Tears streamed from Chloe’s eyes, and she fumbled for a tissue. A minute later, the sight of flashing lights in her rearview mirror had her cursing and slamming her fist on the steering wheel. Just what she needed on top of what she’d already endured. Sniffing and swiping her face with the tissue, she reached above the visor for the registration and insurance card.
The blazing orange sky as sunset approached was enough to obscure the officer’s features when he reached her window, giving him an angelic halo. She only hoped he was feeling beneficent enough to skip giving her a citation. “Hello,” she said with a sniffle, dabbing at her face.
“Do you know why I pulled you over, ma’am?”
She shivered just a touch at his voice, thinking it was combination of soothing and rough…and strangely familiar. She shook her head and brushed impatiently at the strands clinging to her wet cheeks.
“You ran right through a four-way stop back there.”
“Oh.” She sniffed again. “I’m sorry. I guess I just didn’t see it.”
The officer leaned closer, the scent of sandalwood wafting to her nose as the breeze rifled his hair. Since pregnancy, she’d had the scent detection of a bloodhound, and the aroma made her mouth water a bit. He seemed to be focusing on her belly. “Step out of the car please.”
“But…” Chloe trailed off, deciding it was futile to argue. She clutched her license and registration as she slowly eased out her bulk. When she was leaning against the car, she frowned at the cop.
He was looking at her with a slow, sexy smile—a very familiar smile, matched by disturbingly familiar blue eyes when he whipped off the mirrored aviator glasses he’d worn. “Chloe Higgs.”
Her mouth dropped open with shock at the sight of him. “Sean Nolan.” Crossing her arms above her rounded stomach, she tried to decide if she was glad to see him or not. He’d been her neighbor as she’d grown up, and he’d been her first kiss. He’d also been the first man to break her heart and leave her devastated. But not the last, she thought with a long sigh, unconsciously rubbing her belly.
His gaze followed her hand, and his expression was peculiar. “My mom didn’t mention you’d gotten married.”
Her frown deepened, and she decided she wasn’t pleased to see the handsome older man. “I didn’t.” She left no room for questions in her tone.
Apparently, he didn’t pick up on that. “Getting married?” He waved his glasses vaguely in the direction of her stomach.
“No. No man in the picture, okay?” Scowling, she shoved her papers at him. “Don’t you have a ticket to write?”
Sean shook his head, though he took the papers and wrote something on his pad before handing the packet back to her. “I’m not going to give you a ticket, Chloe.” His lips turned downward in a frown. “Especially when you’re clearly upset. What’s wrong?”
Despite not having seen him for five years, she was insanely tempted to pour out the whole mess. Instead, she swallowed the lump of moisture in her throat, shook her head, and tossed her registration packet back into the car. “Just a bad day.”
He seemed poised to push for an explanation, and she was mildly disappointed that he didn’t persist. Not surprising though, since she hadn’t seen him at all after the night he’d kissed her. She’d talked to his parents many times since, because they still lived next door to her folks, but she had never asked about Sean, and they had never volunteered information about either of their twin sons.
“Are you headed straight home now?”
She shook her head. “I have to go by the store, but I promise I’ll pay more attention to driving.”
After a hesitation, he nodded. “Okay, but be safe.”
As she folded her stomach behind the wheel, she said, “Sure.”
Sean knelt down to look in through the window, his fingers brushing her forearm on the window frame. “It was good to see you again, Chloe.”
She couldn’t hold back a snort of disbelief while fastening her seat belt. “Yeah, okay. Goodbye, Sean.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
Chloe didn’t bother to hide her skepticism. After his disappearing act five years ago, she knew better than to believe him. “Thanks for not giving me a ticket.” Without awaiting further response, she turned the ignition and pulled onto the street with a cursory glance in her mirror.
She tried to banish Sean from her thoughts as she drove to the market. Her mind should be firmly focused on that ugly scene with Timothy, not flitting to a man she hadn’t seen for years and hadn’t thought of—much—for about as long. What she really wanted was to forget all thoughts of men, enjoy some peach ice cream, a hot shower, and an early night. It wouldn’t take much to shove either man from her thoughts. She hoped.
Chapter TwoChloe was halfway through the living room with two bags of groceries before she realized the lights were on and dimmed to provide a hazy glow accentuated by candles. The meager illumination allowed her to see a trail of rose petals that led from the living room down the hallway. Her first thought was crazily random—it was going to be a pain to clean up those petals from the carpet.Her second thought was more coherent and a lot more terrifying. Someone had broken into her house to set up this scene. Her heart plummeted into her stomach as she dropped her grocery bags to fumble for her cell phone. Her hands trembled as she dialed nine-one-one, her thoughts squarely on her baby.The operator answered on the first ring. “Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”“Someone has broken into my apartment.”“Are they still there?”She looked up as a solid form entered the living room, drawing to a halt. Barely biting back a panicked scream, she said, “Yes, the intruder is still here.”
