AFTERSHOCK Read online

  Dax raised a brow.

  "—seen each other," she finished. "A year."

  "Well it must be nice to run into each other." Suzette smiled. "And here of all places. How funny."

  Hysterical.

  Taylor chose that moment to squeal loudly, making her instant hunger known to everyone within hearing distance. Amber tried to soothe her by giving her a pacifier, but she spit it out and turned bright red, a sure sign of an upcoming fit.

  "Let me," Dax said, reaching for the baby. His eyes dared Amber to defy him.

  She wouldn't, not over this. She handed Taylor over.

  At the loss of her mom's arms, Taylor let out an indignant howl.

  "What's the matter, sweetheart?" Dax asked, expertly cuddling the baby close.

  She's had only me! Amber wanted to say, but at the equal mixture of terror and joy on Dax's face, she restrained herself. "She's hungry. I have formula."

  "You aren't…?" Dax jutted his chin out toward her chest. "Breastfeeding?"

  "Yes," Amber said quickly, feeling herself go red at his bluntness. To add insult, her body betrayed her by reacting to his nonsexual gaze in a very sexual way. Her tummy fluttered, her nipples hardened. "When we're out, I'd rather give her a bottle."

  "Oh." Appeased, Dax looked down at his daughter, his expression so bare and honest and fierce she could hardly stand it.

  Suzette jumped when her name was called from the main desk. "Oh, dear. It's time."

  "Yeah." Dax nodded toward a man who'd just gotten off the elevator. "Look, there's Alan. You'll have a ride home."

  "But—"

  "See you," he said, kissing her cheek, nudging her gently away.

  The look Suzette shot Dax over her shoulder was filled with questions.

  "Have a good one," Dax said, waving, ignoring her silent curiosity. "Talk to you later."

  "Yeah. You'd better." With one last glance, Suzette left them to walk toward the man, but that last look Dax received wasn't difficult to read.

  She wanted answers.

  Amber wondered if she'd get them. "She's pretty," she said inanely. "When is she due?"

  "A week or so."

  Taylor reached out with a wet fist, and partly by luck, latched onto the front of Dax's T-shirt. There was already a drool stain down the front of him, then she tugged, wrinkling it. Amber winced but Dax simply cupped the back of her little head with his big hand and smiled at her.

  Watching them, Amber's heart wrenched. She didn't want to see how wonderfully perfect the two of them looked together, father and daughter, but there was no missing it. "Shouldn't you be going into the appointment with Suzette?"

  "Me?" Dax glanced after Suzette's wobbly figure. "She'll be okay."

  Anger vanquished her guilt. "Oh, I see. You don't need to be there for all the hard work, right? Only the fun stuff."

  Dax's mouth opened at that, then carefully shut. In spite of the hurt and anger still clearly visible, he let out a little disbelieving laugh. "Tell me you don't think Suzette's baby is mine."

  Amber lifted her chin, gave him her best intimidation stare.

  He didn't even flinch. "My God. You do."

  "I don't know what I think."

  "Yes, you do. You're just too polite to share it."

  She lifted her chin another notch and he shook his head, disgusted. "Suzette's my sister, Amber. Alan is her husband."

  It was hard to remain indignant, she realized, when she was an idiot. "Oh."

  "Yeah, oh." He leaned close, close enough that she caught the scent of him, one hundred percent male. It was so achingly familiar, it would surely haunt her that night.

  "Fun stuff?" he asked, his brow raised. "Is that what you call it?"

  She managed to keep her eyes level with his, barely, but she couldn't control the blush she felt creeping up her face.

  "I have to admit, I find it as 'fun' as the next guy," he said a little thickly, his gaze dropping to her mouth for just an instant. "But as I recall, what we shared was a hell of a lot hotter than just 'fun.' In fact, it was downright scorching."

  Though he was right, she swallowed hard. The ball of lust he'd created inside her didn't go down though. "Stop it."

  "You headlined my fantasies for weeks," he told her in that same sexy tone. "The way you cried my name, remember? And those sexy little mewling sounds you make when you come—"

  "Stop."

  The teasing left him instantly and he straightened. "You're right, this is not amusing. Not in the slightest." He shifted Taylor closer, looking like a natural dad. "Let me ease your mind," he said curtly, in direct opposition to the gentle way he surrounded his daughter. "I told you I'm not married. That's still true."

  The leap in her heart was ruthlessly ignored.

  "And you're right about one thing," he agreed. "I might never have chosen to be a father, not yet, but in no way does that mean I won't be the best dad in the world to my baby. I'm a responsible man, Amber, though I have no idea why I'm explaining myself to you, when you obviously didn't care enough to even ask."

  "Dax—"

  Taylor, tired of waiting, let out another warning cry. She still had a grip on Dax's shirt, and with a kick of her legs, she tugged. Dax grimaced and unsuccessfully attempted to untangle Taylor's fist. "She's got chest hair in that fist," he said, pained.

  Good. But Dax's second wince reached her, and with a sigh, she stepped close. "Let me help—"

  Their hands touched, his big and rough, hers small and elegant.

  The connection was startlingly electric, and given the way Dax went suddenly still, he felt it, too.

  They stared at each other stupidly.

  Ever since the earthquake, Amber had convinced herself that their undeniable attraction was a direct result of the death threat they'd been under.

  Another untruth, it seemed, because there was no threat of death here, and that almost chemical heat between them existed strong as ever.

  It was easier to stand and busy herself with loosening Taylor's little fist than to meet Dax's unwavering gaze. Only problem—now she was face-to-face with him, mere inches away, touching his shirt and chest with a familiar intimacy that made thinking difficult.

  "Care to share that thought?" he wondered. "The one that's making you blush?"

  Her fingers faltered. "No."

  "Chicken," he taunted softly.

  Her lips tightened, and she might have given him a frosty comment, if she hadn't noticed his breathing wasn't any more steady than hers.

  Mercifully, Taylor's name was called from the front desk.

  Amber looked up at Dax. He looked right back.

  "I need to take her in," she said softly, holding out her hands for the baby.

  Dax didn't relinquish her. "I'm coming." His face had hardened into the stubborn expression of a man with a fight on his hands.

  But she had no intention of giving him one. She didn't intend to keep Taylor from him, nor did she want to hurt him in any way.

  "And then we're going somewhere to settle this," he said firmly.

  At that, her good intentions faltered. Memories crowded her, unhappy ones. Always, her father's word had been law. Roy had turned out to be much the same way. All her life, she'd told herself someday things would be different, and now they were.

  No one was the boss of her. Not even the man she'd had a child with. She'd share Taylor with Dax because it was the right thing to do, but she'd never let him run her life.

  "Settle this?" she repeated evenly, as though her heart hadn't settled in her windpipe. Would he try to take Taylor away from her? Would he tell the courts she was an unworthy mother, just as her own mother had been? "What do you mean by that exactly?"

  "I mean that this is far from over."

  "Yes, but—"

  "Taylor," the nurse called again, and without another word Dax turned, and still holding Taylor, headed toward the waiting nurse, leaving her to follow.

  She hated that, mostly because she had never trusted anyone t