Asking for Trouble Read Online Free PDF Page B

kidney while they’re at it?”
    “No, but I donated your brain to science. That should keep the medical world guessing.”
    “Cute.” He initialed in the three spots she indicated then handed the clipboard back. “Oh shit.”
    “Huh?” Glancing up, her nose wrinkled as a noxious smell wafted through the cubicle. Jackson’s face was screwed into a look of supreme concentration. With a sigh, she glanced around the curtained room. “Did you bring in the diaper bag?”
    Surprise then dismay flashed in his eyes. “Uh, I think I left it at home.”
    “I guess in all the turmoil, it’s an understandable lapse. Maybe you could sweet talk one of the nurses at the front desk into finding a diaper for you. I’m sure they have them up in the obstetrics unit.”
    He slid off the table with a big smile lighting his face. “Now, there’s a job in my area of expertise. No one, except maybe my buddy Chase, is better at charming women than I am.”
    Her lips twitched. “The Amazon with a mullet should be a true test of your skills.”
    “I think I’ll try the pretty, little blonde first.” He cast her a quick grin. “Back in a minute.”
    In his absence, she made faces at Jackson. “What has your uncle been feeding you? I’ve never smelled anything so horrible outside the stockyards.”
    The baby gurgled happily, apparently not concerned about sitting in a stinky pile of—
    “They had one at the desk. Wipes, too.” Cole held out a plastic container and a diaper. “Here you go.”
    She raised her hands, palms out. “I change enough diapers during working hours—where I’m paid . Go ahead.”
    His pleading look had probably charmed plenty of women out of their panties. Miranda crossed her legs.
    “I suck at it. Please.”
    Drawing in a breath, she silently called herself a sucker, but finally relented. “Fine.” Laying Jackson on his back, she slid down his little blue jeans—and stared in utter disbelief. Silver duct tape wrapped around the disposable diaper in a diabolical pattern. Maybe if she had some scissors… Lifting her chin, she met Cole’s gaze and raised one brow.
    His cheeks reddened. “The diapers kept coming loose and falling off. Duct tape fixes everything.”
    “Unbelievable.” With care, she unwrapped the baby and released the diaper. Grabbing a handful of wipes, she went to work on his bottom. “Cole, did you think to ask when the doctor would be back in to see Jackson?” She glanced up, and her eyes widened.
    One hand covering his mouth, his throat worked dangerously fast.
    “You aren’t going to be sick, are you?”
    He took a few deep breaths and shook his head. “I’ve got this. I only puked the first time I changed him. It had run down his legs, and…” He swallowed hard and closed his eyes.
    Shaking her head, she finished the clean-up, fastened the fresh diaper in place and redressed the baby. After carefully picking up the dirty diaper, she slid off the table. “Watch Jackson while I find someplace to dispose of this.”
    He nodded then rested a hand on her shoulder. “Now I remember why I loved you so much.”
    His tone made it clear he was joking, but the words packed a punch. Once she was safely outside the cubicle, she let out a breath. After asking the blonde nurse where to put the soiled diaper, she dropped it in a sealed metal container then paused near the sliding glass doors. Long shadows stretched across the parking lot as the day faded into evening. Squaring her shoulders, she turned and headed back toward the exam area, telling herself she would survive another hour or two of Cole’s company without doing irreparable damage to her heart.
    The intern who’d looked at Jackson earlier waved from the far end of the corridor before hurrying toward her. “I’ll be in to stitch up the little guy in just a moment.”
    “Did that poor woman—”
    “She’s stable for now.”
    With a weary smile, he strode away, and Miranda slipped through the cubicle’s curtain.