His Baby Bonus by Laura Marie Altom

Author:Laura Marie Altom
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Hands on her hips, Gracie suspiciously eyed the orange and yellow oversized swing set nestled deep within an indescribably lush rooftop garden, complete with an ornamental koi pool. The sweet smell of so many flowers she couldn’t begin to name them all was dizzying. The sight of big, strong Marshal Beau standing in an apple tree’s shade, looking so proud for having presented her with fun, far better than acres of flowers. Up here, high atop the city, or for that matter, the world, even knowing three other marshals lurked somewhere nearby didn’t dampen her mood. For here in this paradise, Beau by her side, Gracie felt a million miles from trouble.

“Get on,” he said, hand on the small of her back, leading her down a winding brick path to the swings. “I’ll push.”

“I don’t know…”

“Why not?”

“Those seats aren’t big enough for me and my new and improved derriere.”

“They’re plenty big,” he said with a sexy-slow grin. He plopped her onto the nearest of the two, and she fit just fine. What wasn’t fine was the rush of hot awareness strumming through her every time he was near—let alone touching her! “Hold on,” he said, “and I’ll give you a ride.”

“All the way to the sun?”

“If that’s where you want to go. Just know if you’re that far out of my sight, once I get you back, I’d have to cuff you again.”

“Mmm…” she said, loving the feel of soaring through a secret garden, soft summer heat mingling with the moist scents of freshly watered plants and cypress mulch.

Eyes closed, smiling, she breathed deeply, forever capturing the place, the scent, the feel of Beau’s strong hands on her back.

Each time she came in for a landing, he sent her higher, whether he knew it or not, further instilling the feeling that with him, she was safe. It might only be an illusion, but up here, protected by lush foliage and sky, she seriously doubted her ex was going to jump out from behind a potted hibiscus, guns blazing.

And if he did?

What a way to go.

Suddenly, melancholy washed over her. “That’s enough. Please help me stop.”

“Why? We’ve barely been out here five minutes.”

“Come here,” she said. He gave her a funny look while she stood, pointing at the swing’s wide, black vinyl seat.

“You want me to swing?”

She nodded.

“Marshals don’t—”

“Do it, or I’ll run again.”

He groaned, shot her one of his famous put-out-with-her looks, then did her bidding. “I’m sitting. Now what?”

Eyeing the fittings holding the swing in place, she prayed they were solid, then sat squarely on Beau’s lap.

“What the? Gracie, we can’t—”

“Just relax. It’s no fun swinging alone, and seeing how there’s no way you can sit on my lap, I thought this might work.”

She glanced over her shoulder just in time to catch him rolling his eyes.

“Oh, quit being such an old fuddy duddy,” she complained. “You’re turning out to be the very antithesis of fun.”

“And you’re turning out to be a major pain in my—”

She shifted just far enough to kiss him.

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