—”

“Dean’s at the back of the site by the parking garage.”

“Thanks.”

After placing her Prescott hard hat on, she walked out of the office and across the job site to find her soon-to-be roommate.

“Hello, Miss Morrison,” one of the painters called from his ladder.

Instead of trying to figure out who it was from her angle, she simply waved and greeted the man. “Hey. It looks good.”

“I try,” he said with a wave.

Katie kept walking and greeted no less than four more people in her path. She remembered two names and scolded herself for not knowing the others. She told herself it was easy for them to remember her. She was one of maybe four women who walked around on site. And she was certainly the only one wearing skirts and heels. Although the heels had been less and less as of late.

Her father would be proud. He hated the skintight outfits she’d worn for the greater part of a decade. Oh, she loved her sexy outfits but with a baby, they simply weren’t practical.

The two story parking garage was well under way with its construction. Dean stood with his subcontractor talking. Both their backs were to her as she approached.

Behind them, she waited until their conversation had stalled to make her presence known.

They’d made love all night long on Friday. Talked about absolutely nothing and tickled each other’s toes while eating ice cream in bed. Saturday morning she packed herself and Savannah up and left for Monica’s to think. She’d told Dean she wanted the rest of the weekend to consider his offer. It was now Monday.

She wanted more nights of ice cream and tickling.

More nights…more days.

“Hey, Dean…Lou,” she said over the noise of the heavy equipment in the yard. Lou turned quickly while Dean took his time to swivel his head her way. When he did, his eyes questioned her. She blinked twice, offered a coy smile, and glanced at Lou.

“Katelyn. I didn’t expect to see you today.”

“I don’t know why. I work here.”

Lou shook her hand and smiled.

Funny how handshakes were something she’d grown used to. Used to be it was fake pats on the back of her hand or double kisses to both cheeks from near strangers. The world of silicone and Botox was now filled with tool belts and handshakes.

Who knew?

“What are you doing out here?” Dean asked with a smirk.

She paused, met his eyes. “I’m letting you know I’m not going to be around today.”

His smirk flickered. “Oh?”

“Yeah…I’m, uh…” She licked her lips and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment.

He caught her movements and his eyes clouded over.

“I’m moving today. It might take me a couple of days to get settled. Think you can do without me around here?”

Dean’s attention traveled from her lips, and slowly to her eyes. He sat there, deep inside her gaze. The noise around them mellowed into a low hum. “Moving?”

“Across town.”

One edge of his lips drew up. He drew in a deep breath and smiled full-on as the meaning behind her words sank in. “Take all the time you need.”

“Are you sure?” she teased. “The carpet guys are coming here tomorrow to measure.”

“I think we can handle it, Katie.”

“Good,” she said.

“Moving?” Lou asked. “Aren’t you staying at the hotel?”

“I found this great place in the foothills.”

Lou had worked with Dean for years. Like most of the people on the site, he assumed she lived at the hotel.

“Better than a hotel, eh?”

“Yeah…you could say that,” she said.

“Good seeing you again, Katelyn. Tell your brother I said hello next time you see him,” Lou said, as he walked off, giving them a small measure of privacy.

“I will.” She smiled at Dean and turned to leave…then swung around. “Oh, I need the keys.” She reached her hand out and hesitated.

Dean’s gaze never left hers as he reached into his back pocket and he removed a key from the ring. He placed it in her palm and enfolded her hand around it. “Take your time.”

“Thanks,” she said as she turned and left.

The heat of his stare settled on her back as she walked away. She stood taller, kept her head higher…and, yes, she swung her hips more than God intended.

The smile she held on her lips spread all the way to her brain cells. There were more than a few backward glances as she made her way across the job site. At her car, she tossed her hard hat in the front seat and settled behind the wheel.

She’d already packed a few things…and outside of her wardrobe and the baby things she’d accumulated for Savannah, there wasn’t a lot to take over to Dean’s house.

Katie couldn’t help but wonder how long it would before Dean made an excuse and made his way home.

Mrs. Hoyt wasn’t as difficult to convince to babysit across town as Katie had thought. They’d worked out a three day a week schedule. With any luck, Katie wouldn’t need her more than that.

Katie filled her “mommy-bus,” which was what she nicknamed her SUV, with her clothes and essentials for Savannah before packing Savannah up and driving them both to Dean’s. Monica followed with a carload of stuff and helped her unload.

“You’re sure about this?” Monica asked as she removed the clothes-filled hangers from the car…followed by the last box filled with diapers and baby powder.

“I know I won’t be happy if I don’t try. Dean’s one of the good guys, Monica. I’ve known that since I was a kid. Besides…he loves Savannah.”

     





They stood in the living room of the house with all the boxes and stacks of clothes removed from both cars.

“OK,” Monica sighed. “But if you ever need to move back, you know where I am.”

Katie pulled Monica into a heartwarming hug. “Thank you, Monica. You’ve been a sister and so much more.”

Monica tapped her back a few times and sniffled. “It’s crazy. I went from Jessie being around all the time to you being there. I wonder what it’s going to feel like to be alone for a while?”

Katie hadn’t thought of that. “I’m just a few streets away.”

