The Baby Invasion (Destiny Bay-Baby Dreams) Read Online Free Page A

no time for anything else.”  
    For one of the few times in his life, Scott was embarrassed. Suddenly he saw how this whole scene was playing itself out. How could he sit here and ask her these things so crudely, right in front of the kids?  
    What an idiot. He might as well grin and say, “Hey babe, like your bod. Are you free to join me in a short, fun-filled affair? No strings attached, honest. And say, leave the kids at home, okay?”  
    Like some self-centered swinger at a singles’ bar. He was seeing himself in an unfamiliar mirror and it was not a pretty picture.  
    But before he’d thought of a way to redeem himself, a sound came from upstairs. Everyone froze. Scott looked toward the stairway.  
    “What is that?” he asked carefully.  
    Cathy tried to look innocent but her smile was a delicious declaration of guilt. “What is what?’” she responded, blinking her lovely blue eyes.  
    The sound came louder, the wailing unmistakable. The first voice had now been joined by another.  
    Scott turned on her accusingly. “Now don’t try to con me. I’m not hearing things. You’ve got more babies upstairs.”  
    The “b” word again. He seemed to wince as he said it.  
    Cathy laughed and sighed with mock discouragement. “Oh gee, can’t put anything over on you, can I?” she teased, rising from her chair.  
    She hesitated for a moment, glancing at Beanie. It had been apparent for a few moments now that his diaper needed changing. But the babies’ cries were getting louder. Beanie would have to wait.  
    “You’ll have to excuse me,” she told Scott. “I’ll just go see what the little darlings want.”  
    “I’ll go, too,” Beth said, running to catch up with her mother. In a moment, they were both gone.  
    Scott was all alone again. All alone, except for the toddler who sat at his feet and watched every move he made, completely absorbed. Scott stared down into the huge baby-blue eyes. Beanie stared back.  
    “Hi, kid,” Scott said at last.  
    Beanie stared.  
    “You need your diaper changed,” Scott noted reluctantly. “Don’t you?”  
    A beatific smile appeared on the chubby little face. “Aga doo,” he agreed, bouncing his arms.  
    Scott’s sigh was deep and heartfelt. He raised his eyes to the heavens.  
    “Why me?” he muttered. “Didn’t I do enough of this? Haven’t I served my time?”  
    Nobody answered and he rose, looking around for fresh diapers. There was a stack of white, fluffy ones on a side chair. He grabbed a cotton blanket from the floor and laid it out on the couch, then scooped Beanie up and gently put him down on his back on the blanket.  
    “Hold on, partner,” he murmured to the child. “This will only take a minute.”  
    He pulled out the pins and took Beanie by the feet, easily lifting him out of the diaper and using the cloth to clean the little bottom at the same time.  
    “Just like riding a bicycle,” he said caustically as he worked. “It’s a talent you never lose.”
    Still holding Beanie up, he flicked in the clean diaper, using one hand to press in the folds. In no time, the child was changed and the dirty diaper was stowed away in the diaper pail in the hallway.
    Scott found a bathroom and rinsed off his hands, and then he was back in the living room again, sitting on the couch, with Beanie at his feet, now watching him with even stronger adoration.  
    “Aga,” the tot murmured.  
    “Aga yourself,” Scott said back. “Why don’t you go find some nice dirt to play in?”  
    Beanie merely gurgled and took hold of Scott’s pant leg with his wet hand. Scott watched, his face squinting in distaste.  
    The crying upstairs had stopped and in a moment, Cathy reappeared. She took in the two of them and reached down to pull her baby up into her arms.  
    “Now to change you,” she began, but then she frowned and patted his bottom with a practiced touch.  
    “I thought ...”   She held him out and looked at him,