Amber was bent over the diaper-changing table, where Joachim lay with his feet in the air, playing with his toes.
Paul stood in the doorway, listening as Amber hummed a song. It took a couple of bars for him to recognize “Amazing Grace.” With precision, she removed the soiled diaper and had another on his little bottom in a flash.
Joachim was so occupied with his feet, he barely noticed what she was doing. But the instant smile he gave her when she picked him up again told Paul that his bottom not only recognized the difference, but he was glad for it.
He stood silent as she rocked the baby in her arms and continued to hum. Turning in a slow circle, Amber froze when she turned toward the door and found Paul standing there.
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind. His little bottom was wet, and he was crying so, and you were in your office. I figured, why bother you for something I can do myself.”
“I’m sure Joachim is as grateful for your quick response as I am. Diaper-changing is not something he and I have mastered yet.” He came toward them, but stopped a few feet away when he realized Amber was not going to hand the baby off to him.
“It’s easy. You just have to stay out of the way of the waterfall.” She laughed, and Paul felt the sensual sound from the tip of his toes to the top of his curly head.
“The waterfall?” he asked, picking up a nearby stuffed giraffe. He needed to do something with his hands. For some reason they were itching to wrap around Amber and Joachim.
“Oh, yes, the waterfall. Every baby boy’s secret weapon.”
Paul chuckled. “Ahh, the waterfall.” He nodded. “I am well aware of the danger.”
Amber walked across the room, still holding the baby in her arms, and Joachim seemed to be content to stay there, even as she lowered herself into the large rocking chair.
“You have to be careful when removing a dirty diaper as soon as you lift the second flap and the air hits his little wee-wee.” She snapped her fingers.
Paul smiled. “Waterfall.”
“Exactly!”
Amber bounced the baby, and Joachim giggled.
“You’re a natural nurturer,” Paul said.
“Not really,” she answered. “It’s just that babies are easy. They have a few basic desires—food, clean bottoms, toys and love.” She turned the baby, prying his fingers off the thin, gold chain she wore around her neck. “It’s adults I have a problem understanding,” she said.
Paul watched the conflicted emotions run over her face. He knew that she was thinking of Dashuan Kennedy, but was unsure whether he should say something to her about it. Should he offer some kind of reassurance or would she rather he pretend not to understand?
“You know, Amber, you’re not the only woman that something like that has happened to.”
Her golden eyes narrowed on his face, and Paul knew he’d made the wrong decision. He’d gone too far to stop. “I mean, there are a lot of gay men out there dating straight women.”
“Oh?”
There was something so vulnerable in her expression, Paul felt his heart twist inside his chest. All her insecurities, all her uncertainty was right there, exposed in her eyes. Paul felt her need for reassurance reaching out to him across the room. Her need to be desired, to be made to feel like a woman, was so strong it was almost tangible, and Paul felt it pulling him across the room. As if being drawn by a giant magnet, Paul found himself walking until he stood right in front of her.
He sank down on his knees before the rocking chair, looking up at her. “You are a beautiful, desirable woman, and Dashuan Kennedy is a fool.”
Amber’s eyes dropped as her lush brown lashes shielded her eyes. “Considering some of the decisions I’ve made in my life, I have to wonder if Dashuan is the fool.”
Paul rested both his large hands on her warm thighs, and felt a jolt of desire course through his whole body. The way Amber sat straight up in her chair, he knew she felt it, too. His fingers tingled with the sensation of warm flesh, and he fought the urge to squeeze her soft flesh in his hands.
She lifted her lids until her tawny lioness eyes were looking into his. So lost in them, he didn’t even feel his son’s hand reaching out to touch his face.
Paul felt like a helpless animal trapped by her mesmerizing gaze. Like lightning to a rod, he sought her, powerless to resist.
Amber was a beautiful woman, but that wasn’t what was making her so damn attractive. In his business, beautiful women, celebrities and socialites surrounded him. And more than a few had made a play for him. But being a single father was hard enough without trying to juggle a social life, so Paul declined invitation after invitation. But beauty and availability were not the things that had his whole body wired right this moment.
No, the something special about Amber Lockhart, the thing that had him breathing hard and growing harder, was something else. It was his one weakness when it came to women. The thing that drew him to Michelle, and tore them apart.
Paul had always been a sucker for a passionate, hot-blooded woman. And looking into her eyes, he could see that Amber Lockhart was burning with passion. It was straining, aching to be set free, and the man in him wanted nothing more than to open the floodgate.
He knew he shouldn’t have, but he could not help himself. Paul leaned forward, wanting to taste her lips. At that moment, he honestly wanted a taste of Amber more than air to breathe.
Sensing his intent, Amber stood. “Isn’t it time for Joachim’s feeding?”
Paul, still kneeling, still hungry, his eyes level with the crotch of her slacks, was unable to comprehend her words.
“Paul?”
He took several deep breaths through his nose, and stood. Taking the baby from her arms, he licked his lips and tried to speak. “Yes. I’ll do it.”
He knew Amber did the right thing by standing; he knew it was for the best. The way he was feeling, who knew where even the smallest little kiss could’ve led?
Yes, denying the attraction was the smart thing to do, but somehow knowing that didn’t make the acceptance of it any easier.
Paul paused in the doorway. “Thanks again for changing his diaper. I appreciate the help.”
“That was my pleasure. He is such a sweet baby.”
Paul tried to force a half smile before walking out of the room.
When she heard his footsteps on the carpeted stairs, Amber sank back down into the rocking chair. She could still feel Paul’s large, warm hands on her thighs. For a moment there, she was almost certain he was going to pull her legs apart and come between them. Truth is, if he’d tried, Amber wasn’t at all certain she would’ve stopped him.
She laid her head back against the hard, wooden chair and released a deep sigh. Amber wanted to stay with Paul another day or so, just long enough to get the courage to face her family and their guaranteed criticism. But now, there was no denying the sexual attraction she felt pass between her and Paul. Staying with him meant running the risk that those feelings would crop up again, and next time…there was no saying what might happen.
She could not let herself forget that this man was a friend of Luther’s, who was like a brother to her. If she slept with him, even on the rebound, it could change her relationship with Luther forever.
She nodded, deciding on a plan. She would just have to make sure she stayed as far away from Paul Gutierrez as possible—if possible. Lord, when will I learn to stay away from pretty men?
Chapter 6
Later that same