Page 52 of Christmas with the Denton Billionaires

He grinned, a dimple flashing. “Most people don’t. And I get it. It’s a little weird. But it makes the most sense since the corporate offices for Denton Hotels is here as well. I’m always on-site to handle problems, and who better to live in the hotel than the hotelier’s son himself?”

The baby’s wriggling and fussing escalated into a full-blown cry. The employee re-entered a moment later, dropping off a big case of baby items—wipes, diapers, even some Denton-branded onesies. Who knew if they were her size, but it was better than nothing at this point. Mitch slipped the employee a bill that looked a lot like a hundred, and the service elevator buzzed a few moments later.

“Wow.” Jules wasn’t even sure what she was commenting on at this point. Everything was impressive, from the décor to the quickness with which his demands were fulfilled to the fact that he had this freakingview.She set the baby down on the new changing table, her gaze snagged by the sprawling city before her. The Hudson river wound through the city, while the snowfall blanketed the concrete and the parked cars lining the streets below.

Mitch came over to the table, swiping his thumb over the baby’s forehead. “Does she need a diaper change or a bath or something?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out.” Jules grinned down at the infant.

"I have to admit that I know nothing about children and wouldn’t have the first idea how to change a diaper. I don’t mean to make an assumption that you do simply because you’re a woman.”

Jules laughed. “Well, you’re in luck. I worked as a nanny to help pay for college, so I do happen to know a thing or two about kids. But I have to admit, she’s a lot younger than the kids I’m used to.”

Jules undid the swaddle and found the baby in a tattered onesie and a diaper, which looked way too small for her. Her heart sank. Maybe her family was poverty-stricken. Maybe dropping her off at the front doors of a hotel really was the best decision.

She might never know.

“Oh, honey,” Jules murmured, carefully opening the bloated diaper. “Can you pass me some wipes, please?”

“Oh, yeah. Sure. Sure. Just, uh…” Mitch poked around in different bags until he finally lifted a package. “Are these wipes?”

“Sure are.” She smiled as he tugged out a few wipes and then placed them carefully along the side of the changing table. Like this was his way of reallyhelping.“Now I need you to see if you can find a size two or three diaper in there.”

“Size two or three?” he repeated, sounding uncertain as he assessed the boxes of baby things. “How will I know?”

“It should say on the package, or the diaper itself.” Jules carefully wrapped up the full diaper, cooing down at the girl as Mitch continued his search.

“Ah ha!” A moment later he delivered a small white diaper and looked proud. “Here it is. Size two. Got it.”

“That’s great. How about something clean for her to wear? I thought I saw some onesies in the supplies.”

“Onesies?” Mitch was sifting through the bags. “Like this?” He held up a onesie that said “I love Denton Hotels” and Jules nodded.

Warmth spread through her as he set it down on the changing table. She hadn’t ever really imagined what starting a family might be like, much less imagined the guy she might start one with. But this right here—playing new parents with a successful hottie like Mitch—was more fun than she’d anticipated.

“Do you want to change her diaper?” she teased as she slid the new one under the little girl’s butt.

“I should watch you at least once before I attempt it,” Mitch said, his brows drawn together as he watched her movements.

“Have you ever changed a diaper before?” Jules fastened the diaper and then carefully removed the tattered onesie.

“Will you be absolutely shocked if I say no?”

A laugh rocketed out of her. “I’d be absolutelynotshocked. There probably isn’t much time for diaper changing while running an international hotel chain, is there?”

“That and a startling lack of babies in my family.” Mitch gave her a warm smile, one that sent heat flashing through her. The man was too good looking. Too easy to be around and talk to, even with an orphaned baby and lots of unmade decisions between them. “I’m not married, and my brother hasn’t had kids yet. I can’t even remember the last time I was around a kid that wasn’t the child of a hotel guest.”

“And your parents don’t want grandbabies?”

He shrugged. “My mom would have loved them, I’m sure. She passed away years ago, and my father, well…he’s always in business mode.”

Jules grimaced. This was supposed to be the fun, get-to-know-you portion of the evening, but she’d already stuck her foot in her mouth. “Sorry. I mean, about your mom. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s fine. You wouldn’t have known. Unless you freakishly follow my family in the papers or something.”

Jules laughed again, running her fingers up and down the baby’s legs. “No stalker here. Just your run-of-the-mill event planner.” Besides, she would have been lost if she’d known about Mitch Denton years ago. He was the type of man you fell for and never came back from. A game-changing crush. The type of boy she could have fallen for in high school and never forgotten about.

“Run-of-the-mill.” He wore a strange smile as he brushed past her. “Right. Let me show you where you can stay tonight, and then I say we settle in for the storm.”

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