Chapter ThreeShe met his gaze, sure hers revealed her shock. His eyes were smoldering with hunger. “I don’t understand,” she whispered.“I want you, Chloe, and I have for years.” He didn’t take his gaze from hers as he brought the sponge up her side and over her swollen belly in a tender gesture. “Sometimes, thoughts of you were the only thing that got me through the hell of working undercover. I used to imagine I’d come back home, find you, and sweep you off to bed.”Chloe gestured to her stomach. “But I’m pregnant.”He grinned. “You are, and it’s beautiful.”She blinked. “How can you find it…me…attractive? The baby isn’t yours.”Sean dropped the sponge and splayed his hand over her stomach. “He will be, if you let me claim him. I don’t care about the sperm donor. Your body nurtures this baby, and that’s enough for me.”Her head whirled. “This is crazy. I barely know you.”He looked sad. “That’s true, but it wasn’t always that way. We used to know each other pretty well, and I think
Chapter One--Baby For The DetectiveThe motorcycle hummed just like it was supposed to, followed by a deep purr when she accelerated. Mandy nodded with satisfaction. The engine rebuild was a success. That was good news, since she’d spent most of the day working on it. Thinking about it reminded her of the ache in her shoulders and lower back from being bent over the machine.As she changed lanes to return to her dad’s garage and clock out for the day, she cursed when lights flashed behind her. Racking her brain to try to determine what she’d done to catch Smokey’s attention, she signaled and turned off down an alleyway to get out of traffic.The unmarked car stopped close behind her, and a tall officer not wearing a uniform unfolded himself from the sedan. He had a solid build his blazer couldn’t hide, and she couldn’t help appreciating as he drew closer. Mandy fumbled with the helmet as he got nearer, slipping it off to let her chestnut curls cascade over her shoulders. She wasn’t ex
Chapter TwoHe maintained silence for the rest of the week, and she gradually relaxed. Apparently, Shane just had a stubborn streak and had taken a bit longer than most guys in such a situation to accept she wasn’t going to go out with him. Saturday evening, she dressed in a blue tube dress with a silver shrug, paired with kitten-heel ankle boots, and waited for her cousin to pick her up.Bryn was a little late, which was typical, but they still made it to the club before nine. Her cousin had picked a new one this week, as she often did, but they didn’t have to wait long in line. With her long dark hair, smoldering brown eyes, and pouty red lips—not to mention her hourglass curves and generous breasts—Bryn rarely had to wait at any club, and men regularly threw themselves at her feet.Mandy showed the bouncer her fake ID, holding her breath as she did every time. She knew Bryn’s stepbrother was a computer whiz, and he’d assured her the ID would work anywhere, any time, but she still g
Chapter ThreeFour days later, Mandy’s heart was racing in her chest as she burst through the police station doors, going right to the front desk. “Where is Lieutenant Nolan?”The uniformed officer eyed her suspiciously. “Who wants to know?”“I need to see him.” She tapped her short nails on the worn wood. “I imagine the bast…he’s expecting me. Mandy Austin.”With an air of reluctance, as though she had asked him to move a mountain, he turned toward his keyboard. After a moment of typing and staring at the screen, he picked up the phone. “Shane, it’s Ed. There’s a girl here at the station to see you. You got it noted that we should contact you whenever and wherever if she comes by.” He listened to the reply for a moment before nodding, as though Shane could see him. “Will do.”After hanging up the phone, the portly officer picked up a pen and wrote something on a pad. He ripped off the sheet and handed it to her.Mandy took it, reading an address. “What’s this?”“Where you’ll find the
Chapter FourDinner was surprisingly relaxing. The steaks were perfect, and the salad was crisp. She’d been unsurprised to see ice water as the accompaniment, but it really didn’t bother her. It was just the idea of him deciding what she could or couldn’t have that annoyed her.He served dishes of peach ice cream for dessert, never letting the conversation falter. It was surprising to realize they had reached that stage of the meal already. Shane was a good conversationalist, and she’d found herself engaging him without much effort. The time had passed quickly.When she pushed away her bowl, having eaten every last bite, she asked, “Now what?”“After dishes, I thought we could watch a movie.”She nodded, deciding that was preferable to him suggesting something more intimate, though a movie often ended up as cuddling on the couch. The dishes formed a neat pyramid as she carried one stack, and he took the other. They worked companionably to load and start the dishwasher.“Do you want co
