Page 27 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“I guess you could say that I grew up fast—and besides, I always looked older than I was.”

Colt shook his head. “I’m so sorry you had to do that. You deserved better.”

She shrugged. “In a way, I’m thankful. It made me tough, self-reliant. I think that’s how I’ve made it through the past year without losing my mind.” She gave him a lopsided smile.

He slipped his arm around her shoulder, giving her a squeeze. “You’re right. You’re one tough cookie.” He started patting JJ again, and suddenly they both heard a tiny “Burp!”

Colt laughed. “There you go, buddy, you did it!”

“If you’ll walk him a little longer, he’ll fall asleep,” she said.

Colt moved off, rubbing JJ’s back with the gentlest of fingers, then shocked her by starting to hum. His deep voice gave her goose bumps, and a wave of tenderness swept through her, making her knees weak.

She took the diaper bag into the nursery as an excuse to get her bearings. Swallowing hard past the lump in her throat, she closed the door behind her, shutting out the sound of the extraordinary man putting her baby to sleep.

Chapter Seven

Two weeks later, Coltpulled back Taylor’s chair and seated her at the dining room table. His parents had invited her over for dinner. After all, she and JJ were all he talked about, and he was sure his parents were curious to meet her.

JJ slept quietly in his infant seat in the chair to Taylor’s right, and Colt sat down in the chair to her left. They were having chicken-fried steaks for dinner tonight, one of his mother’s special recipes.

“I hope you’re hungry, Taylor, because these are big steaks,” his mom said with a smile.

“Oh yes, ma’am. For some reason I’m ravenous now that I’m breastfeeding JJ.” Then her eyes widened as if she’d just realized that she might have said something to embarrass his parents.

But his mother said, “I’m so glad that you’re nursing the baby. I think it’s so much healthier than formula feeding.”

With a more relaxed smile, Taylor said, “Oh, I agree. That’s the main reason that I decided to. Well, that and the fact that it’s so much cheaper.” She glanced at Colt as if to see how he thought she was doing.

He reached under the table for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Taylor’s a great momma. She knows just about everything there is to know about raising babies.”

Taylor’s eyes widened. “Well, I don’t know about that, but I do have some experience with babies that’s really helped me with JJ.”

Colt, still holding her hand, said, “She started babysitting when she was only ten years old. I think that’s so amazing.”

His dad joined the conversation. “That’s pretty young, Taylor. You must have been very responsible in order for parents to trust you with their children.”

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