Baby Kisses

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Rewrite

Miles made a last minute change to the manuscript Tooty had criticized two days previous. She'd called the morning after and explained that she needed the day off because of an out-of-town emergency. When he'd asked if everything was all right, she'd laughed and replied, "More than all right." After hanging up, he'd continued writing a scene that kept him up half the night. He couldn't believe he was writing a love feast in a dilapidated warehouse that might be the last act of passion his hero and heroine ever experienced. Now, rereading what he'd written, he smiled. It was good—really good. Tooty had been right.

He showered and shaved and nervously wondered what her reaction would be. Precisely at nine, she tapped on the door with a patterned knock. Tap–tap, tap tap tap, tap-tap. He opened it to one of the happiest faces he'd ever seen.

"Hello Miles," she said gaily, and skipped past him, heading to the bedroom office.

Something's up. He rolled his chair behind her and watched her from the doorway.

She glanced up. "Do you need something?"

"About that scene in my book we were discussing..."

"Oh, maybe I was wrong. You're the author, you–"

"I rewrote it."

Her eyes got big. "You rewrote it? Because of what I said?"

He didn't respond directly to her question. "Do you want to read it?"

"Does a cow give milk?"

Miles grinned. "Come back in the living room."

After Tooty settled on the couch, he handed her the pages. "Read it aloud so I can judge the affect and decide on any changes."

"Okay." She cleared her throat and began reading.

Grabbing Anja's hand, Mac pulled her into the dark, dank, and musty room. Sunlight barely filtered through years of buildup on the one window. Pulling off his jacket, he spread it on the floor for her. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

"No. I'll go with you."

"I'm only going to barricade the door." Gently, he pushed her to the floor. In the dim light he could see worry lines furrowing her brow and he had an overwhelming desire to fan his hand over her forehead, making the lines disappear like a magician. Instead, he left her and scanned the room for something to block the door. Finding a rusted pipe, he shoved it under the handle and then pulled a dilapidated office desk in front of the entrance.

He returned to Anja. "We're safe for now. No one knows to look for us here. But, just in case, we'll leave through the window if someone tries to come through the door. And...I have this." He pulled his Glock from his shoulder harness and set in on the ground in front of them as he sat beside her. "We'll leave at nightfall and cross the river. The border's about twenty miles west." He was hoping his words would encourage her. Maybe speaking the words would encourage him too. He'd been in tough situations before, but this was one of the worst."

Tooty looked up. "I really like it!"

He nodded and she continued reading.

Anja gave him a weak smile and seemed to relax a little.

"Lay your head on my lap and get some sleep." He patted his thighs.

After a moment's hesitation, she moved closer and lowered her head. In the dim light, he watched her hair fan out—strawberry blond curls that encircled his legs. Unable to stop himself, he touched her beautiful tresses, smoothing the back of his fingers across their silkiness. Her eyes never left his. Slowly, she lifted her hand to the stubble on his jaw. He couldn't breathe. Never had he felt such passion, such desire.

Slipping his arm under her shoulders, he lifted her to his mouth. Her lips were sweet and warm and she was the only person who existed in his world. He had to have her—all of her.

Tooty stumbled in the reading and turned pink.

Miles felt her unease. "Uh, guess you can read the rest of it to yourself and let me know what you think."

"Oh, okay."

The relief in her voice spoke volumes. She might have a four year old son, but he had a feeling she was as innocent as a babe. He rolled to his desk, but kept a surreptitious eye on her. When she turned crimson, he knew she was reading the consummation of the love scene.

She put the pages down and sighed.

He waited a few seconds and then asked, "Better than before?"

She turned luminous eyes on him. "Oh, yes. This book is going to sell like hotcakes. Women, young and old, rich and poor, are gonna buy the book just to read that scene." She paused and then said, "OMG, and this is gonna be made into a movie. There'd better be smelling salts handy."

"Tooty, you are so funny. I appreciate the praise, but I hardly think that's going to happen."

"Ha, then you don't know women very well." She paused. "Actually, after reading that scene, I take it back. You do know women."

Miles choked. Now it was his turn to blush. Changing the subject, he asked, "Are you going to tell me what that big grin was all about when you walked in?" She got that grin again.

"Okay. I've just got to share my news. I got this letter from an attorney. You'll never guess what happened..."

He waited.

"I inherited a ranch house and twenty acres from a distant relative! Now Harris and I have our own place!"

"Tooty, that's wonderful. Have you seen the house?"

"Not yet. I just got the key yesterday. That's why I couldn't come to work. I had to go to Denver and meet with an attorney. After I leave here I'm headed to the house to check it out. It's about thirty minutes away in the next county. Just think, I had this relative living so close and never knew it. My father said he'd heard of her but never met her until she came to our house a few years ago. He said she was something of a recluse."

Miles steepled his fingers. "Why don't we go now? I can drive you in my van. We can pick Harris up and take him with us."

"Really?"

"Sure. I'd like to see your place anyway."

"Okay, let me call Sarah." She reached for her cell phone and made the call while Miles shut his computer down. He heard her say, "Are you sure you don't mind keeping him? We may not be back until noon." She listened. "Thanks, Sarah, you're the best." She disconnected. "Sarah said there's no need to pick Harris up, she'll keep him while we go look. I already shared my good fortune with her when I dropped Harris off."

Miles grabbed his keys. "Okay, let's go. Do you have directions?"

"Yep, they're in my purse."