Chapter FiveHe grilled again that evening, this time chicken breasts and asparagus. Mandy appointed herself the task of making dessert and threw together peanut butter brownies from memory. Fortunately, she had remembered accurately, and they turned out well. They ate on the deck, and she cast a longing glance at the hot tub without thought. She’d never been in a hot tub in her life.“You want to take a dip?” asked Shane, as he finished the last of his iced tea.Mandy shook her head. “No, thanks.”He grinned. “You don’t need to swim to go in.”“Ha ha.” She stuck out her tongue. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit.” She didn’t even own one.His voice deepened. “Neither did I, babe. It’s best enjoyed in the buff.” Mandy hesitated, not sure if she was brave enough. Apparently, he took that as his cue to decide for her. “Let me turn it on and get the water heated, and then we’ll go in.”Nodding jerkily, she got to her feet. “I’ll be back.” She hurried to her room, frantically digging through her
Chapter SixAfter showers and a snack of fruit, cheese, and crackers, they adjourned to his room. His room was larger than hers, and his bed included a sturdy iron headboard that Mandy easily visualized him cuffing her to. Before she could resist the urge, she turned to him and asked, “Do you have those handcuffs?”He looked wary as he nodded. “But you’re out of your mind if you think I’m going to let you cuff me to the bed, babe.”Heat scorched her neck and flamed her cheeks as she nibbled on her lower lip. “I was kind of curious…for me…” It was insanity to be suggesting he handcuff her to the large bed, but she found herself strangely trusting him in spite of everything that had gone on.It was unclear what other connection there was between them besides physical, but she was confident Shane knew what he was doing and could be trusted to please her. Plus, she suspected he would find the idea of unrestrained access to her body pleasing to himself as well. He’d probably get off on it,
EpilogueTwenty-One Months LaterIt was a madhouse of relatives, friends, and toddlers as their daughters celebrated their first birthdays. Sera and Julie had delivered a day apart, but they had shared a due date. Jordan and Lola had almost shared a birthday, and they had made a joke that their next children would accomplish that goal. Since it was shortly after witnessing the graphic miracle of childbirth, their husbands had looked a little pale at the thought of having more already, and the two women had shared a laugh at their expense.Now, they shared a hug as they watched their daughters experimenting with their first tastes of chocolate cake from their small birthday cakes in front of them. Their actual birthdays had been one and two days ago, with Julie’s little girl turning one first, but it had been natural to combine the parties, since they shared so much else.“They’re getting so big,” said Sera, eyeing Jordan, who had Jack and Julie’s brown eyes.“They sure are. It really
Chapter ThreeThe blinding sun streaming through the opened curtains woke her, and she groaned. Derek stirred beside her, and she turned her head to look at him and avoid the sunlight. “Good morning,” she whispered, feeling ridiculously shy considering what they had shared.“Hey.” He leaned over to kiss her near the mouth.Disregarding morning breath, she changed the angle and captured his mouth for a long kiss. Their movements became more amorous, and soon they were on the threshold of making love again. He reached into his bedside drawer to pull out a condom.Julie intercepted his hand, taking it from him and tossing it back in the direction of the nightstand. “We don’t need that.”He arched a brow. “Are you sure? We already took a risk last night.”“What’s the worst that could happen?” She winked. “I might get pregnant, which would curtail my sluttish ways.”Derek groaned. “Am I ever going to live down that assumption?”“No.” She rolled her hips to encourage him to sink inside her.
