Let It Snow (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Nine

In the bathroom, Jack sat beside the tub waiting for Sue to give him Abigail who happily kicked water while lying on Sue's lap.

"Jack?" On the third time she called his name, Sue realised his attention was focused neither on her face nor on Abigail, but somewhere in between. "Jack Samuel Hudson!"

He reluctantly diverted his gaze from her very alluring curves. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"The baby?" She held Abigail up for him.

"Come see daddy." He wrapped her up in a towel before standing. "Will you require my services as well?"

"Maybe later..." An enigmatic smile adorned her reddened cheek as she sank in the bubbles. "Have fun with Abby."

He carried her into the nursery where he dressed her in a red and green pyjama.

"You know, angel, a little nap before your next bottle wouldn't be a bad idea." Since feeding time wasn't before another hour, he carried her to her crib. "It would give daddy a chance to join mommy in her bath and wash her back." The hope of a romantic interlude shattered when he lowered her on the mattress and she complained loudly. "Does that mean no?" With her cradled in his arms, he sat in the rocking chair. "Wouldn't you like a little brother?" When he gave her a pink pacifier, she sucked eagerly on it. "You cannot be hungry already, can you?" He kissed her forehead. "You're gorgeous, did you know that? And you look a lot like your mommy."

Though a part of him knew it was impossible, he couldn't help but see a resemblance. Jack knew his mother would see it too and wouldn't question Abigail's legitimacy.

"Grandma Hudson will be so thrilled to meet you. She never had any little girl to cuddle." How they would announce the news to his parents, and to Sue's parents, still remained to be partly decided. "And I bet you'll win your grandma Thomas' heart in a second too." He brushed her little cheek. "It's me she'll want to strangle—"

"Who will want to strangle you?" After her bath, Sue had joined them in the nursery, but she'd only caught his last remark. "Or is it a father-daughter discussion?"

"Your mother." In the best of times, Carla Thomas was a force to reckon with. She wouldn't take the news of a grandchild born out of wedlock too kindly. "Sue, we could tell—"

"No, Jack." A sigh traveled from her belly to her mouth. They'd already agreed to tell their families they kept their relationship and the pregnancy a secret because of the repercussion at work. "My mother would feel compelled to set the record straight. I prefer facing her wrath than risk losing our daughter. Besides, the odds are that Abby was born out of wedlock. We're probably not lying on that subject."

"Still, your mother shouldn't think I got you pregnant before I married..."

She gazed at him with her eyebrows raised, challenging him to continue. The silent objection hit home. He slid a hand inside her pink terry robe and massaged her belly.

"I seriously need to slip that ring on your finger before baby number two arrives, don't I?"

"Unless you want my mother to strangle you for real."

He leaned for a kiss. "Message received. Maybe I should be a good boy and go for a run."

"Run?"

He gestured toward Levi who whined near the crib, eagerly awaiting another walk.

"But we just went out for a walk."

"I guess he was too enthralled by the decorations and lights to take care of business." He handed her Abigail. "I'll be back in half hour."