Single Man Meets Single Mom

Yeah, he had a lot to learn. As he lathered up and rinsed, he glanced across the open floor plan to Emily, who had long since forgotten she was angry with being confined. Ian dried his hands on a plaid towel and smiled. Definitely had a lot to learn about little people.

And suddenly it hit him that he actually wanted to do just that. Who knew that when he came out here to sway Lily into signing with his agency that he’d completely get sidetracked by a beauty who literally fell into his arms?

After getting a bottle ready—thank God he’d had those alone days with Cassie and Emily in California so he knew a bit more about Emily’s care—Ian set it on the end table and went to retrieve one happy baby.

“Are you always in a good mood?” he asked as he lifted her from the baby prison. “Your mama isn’t feeling good, so it’s just you and me.”

Emily patted his face and smiled. “Dadadada.”

Ian froze. Oh, no. No, no, no. As if a vise was being tightened around his chest, Ian’s breath left him.

“No, baby. Ian.”

Emily patted his cheek again. “Dadada.”

Okay, he had to put his own issues aside at the thought of someone calling him Daddy because this poor girl honestly didn’t know her daddy. She didn’t remember the man who was supposed to be here for her and her mother.

Ian held her closer, silently wanting to reassure her that she was not alone. But was he also silently telling himself that he’d be here beyond the rough night right now? Would he be here after the film wrapped up?

Since he was alone with his thoughts he might as well admit to himself that being with Cassie and Emily for the long term was something he wanted and, dare he say...ached for?

As he settled into the corner of the couch with Emily, he slid the bottle between her little puckered lips and smiled as those expressive blue eyes looked back up at him. Eyes like her mother’s. Both ladies had him wrapped around their fingers.

Emily drifted off to sleep about the time the bottle was empty. He set it back on the table and shifted her gently up onto his shoulder. If she spit up on his dress shirt, so be it. He hadn’t taken the time to change after his dinner meeting with Lily. She was pretty confident she’d be signing with his agency.

And the fact this was the first time he’d thought of that monumental career development since he’d come in and discovered Cassie ill should tell him exactly how quickly his priorities had changed where the Barrington females were concerned.

Once Emily had fallen asleep, he figured it was okay for him to rest on the couch with her. He carefully got up and turned off the lights in the living room, leaving on only the small light over the stove in the kitchen. Pulling the throw off the back of the sofa with one hand and holding Emily firmly with the other, Ian toed off his shoes and laid the little girl against the back of the sofa before he eased down onto his side beside her. Not the most comfortable of positions, but he was so tired he could’ve slept standing up, and there was no way he’d leave Cassie alone with the baby tonight.

Resting with the baby on a couch was probably some sort of Parenting 101 no-no, but since he’d taken no crash courses in this gig, he was totally winging it.

The next thing he knew someone was ringing the doorbell. Ian jerked up, taking in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. It was Sunday and the crew was taking the day off. Was someone looking for him? The doorbell chimed again and Emily’s eyes popped open, too.

Ian picked her up and raked a hand over his hair as he padded to the door. The last thing he needed was for someone to ring that bell again and wake Cassie. Apparently they’d all slept uneventfully through the night.

As he flicked the lock, Ian glanced out the sidelight, frowning when he didn’t recognize the stranger on the porch.

Easing the door open slightly, Ian met the other man’s gaze. “Can I help you?”

The stranger’s eyes went from Emily back to Ian before the muscle in his jaw jumped. “Who the hell are you, and where is Cassie?”

Shocked at the immediate anger, Ian instantly felt defensive. “I should be asking you who you are, considering you’re on the outside.”

Narrowed eyes pierced Ian. “I’m Cassie’s husband. I’ll ask again. Who the hell are you?”

Husband. Ian didn’t miss the fact the prick left out the “ex” part.

“I’m her lover,” Ian said, mentally high-fiving himself for wiping that smug look off the man’s face.

Eighteen

Cassie held on to the side of her head, which was still pounding, but now she had a new problem.

Frozen at the end of her hallway, she had full view of Ian holding Emily and the front door wide-open with Derek standing on the other side looking beyond pissed. This was the dead-last thing she wanted to deal with in her life, particularly at this moment.