Monica laughed as she pulled away. “A few streets, one freeway, and an entire airport away…but who’s drawing a map?”

Katie laughed.

Monica’s face grew stoic. “Call me if you need anything!”

“I will. You, too!”

“OK.” Monica leaned over and kissed Savannah. “Be good for your mommy. She’s the best.”

Katie lifted Savannah into her arms, picked up her tiny hand, and waved as Monica drove away.

Alone, she wandered about Dean’s home and moved a few of her clothes into his closet. He’d pushed aside some of his clothes as if picturing what it would look like with her clothes in his space.

She smiled at the thought and lined up some of her favorite heels on the floor of the closet next to his shoes.

Dean lived simply. A bachelor in every way. He’d moved to the area shortly after their breakup. Jack had told her it was because work in the area had taken off. She had her doubts. Texas was one of the only states in the union that wasn’t as hard hit by the recession depressing the country. California wasn’t as fortunate.

Pushing aside the thoughts as to why Dean had moved to a suburb of LA, Katie walked around his home and took note of her surroundings. There was a distinct lack of knickknacks and dust collectors. He had the occasional family photo, but for the most part the place felt like a house and not a home. Maybe together they could make it a home.

Katie stepped into the guest room across the hall from Dean’s master bedroom. She pictured a crib where she’d placed a playpen to aid in Savannah’s afternoon nap. The room would be close enough to hear Savannah in the middle of the night, but far enough away so she and Dean wouldn’t wake with every toss and turn Savannah managed during the night.

All the books Katie had read assured her that she was a typical new mom that jumped to help Savannah with every whine. According to the mommy bloggers, that wasn’t always a good thing. Maybe now with a little more space, Savannah would sleep better at night.

And so could she.

A mom could hope.

After putting Savannah down for a nap, Katie set out for the kitchen to take inventory and make shelf room for formula, baby food, plastic bottles, and bowls. Now that Savannah was eating a little solid food, she was growing even bigger. Everything about her was looking less like an infant, and more like a tiny girl.

When most of the unpacking was finished, Katie considered pulling out her spreadsheets and working on the tight budget she’d been given for the hotel, but then decided on a cool drink on the back porch. It had been a long time since she’d enjoyed a quiet veranda moment.

Curling her legs under her, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm breeze. It was unseasonably cool for Southern California in late summer. She could picture herself curling up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate in the fall.

It wasn’t long before her mind drifted to how this new living arrangement was going to work out. Her cooking was marginal at best. Dean obviously hadn’t starved as a single man, so maybe he had more hidden talents. They could order out. Hire a cook. But bringing in too many eyes of domestic help could backfire. Although Katie had dodged the media in the past year, they still knew of her. If they found her with a baby, she would make the tabloids and rumors would fly.

Low profile. That’s what she had to remember.

The hair on her neck prickled and she turned toward the open door leading into the house.

Dean leaned against the frame, a bouquet of white roses sitting limply in his hand. His eyes were soft, the smile he wore could only be described as dreamy.

“You’re home early,” she said softly.

Dean unceremoniously dropped the flowers on the table beside her and captured her face in his palms. His lips were warm and welcoming and edged on desperate. Dean brought her to her feet without words, kept her lips locked to his.

She knew how he felt. The enormity of them living together, of their growing feelings for the other…all of that played out as he kissed her. His tongue traveled into her mouth and traced hers. The prickling of her skin she’d experienced as he watched from the doorway started to tingle down her spine.

Her breasts pushed against his chest and she held his waist tightly.

She was breathless when he stopped kissing her long enough to breathe.

“You’re really here.”

She kissed his chin and drew in his fresh pine scent. “We are.”

Dean traced the sides of her face with his thumbs. “Where’s Savannah?”

“Guest room. Napping.”

He lifted one eyebrow and said, “Good.” He tugged her into the house, closed the door, and moved them to the living room before he started kissing her all over again.

His intention was clear and she was more than willing to consummate their new arrangement.

The buttons of her silk shirt were undone, each one with a kiss and a press of Dean’s tongue against her skin. When only her baby blue lace bra covered her torso, she repeated Dean’s movements and removed his shirt with slow kisses.

The feel of his broad chest and tight abs played at the edges of her fingertips. How many nights had she thought of touching him again, of tasting him? She circled his nipples with her tongue, and laid playful bites when they pebbled. Dean loved foreplay, almost as much as she did. He pressed against her as they stood next to the couch, his erection stiff within his jeans.

He stopped the nipple play by backing her down and covering her half-clothed body with his. “I want to make love to you in every room in this house,” he said against her ear.

“Sounds like a challenge.”

Dean kissed the portion of her breast not covered by her bra. “We know you like a challenge.”

She moaned as he blew hot air through the thin layer of cloth covering her breast. He chuckled quietly, circled his hand around her back, and unclasped her bra. He laved each nipple until they were tight with need and her hips bucked against his.

The couch cushioned one of her legs as Dean moved lower, his tongue dancing across her belly. The desire to tear into his clothes and have him naked and covering her clouded her brain. Equal parts of her wanted to feel him, all of him, deep inside her while her body craved the teasing kisses and scrapes of his teeth.

