The Bachelor's Little Bonus (Proposals & Promises 3)

She kissed him before he could finish the sentence.

Showing that he was still open to spontaneity—or, as he would consider it, efficiently taking advantage of an impromptu opportunity—he flipped her onto her back and rolled on top of her. Her delighted laughter quickly changed to murmurs of pleasure as he proved once again that her math genius husband was as clever with his mouth and hands as he was with that brilliant mind.

They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at a farmhouse-style diner, during which Stevie chattered about trips to Branson as a child with her mother and brother. Cole mentioned that he’d visited only a few times himself, the first trip as a very young boy with his parents during one of their attempts to act the part of happy family—an attempt she surmised hadn’t been particularly successful, though he didn’t elaborate.

Taking advantage of a chilly, but otherwise beautiful day, they wandered through attractions and shops after breakfast. They were strolling at a leisurely pace through an outlet shopping center when Cole drew her into a store that specialized in baby supplies. An odd feeling gripped her as she drifted down the aisles beside him, rather intimidated by all the merchandise surrounding them. There seemed to be so much of it, so many options, colors, sizes. Was all this stuff necessary for one little baby? She didn’t even know what some of these things were. Insecurity rose up in her. Shouldn’t she know?

“Stevie? Are you okay? You look a little pale.”

She tried to force a reassuring smile for Cole, who gazed down at her in concern. “Just a little overwhelmed. I don’t even know how to use most of this stuff.”

He placed a hand on the small of her back. “You’ll learn what you need to know.”

She wished she felt as confident as he sounded. She gave a determined nod. “I’ll learn.”

“Have you decided which bedroom will be the nursery?”

“The one I’ve been using as a guest room, I suppose—the one that was mine growing up. It’s close to the master, and I’ve been using the third bedroom as a home office. Um, my house is a little bigger than yours, so it makes sense for us to set up there, right?”

He nodded. “I can keep my office in my house for now, but we’ll probably want to discuss combining our households into a larger place eventually. One that will accommodate two offices and a guest room.”

She wasn’t ready to discuss selling or buying houses just then. It was a given that they would live together in one house, of course. After all, they were married.

She changed the subject quickly when she spotted a white wicker bassinet with a sage-and-off-white chevron-stripe liner. “Oh, look, Cole. Isn’t it pretty?”

“That’s the same color green you’ve used in your house, isn’t it?”

“Sage. It’s my favorite.” She was already stroking the little bed, picturing it in a sage-and-cream nursery suitable to either gender. She could find some vintage nursery prints to frame for the walls, and invest in a comfortable nursing chair in a soft nubby fabric with one of her late maternal grandmother’s hand-knit throws draped over the back. The turtle night-light would sit on an antique nightstand beside the crib. Perfect. “And look, it’s on sale!”

This little basket was definitely going home with her.

“I’ve got this.” Cole was already signaling for assistance from a clerk. “Is there anything else you want here? What about that little bouncy seat thing over there? The pad is the same shade of green, right? One of my friends swore his daughter was only happy when she was sitting in her bouncy seat after nursing. There’s room in the back of the SUV for both the bassinet and that, if you like it. Maybe a few other items, if you see anything else you want.”

He was already reaching for his wallet. Stevie shook her head, moving to stand between him and the bassinet. “No, I’ve got it. You’ve done enough already this weekend.”

“Not that much,” he assured her. “I’ve provided a honeymoon of sorts for my bride. Now I’d like to get a few things for the baby.”

“No. I want to buy this.”

He went still, frowning as he studied her firmly determined expression. “Why?”

“Because it’s my—” Realizing what she’d almost said, she bit her tongue before she could complete the blurted sentence.

Cole’s hand fell to his side and he took a step back. His voice turned cool. “All right. Get what you want and I’ll help you load it into the car.”

She’d hurt his feelings. Guilt flooded through her with the realization. That had been the last thing she’d wanted to do. She needed Cole to understand that though their marriage was based on his selfless offer to help her raise this child, she had no intention of taking advantage of his innate generosity. She’d been independent for more than a decade. She’d married him to be a partner to her, not for financial support. They hadn’t had time yet to talk about money or the other day-to-day responsibilities of marriage, but she knew it wasn’t going to be easy for her to adjust to his new role in her life. To learn to lean on someone else for a change.

Before she could figure out how to apologize for her thoughtlessness, a salesclerk approached with a bright, friendly smile. “Can I help you?”

Conceding that this was the wrong time and place for a momentous discussion, Stevie purchased the bassinet and bouncy seat, then helped Cole carry them to his SUV. She wondered if he’d be mad at her, but quickly found he’d masked any feelings behind an easy smile. He even teased her about having to leave his suitcase behind if they bought much more on this trip. Apparently he was determined to put their brief clash behind them, intent on keeping this day a pleasant one. She was glad; it was their honeymoon, after all. Practical discussions could wait until later.

Glancing at his watch, he asked if she wanted to eat dinner before the musical variety show they would be attending that evening.

“Oh, my gosh, yes!” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I’m starving. I’d never make it through the show without food. For the past couple of weeks, it seems like I’m hungry all the time.”

He chuckled and opened her door for her. “As the old saying goes, you’re eating for two now. What would you like?”

“Anything that sounds good to you. I’m not picky.”