"Yeah, Mom."
"Why don't your father and I pick up Lori on our way to base? Then she won't have to bother with the guards and registering her car at the front gate. Where does she live?"
"Above her office, but Mom—"
"If the two of you are back together, you really need to make the most of your time before you leave."
He and Lori a couple again. He could see how his mother could come to that conclusion.
Had Lori gotten the same idea from all the time they'd spent together? He'd told her they weren't going to start anything. But he'd seen that softening in her eyes when he'd told her about his father, then again when he'd brought her those lame crackers.
Somehow he needed for her to realize what he'd said about his job was true. Maybe a trip to the base, combined with time spent with his parents might help her to understand.
He ignored the annoying voice that insisted he was scrounging for excuses to spend more time with Lori. "Okay, Mom. I'll ask her and see what she thinks."
"Maybe she would also like to come to your family party on Saturday—"
"Don't push it, Mom. We're talking about Friday. Magda can have fun with the other kids. Lori and I can say goodbye then. But no family party.">Stupid. Wrong. Incredible anyway.
His arm gave way, and he slumped back onto his pillow. Her heat and peach fragrance still clung to the tangled sheets.
A shuffling, then coughing noise broke into his concentration. Gray frowned, looked around, his gaze landing on the red light glowing from the nursery monitor. Thunking his forehead, he mentally kicked himself. How could he have forgotten about Magda a few feet down the hall?
Never had he let his personal life interfere with his professional responsibilities. If he were totally honest with himself, he considered Magda more than just a professional obligation. Each hospital checkup with his pint-size patient had only edged her further into his heart. Now she was Lori's child. That alone made her special, no matter how many mind games he played with himself about keeping his distance.
Gray heard the shower swish on just as Magda coughed again. Raking his fingers through his hair, Gray reined in his thoughts and libido. No easy task, but necessary if he hoped to make it through the morning.
He shoved to his feet and lumbered down the hall. Opening Magda's door, he found her sitting up in bed, her eyes wide with early-morning groggy confusion. Her hair spiked in at least three different directions. Bed head, his mother called it.
Magda eyed Gray and clutched a Barbie in her fist. Tenacity and wariness mingled in her little eyes. She had spirit no language barriers could disguise.
Yeah, she was a special kid.
"Hi, Magda." He entered slowly so she wouldn't bolt. She needed peace while she recuperated. After the life she'd likely had, the kid needed peace—period.
"Magda?" He extended his hands. "Let's go see Lori."
"Yori?" Huskiness from coughing distorted more normal childish tones.
"Yeah." He nodded. "Lori."
He held his hand out and waited while she scrambled from under the covers. Her legs dangled over the edge of the bed, her bare feet not quite touching the floor. Gray reached to take her hand. With rabbit speed, she jumped down and scampered past him.
Apparently, her trust wasn't easily won.
Kids didn't forget and forgive as easily as some thought. He knew that well enough from his own childhood. He hadn't understood the change in his father until he was an adult, and then it had been too late. They'd grown too far apart.
Gray shrugged off depressing thoughts. Too much soul picking wouldn't accomplish a thing. He needed to remember that, before Lori had him spilling his guts all over her priceless Oriental rugs again.
He followed Magda to Lori's room, silence echoing from the bathroom. He rapped two knuckles on the bathroom door. "Lori?"
Magda skirted past him to press her ear to the door.
"Lori?" he called again, then decided he'd better warn her about Magda. Lori had been spitting nails when she'd charged to the bathroom. Magda didn't need to overhear the tones from angry fallout that belonged squarely on his ears. "Magda wants to talk to you. She's right here."
"Gray." Lori's voice wobbled.
Was she crying? Guilt clubbed him. His brow fell to rest on the frame. He should have checked his libido at the door before he'd crawled into bed with her. "Lori, are you okay?"