He was Lucas Nye, the hero doctor, again. And she was a girl he’d grown close to over an intense few weeks, but in truth they hardly knew each other. Her heart was in her throat when she saw the frown on Lucas’ face.
“Shanda, can you give us a few minutes?” Lucas asked the medic. “Maybe you can go see if the midwives will let us borrow their ultrasound stuff?”
She left with a nod, and Lucas turned to Lena. “It was a good idea at the time. It’s still a good idea. You’re not getting cold feet, are you? Planning to use me for my body but running off just when you find out I’m not a goner after all?”
It took her a moment to realize he was teasing her. Lena’s eyes closed as a wave of palpable relief swept over her. “I’m more than happy to continue using your body, if you insist. I may be less able to do that in a few months though.”
“I’m not exactly at my best right now, either,” he confessed, “but I think we’ll work it out.”
“Then why are you still frowning?” she asked, when she opened her eyes again and saw that he was.
Lucas shrugged. “I don’t know. I still can’t really feel my face all that well. Maybe my mother was right, maybe I frowned too much and it froze that way.”
She chuckled and wove her fingers through his, drawing them to rest on her still-flat stomach. “I promise I will never say that to this child.”
“You know you’re going to break that promise, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And you know you’re my muse, right?”
“I’m your what?”
Lucas smiled, putting too much thought into it now that he was so aware of the muscles in his face. Lena didn’t mind how goofy he looked. “My muse,” he repeated. “You inspire me. Just having you around makes me feel like…like I can do anything. And everything’s going to be all right.”
Lena expressed it more simply. “You’re home to me now. I never really felt home before.”
“Then that settles it. You’re sticking around and having my baby. Hero Baby Nye, we’ll call it. The Nyes. We’ll be the Nye family. I like that.”
“I do too,” she said shyly, unable to recall the last time she’d felt shy. “Is this a proposal?”
“If you’d like. I think the farm even has an actual preacher from before.”
She considered it for a moment then shook her head. She’d never been a girl to sit around dreaming of a wedding, and she didn’t want to make things complicated. “No, I don’t need that. We can sign a form for a marriage contract, with witnesses, same as everybody else. But I do have some special vows I need you to make.”
“Anything,” he said without hesitation. Lena believed him.
“Do you promise to love me, honor me—”
“I already do.”
“Oh, you’re sweet. I love you too. But do you also swear to obey me without question in an open-fire situation?”
“Absolutely. As long as you take my orders in the lab.”
“Gladly. You give some really great orders in the lab. And finally, do you promise to never eat my face off while I’m sleeping?”
He leaned closer, curling his fingers around hers. “What about when you’re awake? Your face is so soft and tender, and there’s all that delicious-smelling brain right behind it. It’s a really short step from kissing to biting, and after all, I’m not even quite human anymore. I think you need to keep your expectations low.”
“I have a big gun and I’m pretty good at hand-to-hand combat. If you come at me while I’m awake, the chips will fall where they may. So you promise?”
He pressed his lips to hers, and they both smiled into the kiss.
“I do.”
About the Author
After earning two graduate degrees, practicing law awhile and then working for the public school system for over ten years, Delphine finally got a clue. She tossed all that aside and started doing what she should have been doing all along, writing novels! In hindsight she could see the decision was a no-brainer. Because which sounds like more fun? Being a lawyer/special educator/reading specialist/educational diagnostician…or writing spicy romances?
When not writing or doing “mommy stuff”, Delphine reads voraciously, watches home improvement shows, noodles around with html and css coding, and plays computer games with her darling (and very romantic) husband. She is fortunate enough to have two absurdly precocious children and two rotten but endearing rescued mutts.
Delphine and her family are all Texas natives, and reside in unapologetic suburban bliss near Houston.
Delphine welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
Tell Us What You Think
We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email us at [email protected].
Also by Delphine Dryden
1-800-DOM-help: Roses and Chains
Snow Job
The Lamplighter’s Love
Truth & Lies 1: How to Tell a Lie
Truth & Lies 2: Art of the Lie
Truth & Lies 3: Naked Truth
Truth & Lies 4: Tangled Truth
When in Rio
Xmas Spark
Print books by Delphine Dryden
Snow Job
Steam Heat
When in Rio
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
LovewithaChanceofZombies Page 8