Dangerous Temptations

by Brooke Cumberland

  “So they match Colton’s,” she replied in an obvious tone.

  “Um…okay.” I laughed. “Well, then I guess I like…Cora and Cassie.”

  “You don’t sound very enthusiastic about it.” Oh, god…the hormonal mood swings.

  “I am, sweetheart. I’m just very tired.” I kissed her and pulled her closer to me. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?”

  She grumbled. “That’s what you always say.”

  “Sweetheart, I promise. We’ll talk about it. Just not now when I’m half asleep.”

  “Okay.” She smiled and kissed me, curling her body into mine. “Love you.”

  Three Months Later…

  “She looks just like you,” I said, admiring how perfect our new baby girl looked. “She has your same cheek bones. And your cute little jawline.” I rocked her next to Mac’s hospital bed, in complete awe at how much I already loved her. “Maybe she’ll have your feisty attitude, too.” I winked.

  “We can only hope.”

  A knock came at the door and her nurse walked in, smiling wide. “I have some papers I need you to fill out.” She handed them to Mac. “You had the baby so fast we didn’t even get to that yet.” Mac and I were at dinner when her water broke. She delivered a half an hour after we arrived at the hospital. “What’s her name?” the nurse asked.

  The smile on my face dropped, and I turned to look at Mac, who wore the same expression I was. “Um…” She started to stumble.

  “We’re still deciding,” I interrupted. The nurse looked at us with an odd expression but just nodded in response and told us to page her when the paperwork was complete.

  As soon as the nurse shut the door, Mac turned and scowled at me. “Don’t give me that look,” I pleaded.

  “Our baby is going to be named Kid,” she cried. “It’s all you called her during my pregnancy so it’s probably all she knows anyway.”

  Oh, hello, postpartum hormones!

  “Not true,” I reassured. “Let’s just go over your list again and decide which one she looks like.”

  She rambled off the names again, but nothing stuck out. I thought for a moment and said, “What about Lauren Elizabeth?” It was her middle name and her mom’s name combined, so I partially expected her to yell at me how stupid that idea was, but surprisingly, she didn’t.

  “I like it!” she gushed, smiling. “Lauren Elizabeth…it fits so perfectly.” She looked down at her and started crying.

  After a couple days in the hospital, we were able to take our baby girl home. Colton met her for the first time that night and absolutely adored her. He wanted to know why she didn’t do anything but sleep, but I knew he’d be wishing she was sleeping when she wakes him up crying at two a.m.

  “Can you grab her blanket? I left it in the kitchen,” Mac asked as he cuddled Lauren on the couch. I jumped up to grab it, but just before I walked back in to hand it to her, I stood in the doorway and just watched the three of them. Colton was standing on the couch cushion next to Mac, looking down at his new sister. Mac was smiling, holding Colton close to her as they both just stared down at her.

  When I met Mackenzie five years ago, my world tilted on its axis. Before her, it felt as if I was drowning in the expectations that were put into place, and I had no say in the matter. Coming home after graduate school was something I wasn’t looking forward to, but I knew it was time—time to face my dad and the media again.

  Meeting Mac that first night was the game changer. She was filled with such a bright energy that it completely changed my perception of having to be home again. When I woke up the next morning with her in my bed, I knew I didn’t want to let her go. I may not have known much about her, but I knew I wanted to know more about her.

  The first moment she turned around to face me, it hit me like a freight train. I made sure to not let it show, but just like everything else in my life, nothing ever went my way. I had realized who she was. I recognized her from the articles the press did on my father, but she was so much different than I originally anticipated.

  That was when I knew.

  He wasn’t good enough for her. He was a lying, deceptive son-of-a-bitch, and I wasn’t going to let him keep her.

  “Alex?” Mac’s voice grabbed my attention back. She raised her brows at me, looking down at the blanket in my hands. “Can you bring that here, please?”

  I pushed off the doorframe and walked toward the three of them, covering Lauren up with her new blanket.

  I picked Colton up and set him on my lap as I sat down next to Mac, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pushing us closer together. “I can’t believe how much she looks like you.”

  “Yeah…she looks a lot like my mom, too. It’s kind of perfect.” She tilted her head up at me and smiled. “I wish I had pictures of her.”

  I pulled her head toward me and kissed her temple. “We’ll always take a lot of pictures.”