He wiggled her out of the linen slacks she wore. Her barely-there panties were moist already when he kissed around the straps holding the material together. “I love how you smell,” he told her, running his tongue around the edge of her panties. “How you taste.”

Her body clenched.

As he moved lower to sample her, she held him away.

     





“I want to taste you,” she told him.

His eyes twitched. “Later,” he said.

But she didn’t want to wait. Her body was so fired up, he could look at her and she’d explode. It was time to welcome him home.

Katie pushed up and ran her hands down his chest before finding the clasp of his jeans.

“Now.”

Dean lifted his hands as if in surrender and helped her relieve him of his clothes.

His thick erection strained against his stomach and her mouth watered. Katie moved so he could lie on the couch before she ran her fingertips along his hip.

The tips of her hair brushed against his penis and he said something under his breath. Katie smiled, kissed his hip, and let her cheek rest against his desire. She teased him as he had done her when they’d made love before.

With only her lips, her tongue, she tasted. His hand fell to her shoulder as he moaned. She smiled around him and took as much as she could manage.

“F*ck.”

She giggled. “Not yet.”

“Oh, darlin’.”

Yeah, she knew the feeling. So she kept going, taking him, and ignoring her own empty body. Dean would take care of her no matter how far he allowed this to go.

A tiny taste splashed on her tongue and Dean pulled her away.

“C’mere,” he groaned.

She crawled up his body and kissed him.

Dean pushed her panties off and ran his hand along her butt with a playful squeeze.

His wet kisses stilled long enough to say. “Condom, back pocket…wallet.”

Instead of reaching for his jeans, she nudged his legs between hers and opened wide for him. “You of all people know there’s no need.” They’d already talked about their health, and that wasn’t a concern. If moving in wasn’t a sign of commitment, Katie wasn’t sure what else there was.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

She felt the tip of him slide against her. “I want to feel you…all of you, inside me.”

He grinned and she sank onto him.

On top, she set the pace. The small confines of the couch made for different angles and sparks of pleasure from different places.

There was no energy for talking as they both plunged, kissed, and licked their way toward climax.

He was the only man she’d ever felt safe enough with to enjoy making love without a barrier. The heat of him and the feel of him making her slicker deep inside brought on a swift and powerful orgasm. She hardly settled into a pace when he thrust faster and tumbled her over the edge.

The warm gush of his seed filled her and God help her, she peaked again.

Katie lay limply in his arms as the world returned. The deep thud of his heart against his chest met her ear and took its time slowing down.

“We’re throwing the condoms away,” she told him.

“We are?”

“Yeah…we are.”

His chest rumbled and she closed her eyes and simply enjoyed a few quiet moments in his arms.





As it turned out, neither one of them really cooked. Dean had the barbeque thing down. He was down-home Texas that way. But when it came to dishes off the grill, they were painfully dependent on the microwave.

Not that he expected Katie to know her way around a kitchen. He knew the life she’d lived before, and it wasn’t full of domestic chores. There had always been a housekeeper at her father’s ranch and a cook at the hotel.

Dean didn’t care. He happily moved the guest bed out of the extra room and they set up a proper nursery for Savannah. After only a couple of nights in his home, Savannah was sleeping for six solid hours. A blessing according to Katie.

As a welcome home gift to her, he framed a picture he’d taken of Savannah and Katie together and wrapped it pink paper.

For a woman who understood four-hundred-dollar dinners in five-star restaurants and whose shoe collection alone could feed a small country…it was the small things she was taking pleasure in now.

She loved the gift and set it on his fireplace mantel along with other family photos he had displayed.

“This one was all of you as kids, right?”

He and his siblings had been dragged to plenty of photographers growing up. His mother had given him this particular picture when he moved away. All four of them were under the age of seven, his youngest sister barely old enough to sit on her own. In fact, she leaned against Dean in the picture and the photographer managed to get her smiling.

Dean glanced between the photos and noticed the same round cheeks, and same button nose, between Savannah and Ella.

It was natural to see your own face in that of a child…a child you wanted as your own. At least that’s what he told himself.

Unable to stop himself, later that night he dug into an old box of photos and found more childhood memories.

He realized that he and his siblings all had the same nose. Funny how he hadn’t noticed it before. Even his nephew had the Prescott button as a baby. He shook aside his thoughts. He’d come to terms with Katie’s inability to have his child long ago. He’d give up his ability to have a child who looked like him to keep Katie in his life any day.

Watching Katie with Savannah proved that being a parent had more to do with your heart than it did with DNA.

It was then he realized that he could easily see himself as a full-time dad, a father to Savannah, and not just on a temporary basis.

It was too soon to push Katie into a deeper commitment. And without the private detective determining some answers, she wouldn’t want to make any more changes.

“You’re rushing, Dean,” he scolded himself. The girls had only been living under his roof for a few days and already he was trying to see his face in Savannah’s, and Katie’s life in his, permanently.

They needed to work through a few things before he could jump to the next level. And hadn’t he jumped with Maggie?

No, he’d take this slower. Like the good Southern boy he could be.

When he wanted to.