She sprang out of bed and raced toward the bathroom, but before she reached it, she heard the low rumble of a man’s voice, then Jacob’s giggle. She stopped dead in the hall, gaping at the open bathroom door. Seth Renner—Detective Renner—was giving her son a bath? Had he tried to wake her up and failed? What time was it anyway?
She retreated to her bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed so she could see her clock: 8:56. Since Jacob was usually awake by 6:30, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept this late.
She threw on her robe—terry cloth and not a thing of beauty—and padded across the hall to the bathroom.
“Mommy!” Jacob cried joyously. He started to scramble to his feet, but Seth laid a hand on his skinny shoulder and shook his head.
“Sit, buddy. You don’t want to slip and fall.” Then he turned his head and smiled at Helen. Sitting on a plastic stool she’d bought for the express purpose of supervising baths, he wore the same khaki trousers, and a white T-shirt he must have had under the button-up she remembered from last night.
What riveted her attention was his bare feet.
Big feet, to suit his height, a few dark hairs curling on his toes. Solid feet, she thought, for no good reason except she liked them better than Richard’s, which had been narrow and fish-white. Not that she had any business liking Seth’s feet, or even staring at them.
“My socks got wet,” he said. “I didn’t realize what a messy business this is.”
“Why...?”
“I woke up to find somebody staring at me. He said when he tried to wake up Mommy, she grumbled and rolled over.”
“He did not!”
This smile crinkled the skin beside his eyes. “He was happy to discover a second-stringer snoozing on the couch.”
She laughed even as she shook her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t wake up! What would he have done if you hadn’t been here?”
“Well, I don’t think he’s tall enough to unlock the front door yet, but he might have gotten into the refrigerator.”
“I’m hungry,” her son declared.
“Me, too.” Seth’s eyebrows rose.
Jacob bounced. “I want waffles.”
Didn’t Seth plan to go home today? Imagining him leaving, she felt a spike of anxiety. Yesterday, Richard’s minion had tried to steal Jacob in broad daylight. What was to stop him once she and Jacob were alone?
“Waffles it is,” she agreed, not quite as lightly as she’d intended. “Except I’d really like to have a shower first.”
“I think it’s time for Jacob to get out, anyway.” Seth grinned at the two-year-old. “You’re getting crinkled fingers and toes.”
He was, which made her wonder how long he’d been happily splashing and playing in the tub while she slept, oblivious.
“Okay, kiddo.” She grabbed his towel from the rack and handed it to Seth. Her hand brushed his, but she pretended she hadn’t noticed. “Mommy’s turn.”
“Mommy’s turn,” Jacob said obediently. When Seth held out the small plastic bucket that still held a few toys, Jacob put the ones he’d been playing with into it.
Packing yesterday, she hadn’t included of bath toys, Helen thought, suddenly stricken. Jacob especially loved his bright red boat and the purple shark.
Seth was watching her, she realized, reading her emotions. She forced a smile. “If you two can handle this, I need to find myself some clean clothes.” Some that weren’t in the trunk of her car.
Even as she thought that, Seth said, “Do you need me to go out and get something from the car?”
“No, I’m fine. I didn’t try to—You know.” Take everything.
His expression changed, the warmth disappearing, but Seth gave a curt nod.
Helen fled for her bedroom.
* * *
SHE’D MADE WAFFLES from scratch. Seth couldn’t remember the last time he’d had any that good. She even made him a second waffle. While he ate it, Helen—no, damn it, Robin!—took Jacob down the hall to use his potty chair. The boy didn’t seem to need a diaper during the day. Nights must be different.
“He sleeps too soundly,” she said with a fond smile for the boy. After rinsing off his plate, Seth found her keys in an outside pocket of her purse and went out to grab the first load from the trunk. Two duffel bags, looking pretty scroungy.