Body Heat (Vintage Category Romance)
Page 17
Epilogue
“Hey! Over here!”
Blaire tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair back in the ponytail holder. She needed a haircut. Bad. That one piece of hair was always giving her fits. When in the world would she ever find time to get it cut?
Max pulled at her shorts leg. “Mama? Need a dwink of wa-wa,” he whined.
Leaning over to her son, she tweaked his rosy little two-year-old cheek and smiled at him. He was just the cutest thing—and just like his father. Impatient as hell.
“Just a minute, sweetheart. Daddy is coming. Look, he’s talking with that nice man over there by the new pool. See, he’ll be here in a minute, and then I can take you back up to the snack bar and get you a drink.” She leaned in a little closer and whispered. “Maybe even some ice cream?”
“What’s this conspiracy?” Darian swept his son up into his arms. “Did I hear ice cream? Is Mama going to let you have that awful stuff? I know she’s addicted to it, but you too?”
Max smiled at his father and then gave him an open-mouthed kiss on the lips. Darian grimaced but withstood the affection.
“Just a little, Darian. It won’t hurt. How did everything go with Mr. Peterson?”
He sat Max down on the ground. “Oh, fine. Said the pool would be done by August. Too late to see much action this year, but next year it should be swarming with kids.” He glanced down to his son and frowned. Suddenly, he picked him up again and held him face to face.
“And you, young man, are going to take swimming lessons. Along with every other kid who comes into this camp. No whining about it. Deal?”
Max eyed his father and then stuck his chubby little finger in Darian’s ear. “Dweal!” He nodded sharply and grinned broadly at his father.
Darian threw back his head and laughed. Blaire thought it was a wonderful sound. “So, how about that ice cream?”
With his son perched on one hip, he turned and held out his arm to his wife. “Think I can spare a few minutes. The Raccoons are off on a hiking trail about now, the Frogs are on the basketball court, the Squirrels are doing arts and crafts, and I think I saw the Kangaroos huddling over there by the back door of the cafeteria waiting for the cook to throw out some cookies. I think they’re sufficiently occupied. What flavor shall we have today?” He directed his question to his son.
“Stwaberry!” Max giggled. Darian tickled his tummy and Max giggled some more.
He turned to Blaire. “And what for you, madam?”
Blaire turned her gaze upward and scrunched up one corner of her mouth as if in thought. “Umm…I think I’ll take… No, perhaps today I’ll have…” She shot her gaze to Darian. “Pickle.”
Darian chuckled, walked a few steps, and then stopped. Blaire stopped beside him. Slowly, he turned to her with a blank expression on his face. Max was lowered to the ground and he took both of her upper arms in his hands.
“Pickle.” He state blandly.
“Uh-huh.” Blaire nodded.
“Pickles and ice cream.”
Smiling, Blaire nodded again. “Yes.”
“You’re pregnant.”
“Yep.”
It took a moment to fully register; then Darian swept her up in his arms and swung her around. Then quickly, he planted her firmly back on the ground. She didn’t think the smile would be gone from his face for maybe a millennium, or two.
THE END
ABOUT MADDIE JAMES
Multi-published and bestselling romance novelist, Maddie James, trips between contemporary, historical, and paranormal worlds, as she pens stories within, and frequently crossing, a variety of romantic genres. With over three dozen published titles, written under several pen names, she feels fortunate to work with some of the quirkiest characters around—those in her head, and in her life. She lives with her muses—who most days manifest themselves as four-legged furry creatures—and often laments that her animals have become her children, and she has become her mother. Que sera, sera. Life goes on…
Learn more about her work at www.mjnovelist.com
More Books by Maddie James
Crazy for You
The Heartbreaker
Falling for Grace
A Perfect Escape
Red: A Seduction Tale
Blue
Freshly Dead
Broken
Convincing Nora
Rawhide and Roses
The Matchmaking Chef Series
Hard Candy Kisses
Better Than Chocolate
Romancing the Scone
Mate to Order
Side Dish
Dates Du Jour
Hot Crossed Buns
Perfectly Matched
Ladies of Legend Series
Finding Home
(with Jan Scarbrough, Janet Eaves, and Magdalena Scott)
Bed, Breakfast and You
Home for the Holidays
Murder on the Mountain
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