  “Well, we should all get to bed early,” she sighed, then leaned over me to speak to Colton. “Daddy has a big birthday tomorrow! The big 3-0,” she said, emphasizing the 3 and 0. “We’re going to get up and make him a special breakfast.” She smiled over at him, and I sighed. “No groaning,” she warned me. “We’re having your dad and new stepmom over for dinner. They’re excited to see the baby.”

  I wrinkled my nose at her, narrowing my brows. “Isn’t it weird your old assistant is my ‘stepmom’?”

  She snorted. “No, it’s fate. They deserve each other…” She looked over at Colton, who was overhearing everything. “In the best way possible,” she added, grinning. She was right about that. Chelsea spent months selling stories about William and when he recently found out, he threatened to sue for slander. Instead, Chelsea asked him out to ‘explain’ and apparently, he bought it because they ended up dating. Shortly after, he proposed and they married.

  Apparently, the third time was the charm.

  After we tucked Colton in and got Lauren to sleep, we headed to bed ourselves. The past few days have been another life-changing chapter for us, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

  “So do you think after the awkward birthday dinner you’re going to make me suffer through, we can lay low a few days before I have to get back to work?” I whispered, holding her tightly against me and tracing a finger along her jawline.

  “I wish.” She sighed. “Staci’s wedding is next weekend,” she reminded me, “which means I have to fit my post-pregnancy belly into a dress that is probably two sizes too small.”

  I pulled her chin toward me and brushed my lips over hers. “You are going to look beautiful no matter what.” I kissed her lips again as I pulled her closer. “So…how long do we have to wait to have sex again?” I asked between kisses.

  She laughed as she shout-whispered, “Longer than three days!”

  “Damn.” I grinned.

  “At least six weeks,” she reminded me.

  I groaned. “Longest six weeks of my life.”

  “It’ll go by fast, I promise,” she reassured. “Between feedings, diaper changes, chasing after Colton, and work—those weeks will fly by.”

  I covered her mouth with mine, intertwining our legs together under the sheets just as Lauren started to cry. I pulled away and groaned, “Not fast enough.”

  She wrinkled her nose and laughed. She shifted her legs to the other side and grabbed Lauren out of her bassinet. She re-wrapped the blanket, swaddling her and tucking her into the nook of her arm. She was such a natural. Right from the start when we brought Colton home, she just knew what to do. She had been so nervous and anxious throughout her whole pregnancy, worried she wouldn’t have any motherly instincts. But she worried for nothing because watching her with him, and now Lauren, was simply breathtaking.

  “I love you,” I said, looking at both of my girls. “I love how you love so easily. So natural.”

  She smiled up at me as she softly rubbed a finger against Lauren’s tiny cheek. “I love you, too. Thank you for giving me a beautiful fa
mily.”

  I leaned in and brushed my lips against her, slowly and gently, keeping them there as I said, “Thank you for letting me.”

  And they lived happily ever after…

  About the Author

  Brooke Cumberland is a USA Today Bestselling author who’s a stay-at-home mom and writes full-time. She lives in the frozen tundra of Packer Nation with her husband, 4-year-old wild child, and two teenage stepsons. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading love stories, listening to music that inspires her, and laughing with her family. Brooke is addicted to Starbucks coffee, leggings, and anything sweet. She found her passion for telling stories during winter break one year in grad school--and she hasn’t stopped since.

  Connect with Brooke:

  www.brookecumberland.com

  Facebook.com/brookecumberlandauthor

  Twitter @blcumberland

  Instagram.com/AuthorBCumberland

  Pinterest.com/bcumberland8

  Other books by Brooke Cumberland

  The Intern Serials

  Volume One

  Volume Two

  Volume Three

  After the Internship: A Novella

  Or grab the complete box set

  The Spark Series

  Spark, #1

  Burn, #2

  Flame (Companion novel)

  Or grab the complete box set

  The Riverside Trilogy

  Kitchen Affairs, #1

  Kitchen Scandals, #2

  Kitchen Promises, #3

  Or grab the complete box set

  Acknowledgements

  This was one very long process from start to finish. This book took me almost six months, which to-date is the longest span it’s taken me to complete a book. Not to mention, it’s also my first true stand-alone so the pressure to give complete closure in one book was hard for me.

  This book pushed me in many ways. I struggled with the plot line, how readers would respond to it, if the characters were developing correctly. I contemplated if I could even finish it.

  Telling a story and making it come to life on paper is hardly a one-person job. In fact, it’s much like raising kids—takes a village. There’s no doubt in my mind I had an incredible team behind me in making this story become a reality.

