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When Ella finally looked up, there was only concern in her eyes, but as she ran her free hand across Mia’s brow, she smiled—a weary but relieved smile. “Her fever has finally broken.”

All he could do was stare. It was too much. This beautiful, warmhearted woman, her skin pebbled under water he knew would only be tepid, holding his child. Caring for her. Keeping her safe.

Nothing since he’d first met Mia had brought him to this level of emotion, but the sight before him almost brought him undone.

Perhaps sensing his presence, Mia raised her head, offering a sleepy little smile and softly called, “Dada,” before dropping back onto Ella’s shoulder.

His daughter really was okay.

Eyes back on Ella he could only stare, try to process the thoughts whirling around inside his head. He knew she was kind, that she’d take care of his daughter; of course she would. That was Ella…

His voice, strained as it pushed past the tightness in his throat, hurting as he rasped out, “I didn’t hear her. I—Is she’s okay? I’m so—”

She waved away his apology. “You gave me the wrong monitor,” she whispered. “But it’s fine, she’s much better now. Calmer. I truly didn’t mind.”

Leo grabbed a towel from the stack in the cabinet as Ella made to step out of the cubicle. “Here, let me take her.” Leo was no longer a stranger to fevers and babyhood ailments, and while he’d never be complacent, he’d learned not to panic. Well, not much, anyway.

Now though, he could probably have benefited from a bit more distracted panic—anything to keep his mind from straying to where it shouldn’t go.

Reaching in to take his daughter took all his determined focus, careful of where he placed his hands, not allowing his eyes to move off his daughter’s face—but dammit—even as hard as he tried there was no way to avoid the sight of Ella’s top as it outlined the curve of her waist, let alone how it clung to her breasts, full and luscious, visible beneath the now transparent top.

He immediately looked away, but he knew there was no way to unsee what he’d just seen. His head went back to an earlier assertion. Perfect in every way.

Every way.

Every wrong way as well as every right way.

But it was all the right ways that had hit him hardest tonight, bringing with them a dose of reality that obliterated all those senseless thoughts about terminating her employment. His baby daughter was unwell, and Ella had stepped up. Above and beyond. Nights weren’t on her. That was his domain.

She could have batted this issue back to him.

She hadn’t.

And he’d be every kind of idiot known to mankind if he didn’t open his eyes and accept that unless he intended to be a full-time, twenty-four-hour-a-day, hands-on father—that Ella Staunton Hawes was the best thing he could offer Mia at the moment. Probably ever.

All he had to do was man up and get over this insane reaction he had every time he was in her presence.

Like now, when she was standing before him almost naked.

Right. Easy.

Leo clamped his jaw hard. He could do it. Would do it. Ignoring the irritating voice in his head that laughed hysterically at his delusional declarations.

His eyes flicked briefly to hers, the rosy flush now staining her cheeks told him she noticed his perusal. That didn’t help, and he was almost grateful when, as soon as the exchange was made, she crossed her arms, covering her chest. “I—I, um… I’ll come and see her wh—”

Deliberately turning away from her, he shook his head. “Stay there, and dial up the water temperature, you need to warm up. I’ll fix Mia and check on Benny. Make sure this hasn’t disturbed him.”

“Oh.” There was a tremor in her voice as she responded, and he doggedly put that down to her body temperature. “Okay, that would be great. I won’t be long. Thank you.” Perhaps she turned back, he wasn’t game to look in her direction when she added, “Oh Leo? Don’t dress her too warmly.”

Having quickly checked on Benny, who appeared to be sleeping soundly, Leo was just fastening the last of the snaps on Mia’s onsie when he felt Ella beside him.

Hair caught up in a towel and wrapped in one of the outsize toweling robes his mom had insisted he needed for the guest bathrooms; she was almost luminous in the dim light.

Perfume from her body wash or some kind of lotion wafted over him—sweet and fragrant, reminding him of his mother’s spring garden—as she leaned in to place her fingers once more on Mia’s forehead.

Nodding she turned to face him. “It could return. Ruby had rolling fevers so Mia might be in for the same. Did you check Benny?”

It was his turn to nod. “He seemed fine. No fever.”

He felt as much as saw her shoulders drop in relief. “Good. Thank you.” Twisting back to Mia, she added, “I’ll go and get a bottle made up for her. Hopefully it’ll help her get back to sleep.”

Quickly fastening the safety belt across Mia to prevent her rolling or trying to sit up, Leo reached out to snag Ella’s thickly padded arm as she made to leave. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

She shrugged, and the overly generous robe moved, baring one slender shoulder.

She quickly covered again. “You were beat. And…” she hesitated.

“I wasn’t really sleeping so it was no bother.

” Another flush stained her face at the admission, and he wondered if her reason for restlessness was the same as his own.

A flash of hot need that he immediately clamped down came on the heels of that thought, and he was grateful when she rushed on, getting them both past the moment.

“I tried medicine first, but she was upset and spat most of it out, and when I tried the tepid bath, she clung and cried, so it made sense to take her into the shower. I had to get her temperature down.”

She finished on another shrug, this time holding the gown close, staring up at him with eyes so wide and clear he felt he could drown in them; wanted to drown in them.

Leo cleared his throat. “Thank you, Ella. I mean that… Of course, I always mean it but tonight, what you did for Mia… I’m very grateful.”

“It’s what anyone would do, Leo.” Their eyes held for a moment longer before she broke the hold. “I’ll get that bottle.”

“No. I’ll get it. You go and try to get some rest. I’ll take Mia back with me, that way I’ll be on it in case the fever takes hold again.”

He blamed everything for what came next.

The warm, dimly lit room, their whispered conversation, her perfume, their combined relief that Mia was okay…

Wouldn’t any man reach for the woman sharing such an ordeal with him?

He reached for her; held her tight against him, inhaled the essence of her—felt her soften into him.

He was reaching for her chin, about to lift her face to his when sanity returned in the form of a grizzle.

Mia.

And his hand fell away.