Page 26 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

She punched Colt’s arm, shocked at how rock-hard his biceps were.

As she sat down in the rocking chair, he said, “I dibs him when he’s done eating. I barely got to hold him.”

“Fair enough, crybaby.”

He cracked up. “Crybaby?”

“Yep.” She felt a little shy about breastfeeding in front of Colt, but decided not to let that stop her. He obviously wanted to be involved in JJ’s care, and she should get used to him being around. She lifted up her T-shirt, and Colt suddenly backed toward the couch, as if realizing that he might be intruding. She smiled at him to reassure him as she unsnapped her nursing bra and exposed her nipple. After removing the pacie from the baby’s mouth, she rolled him into her chest. JJ latched on immediately, and she caressed his cheek with her finger, smiling down at her perfect little boy.

“I’ve never seen anything sweeter in my life,” Colt said softly from his seat on the couch.

She met his gaze and whispered, “Neither have I.” Sharing this moment with him was so special, so wonderful, that she didn’t have words to describe it. She got up and joined him on the couch so that he could get a better view.

He caressed JJ’s head and breathed, “Aw, you’re so beautiful, baby, so very precious.”

She leaned against Colt’s shoulder, connecting with him in a deeper sense. He slipped his arm around her and kissed her temple. “Thank you, Taylor.”

She nodded, the corner of her mouth lifting as JJ gave a tiny little moan of pleasure.

Colt stroked JJ’s cheek with his finger. “Is that good, baby? Is that milk good?”

“I have to drink lots of water while I’m breastfeeding—at least one large glass every time I feed him.”

“Do you like your well water, or do you prefer bottled water?”

She grimaced. “The well water is fine for iced tea or coffee, but it tastes like rust if I just drink it plain.”

“Our water used to taste that way until we replaced the pipes in our well with PVC. I’ll get some five-gallon jugs and a dispenser and start bringing drinking water over for you.”

“My goodness! You don’t have to do that. It won’t hurt me to drink crappy-tasting water. That’s a lot of trouble for you, Colt,” she said.

“It’s my pleasure, so don’t argue,” he said with a smile.

She shook her head. “How will I ever be able to thank you for all that you do for us?”

He clasped her hand. “You don’t have to. I do it because I want to.” Then he released her hand to make sure she knew that there were no strings attached.

JJ’s suckling began to slow, and soon he released her nipple. Taylor pulled her bra up and tucked her shirt back in at her waist. Glancing at Colt, she asked, “Do you know how to burp a baby?”

He shrugged. “Not really. Can you show me?”

“Sure, let’s stand up.” She handed him the baby and a burp cloth and said, “OK, now put him on your shoulder, face down on the burp cloth, and let his little head hang over the back just the tiniest bit.”

He adjusted JJ to her satisfaction and then she said, “OK, that’s perfect. Now gently pat his back and walk around until you hear a tiny burp.”

“That’s all there is to it?”

“Yep, but sometimes they don’t burp—and then we have a problem.”

Colt frowned. “What happens then?”

“We could have a very fussy baby on our hands in an hour or two.”

Colt raised an eyebrow. “How do you know all this stuff?”

She grimaced. “I learned it the hard way. My dad was always gone, so I earned money babysitting from the time that I was ten.”

Colt sucked in a breath. “Ten? That’s so young.”

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