  First, my family. Thank you for never questioning why dinner wasn’t made, why we were ordering in or getting takeout again, why laundry was always in piles unfolded, or why the house hadn’t been cleaned in weeks. Thank you for understanding that writing is more than just a ‘hobby’ but rather a passion in my life that keeps me going. I owe my parents some huge credit for picking up the slack and knowing when I need a break by taking the kids or helping me with errands and cleaning. I feel so blessed to have a very strong support system! And of course, my husband. Thank you for always telling me how proud of me you are, for reminding me how much you love me when I’ve been up for eighteen hours straight and a complete crazed lunatic, and understanding why I work so much. I love you!

  To three of the closest author friends I’ve been fortunate enough to find: Staci, Katie, & Whitney. Thanks for putting up with my crazy, my stressed out mental state (only before deadlines though), and for making me laugh on a daily basis. Thank you for breaking up my stress-induced comas with awkward Tumblr pics and hilarious memes. Thank you for holding my hand through this long process and always encouraging me to keep going. Thank you for reading on demand and helping me at all hours of the day. I’ve been lucky to find introverts just like myself who understand my awkwardness (or at least pretend to). Thank you each for being my rock. For keeping me grounded. For encouraging and reminding me that I can do this. Thank you for challenging and pushing me to be better. This book would be a bunch of jumbled words without your support.

  I owe a ginormous thanks to my personal assistant/friend, Miranda Sue Johnson. You’re so much more than my PA. I can’t even express how thankful I am for you each and every day. You definitely have helped me so much these past few months. Thank you for always being there, reading and ripping my words apart, pushing and challenging me to do better, and making my life a tad less crazy. Thank you for just ‘knowing’ things and always being able to do them for me. I don’t know how I went the first eighteen months without you, but now that I have you, I don’t plan to let you go. And thank you for being my right-hand woman while writing Alex and Mac’s story. Thanks for listening to my ramblings, ideas, panic outbursts, and freak out moments. Thank you for brainstorming with me and being readily available to re-read anytime I needed you to. I love you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  Thank you to my beta team and all the members of the Brooke Cumberland & Crew! Thanks for always being so enthusiastic about helping me out and reading my books!

  I’m a huge believer in being loyal to the ones that have helped me along the way. Thank you to the bloggers that I’ve been fortunate to meet along the way, thank you for sticking by my side and for your support, and for sharing my sales and new releases. Thank you for supporting Indies like me.

  Thank you to my editor, Rogena, for always working with my high demands and short deadlines. Thank you for being a constant in our loyal and professional relationship. I’m so glad to have you on my team!

  When I started writing Dangerous Temptations, I had a cover idea in my mind that I was sure I wanted for Mac and Alex’s story. After I met Lauren from Perrywinkle Photography, I decided to go with a custom shoot. Once we picked the models and the date, I flew out to Salt Lake City so I could be present for the shoot. What I had in mind and what Lauren created are so different! Turns out, the image in my mind didn’t even compare to what Lauren and the models, Chase and Whitney, were able to create.

  So a huge thank you to Lauren, Chase, and Whitney for giving me the most beautiful cover picture I could’ve asked for! For two people who just met that day, you gave the camera the chemistry and hotness level Mac and Alex deserved.

  Speaking of hotness, I need to thank Sommer Stein of Perfect Pear Creative Covers for putting up with me as we designed DT’s cover. You created the most gorgeous cover I could’ve asked for. Thank you for being much more than just my designer!

  To my wonderful PR team, Christine Stanley, at The Hype PR who is a truly miracle worker. Thank you for all you do and for being a part of my team. I love you!

  Bloggers, readers, author peers—this is an amazing community! Thank you for loving books, sharing about them, and networking together. This is an incredible journey, and I love that I have found some great people along the way! To the bloggers who read an ARC on short notice, thank you for squeezing Mac & Alex’s story in! And for all the bloggers who share their love for reading.

  And to anyone I may have happened to miss, know that your support doesn’t go unnoticed!

  Thank you for all!

  Much love,

  Brooke xx

  Coalition for the Homeless

  More than 25,000 kids and 35,000 adults are sleeping in New York City homeless shelters tonight, which is an all-time record since The Great Depression in the 1930’s. It is also 64% higher than it was just ten years ago.

  This doesn’t even include the thousands of homeless people who end up sleeping on the streets.

  For more than 30 years, the Coalition has developed and implemented humane, cost-effective solutions to New York’s homeless crisis.

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  Coalitionforthehomeless.org