Perfect Partners by Carly Phillips

great.”
    “Sleeping?”
    “Not through the night, but for longer hours at a stretch.” Coincidence or not, Griff appreciated the pre-bedtime hours Chelsie gave to his niece. She might not have children of her own, but the woman definitely had mother potential. Some man would be lucky to get her.
    “What’s with the scowl?” Ryan asked.
    “Nothing.”
    “So what do you think made the difference?”
    Griff had avoided this subject for the past two weeks. But Ryan had been a true friend when he needed one, so Griff decided to level with him and accept the consequences.
    “I’ve got help.”
    “Anyone I know?”
    “Chelsie Russell.”
    “I knew it.” Ryan smacked his hand on the table and paused to gulp the remainder of his coffee. “Well, I hope things work out for you.”
    “That’s it?”
    Ryan placed a hand over his heart. “You wound me. I’m a sensitive guy. I know when to keep my mouth shut.”
    “You’re a pal.” Griff stood. “I’ve got to get back.”
    “Listen, if things are serious, I could do a little digging on Chelsie. See what turns up.”
    “No!”
    “Touchy.”
    “Just don’t do me any favors,” Griff said. “Leave things alone.” Chelsie’s business was her own. As long as she looked out for Alix’s welfare, Griff had no problems. And if he learned anything about Chelsie, he preferred it come from the woman, herself.
    *     *     *
    Chelsie popped in a DVD for Alix and settled the little girl on her lap. Alix snuggled against her chest, obviously tired after a long day. Normally, Griff would already be home, and they’d spend this time together. Like a family, her heart said. She squeezed Alix tighter, causing the child to squeal in protest.
    “Sorry,” Chelsie murmured.
    She shook her head to dispel any fantasies that might be brewing and rubbed her eyes to alleviate their burning. Thanks to the time she spent with Griff and Alix each evening, she had a backlog of work and was short on sleep. Still, she hadn’t broken her self-imposed promise. She’d kept a careful distance between herself and Griff. Despite the attraction, which had grown from a spark of desire into a tangible entity all its own, she’d managed to rein in her own needs whenever he was around. Until Griff’s absence this evening, she hadn’t realized how much she enjoyed his company.
    But as she’d feared from the beginning, where Alix was concerned, Chelsie had already lost her heart. The best she could do was to avoid emotionally dangerous situations. So she hadn’t put Alix to bed and she hoped that wasn’t about to change. When Mrs. Baxter received an emergency phone call from her son, Chelsie saw no need to detain her. As soon as Griff returned, he would tuck Alix in and Chelsie would head back to the office.
    She glanced at her watch and silently prayed he’d be home in time. She couldn’t allow herself to get any more attached to either Griff or Alix. If she did, she’d open herself to hurt far greater than any her husband had inflicted. After that experience, she’d fought to regain both her pride and her inner spirit. She’d won.
    She hated to think of the damage loving and losing a man like Griffin Stuart would cause, not to mention losing another child. She shuddered and buried her face in Alix’s curls. She’d begun to enjoy her time with Alix and Griff. Too much, because she knew each day brought her closer to the end.
    She gnawed on her lower lip and checked her watch again. “Ten more minutes till bedtime, squirt.” Where was backup when she needed it?
    *     *     *
    Two weeks ago, Griff had shaken Chelsie’s hand and this crazy arrangement had begun. Tonight, as he drove home from a long day in court and a last-minute meeting with a client, their arrangement didn’t seem so unusual. Even if he hadn’t admitted it to Ryan, he liked knowing she’d be waiting when he got home.
    The evenings she volunteered at the shelter were the longest he’d known