It was more than she had ever hoped for, a man who loved her and would stand with her, no matter what. Thats hardly fair, she whispered. I have nothing to teach you.
He ran his finger along her jaw. You already taught me how to love again.
Faith grasped Lukes shirt and held on tight. Never again would she let him go. When this is over, we can go back to Rockland, she said. Ill build a lab there and concentrate on my research, and you can return to your practice.
Sounds like a good plan, he said with a smile.
And until then Faith whispered
Until then, well be fine, Luke assured her. More than fine. Marcus tells me there are lots of places in the world that could use a couple of doctors. A sardonic smile flashed across his face. He didnt tell me exactly where, but I figure Ill find out soon enough. It doesnt matter. Home is wherever you and Abby are. It didnt take me long after you left Rockland to figure that one out.
Faith rose up and kissed him again. Did I tell you that I love you? she asked.
Yes.
Let me tell you again, and again, and again.
She did just that, in between kisses.
Faith turned to look out on the water, and Luke wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back to his chest and holding her close. Marcus and Abby walked on the beach, the large man and the toddler holding hands, kicking up sand and apparently carrying on a deep conversation. Faith watched, deeply and completely content even though she had no idea what the future would bring.
Well, except for one thing.
On the morning after shed left Rockland, shed awakened knowing that something within her had changed. Shed come awake and been instantly aware of dramatic changes in her body. In spite of the chaos that was her life, that had been a happy day. Almost as happy as this one.
Faith took Lukes hand and guided it to her stomach. She pressed the flat of his palm there, held her hand over his and closed her eyes.
And she whispered, Its a boy.
ISBN 978-1-4268-0071-9
Copyright 2007 Harlequin Books S.A.
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About the Authors
Virginia Kantra
USA TODAY bestselling author Virginia Kantra credits her enthusiasm for strong heroes and courageous heroines to a childhood spent devouring fairy tales. A five-time Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist, she has won numerous writing awards, including the Golden Heart, Maggie Award, Holt Medallion, and two National Readers' Choice Awards.
She has sold over a dozen books to Silhouette, including her popular Trouble in Eden series for the Silhouette Intimate Moments line.
Virginia is married to her college sweetheart, a musician disguised as the owner of a coffeehouse. They make their home in North Carolina with three teenagers, two cats, a dog and various blue-tailed lizards that live under the siding of their home. Her favorite thing to make for dinner? Reservations.
She loves to hear from readers. You can email her at [email protected]
Jenna Mills
Jenna grew up in south Louisiana, amidst romantic plantation ruins, haunting swamps, and timeless legends. It's not surprising, then, that she wrote her first romance at the ripe old age of six! Three years later, this librarian's daughter turned to romantic suspense with Jacquie and the Swamp , a harrowing tale of a young woman on the run in the swamp and the dashing hero who helps her find her way home.
Since then her stories have grown in complexity, but her affinity for adventurous women and dangerous men has remained constant. She loves writing about strong characters torn between duty and desire, conscious choice and destiny.
Prior to being published, Jenna was a Golden Heart finalist and a double winner in the Silver Lining and TARA's First Impressions. She also won the prestigious Winning Beginnings, the Marlene, the Laurie, the Heart of the Rockies, Ignite the Flame, and Southern Heat, which brought her in contact with the editor at Silhouette who purchased her work.
When not writing stories brimming with deep emotion, steamy passion, and page-turning suspense, Jenna spends her time with her husband, two cats, two dogs, and a menagerie of plants in their Dallas, Texas home.
Jenna loves to hear from readers! She can be reached via email at [email protected], or snail mail at PO Box 768, Coppell, TX, 75019.
Beverly Bird
Beverly confesses to having been the prototype of the rebellious teenager. By the age of fivewhen she tried to rewrite the ending to The Wizard of Oz because it scared hershe knew she would be a writer.
Therefore, the high school regimen was obviously not for her, and childhood was just something to get through before she could make her mark on the world. On one memorable occasion, she stood up in chemistry class to inform her teacher that she did not need to understand the subject because in a few years she would be writing for a living anyway. She failed the class, of course. Then, some 20 years later, she had to face the teacher at a reunion and admit that when she had to research DNA for a recent book she still had no clue what it was about!
Since words are meant to be read and not eaten, Beverly turned seriously to writing when she was 22. The stars aligned for a timeshe was single and her rent was astronomically low because she looked after the elderly lady who owned the building. Shed just gotten laid off from an advertising job with a newspaper due to budget cuts and therefore had an unemployment check coming in weekly. She decided that it was now or neverand Emeralds in the Dark was born, published by Silhouette to launch the Intimate Moments line in 1983.
Since then, Beverly has published 20 books with Silhouette as well as several romantic suspense and historical novels. She prefers strong heroines with hidden soft spots and a penchant for getting themselves into trouble, figuring that she has had some experience herself in that area.
Though she has lived in several places in the United States, Beverly returned to her roots to live on a barrier island off the coast of New Jersey with her son and a Chihuahua named Taco, where periodically she risks running into that chemistry teacher. But these days, she is much less rebellious and tends to tuck tail and run when she encounters someone she probably ticked off 25 years ago!
Beverly loves to hear from readers but admits that she is seriously negligent about actually traveling to the post
office and snail-mailing her replies. She asks that anyone who would like to contact her please do so via email at [email protected].
Family Secrets: Books 5-8 Page 92