Chapter TwoThe rain drenched them in the few seconds it took to exit his patrol car and run to the shelter of his roof. Despite it being midsummer, it was the cold kind of rain that chilled while soaking, and she was shivering by the time he opened his door to let her in first.Despite being best friends with Sera since they were four and had met at the same preschool, she had never been inside Derek’s house. It was on the same property as his parents’, but they weren’t close enough for him to invite her over, or for her to feel brave enough to just stop by.Tonight was different, and she felt welcome. No, eagerly wanted, as he stepped into the house behind her and closed the door with a quiet click before coming to stand so close behind her that some of his body heat took the edge off her chill. She kicked off her platform sandals beside his practical black oxfords. Hand-in-hand, they dashed across the gleaming black hardwood floor of the living room and down the hallway to the seco
BABY FOR THE DEPUTYChapter OneJulie pushed her way through the crowd of partiers fleeing the underage drinking party hosted by Benji Shultz. She hoped he didn’t get in too much trouble with the cops and his folks, but she was more worried about her best friend. She and Sera had gotten separated shortly after their arrival at the party. She’d allowed Eric Foster to drag her off to a darkened corner for a lot of flirting and a little touching, and Sera had drifted away.Cutting through the woods proved to be a smart move, as she managed to avoid the milling deputies. Her heart thudded with dread at the idea of running into her father, who would be Sheriff Robinson in those circumstances, not Dad. With only a few scratches from low-lying branches and moderately tangled spots in her brown hair, she emerged onto the county road a few minutes later.Biting her lip and wondering what she should do about Sera, she approached her car. It was on the side of the road where she had parked it, a
Chapter TwoHe whirled around quickly, his expression one of anger. “That shit isn’t funny, Sera.”She blinked. “It’s not supposed to be.”There was a white line around his lips as he loomed over her. “You don’t say stuff like that. Not everyone will take it as a joke.”“It’s not a joke,” she said in a steady voice, though she trembled with a hint of fear. Not because she thought Jack would hurt her, but because there was a tangible tension in the air. A harbinger of something to come…something she was sure she wanted, but was still slightly afraid of just the same.Jack bent over her until their faces were only inches apart. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but don’t push me, Sera. I suppose you’ve heard the rumors and decided to have a bit of fun, but I’m not amused, and I won’t tolerate this. I will put you over my knee and paddle you like the brat you’re being if you keep this up.”Her body jolted at the mental image of being over his knee, but curiosity won over th
BABY FOR THE SHERIFFChapter OneThe sound of police sirens had a mobilizing effect on all the partiers crammed into, and spilling out from, Benji Shultz’s party. That his parents’ cabin was deep in the woods didn’t seem to have deterred the police from busting up the underage drinkers’ get-together. From her vantage point in the corner, Sera might have been amused by the frantic scrambling of her former high school classmates fleeing the scene if she hadn’t been just as eager to escape.Someone jostled her arm, making her spill beer over her cute black cami with its sparkling straps and rhinestone heart that rested right between her breasts. Cursing, she set the cup on the nearest table, wincing at the thoughtlessness of leaving her trash behind. However, her parents would be much angrier to find out she’d been drinking than if they learned she had shown bad manners at her host’s house.She wobbled on the too-high heels and cursed again. Why had she let Julie convince her to wear the
BABY FOR THE COPLexie winced when Jason rubbed her clit too enthusiastically, but didn’t want to ask him to switch his angle again after having made the request twice already. He was still rubbing in a way that felt pretty good, and if she angled her hips a little awkwardly, she could… ah, that was the spot. She closed her eyes again, humping his hand as he stroked her to a climax that left her shuddering and breathing harshly.“You okay, babe?” He looked so earnest, with his handsome tanned face and overly long blond locks, bleached almost white from all the time he spent on the beach. “Did you get there?”She smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” Lexie leaned forward to kiss him at the same time he leaned toward her, making them bump noses. “Ow,” she said with a giggle.He blushed and moved slower, until their lips touched gently together. She parted hers to let him inside, biting back a small surge of impatience when he plopped his whole tongue inside. Did he invite his uvula along for the p
EpilogueMandy and Shane married in a small ceremony for just friends and family. It was amusing to see her side of the church filled with former and current criminals warily eyeing the cops on the other side of the church. The police in attendance seemed just as uneasy, but things became smoother as the alcohol flowed during the reception.During the toast, her dad gave effusive praise for Shane, and Sean also spoke of their enduring love. It was a sweet, tender moment, but all she could think of was taking him up to their room in the hotel, tearing off his handsome tuxedo, and having him take her rough and hard.That was what she was in the mood for right then, though he wasn’t likely to indulge her. At ten weeks pregnant, he treated her more like spun glass then an adventurous sexual partner. She knew she’d have to wait for that side of him, but it was no hardship to see the tender side either. She loved all parts of Shane, no matter how light or dark. As they danced together one l
Chapter SevenThe next morning, she rode her bike to the shop, finding her father in his apartment above the garage. Clearly, Shane had followed through on his promise to have Patrick bailed out. It took one look at her father to know he was guilty. His expression, his red eyes from crying, and the way his posture slumped into defeat told her everything she needed to know before she ever asked the question. Still, it slipped from her mouth. “Did you do it, Dad?”Patrick nodded miserably. “I did, maybe, but it’s not what you think.”Pain arced through Mandy, and she hugged herself. “Then how is it? What could possibly make this okay?”“Nothing makes it okay, hon, but I was a damned fool. I trusted the wrong person, and it’s as simple as that. You know Carol, the new waitress at the diner?”She nodded.“She asked me to help her deliver a package before we started our date. I was expecting it to be a big ol’ box or something that would require heavy lifting, but it was a small package. I