The Tender Stranger

by Diana Palmer

  snared?"

  "Oh, yeah, remember 'Nam, when you ate the snake

  I caught?"

  "It's a christening," J.D. said, separating them. "We're supposed to forget old grudges at a time like

  this."

  They both turned at him. "Yeah?" Apollo asked. "Well, you're the turkey that ate the box of cookies my mother sent me...."

  "And the plum pudding I scrounged from the camp cook," Dutch added in the same breath.

  J.D. drew Gabby beside him. "You can't pick on a man with a pregnant wife."

  "I had one of my own until two months ago," Dutch

  returned.

  "Well, I'm not standing too close to you guys," Apollo said gruffly, eyeing them. "It might be contagious."

  "You won't get pregnant, Apollo, honest," Dutch said with a wicked grin.

  Apollo glared at him and moved away. "Funny man. You know I meant this marriage virus."

  "Some virus." J.D. grinned, hugging Gabby close. "What a way to go!"

  Dani was laughing wildly, along with Gabby and the others. She moved close to Dutch and nuzzled her dark

  head against his shoulder. "I'm starved. Let's go home. We've got all kinds of stuff to eat."

  "Yes, well, let's just make sure Apollo doesn't get there before us," J.D. teased.

  Apollo glared at him. "I'm returning the Christmas present I bought you."

  "It's almost March," J.D. reminded him.

  "That gives you ten months to look forward to not getting one," Apollo said smugly.

  "Come on," Dutch chuckled. "Let's go celebrate."

  "Yes," Dani said, so that only Dutch could hear. "I have a different kind of celebration in mind for later," she murmured. "My doctor said I could."

  Dutch's eyes lit up as he studied her bright eyes. "Did he? Hmm," he murmured, drawing her close to his side and smiling down at the baby sleeping in her arms. "Well, we'll have to think up some new things to try, won't we?" he asked, watching her with smug delight. He whispered into her ear, and despite months of marriage and a baby, she colored delightfully.

  She felt more alive than she ever had in her life. She looked up at him with such love that the roomful of people seemed to disappear. His fingers touched her mouth.

  "Tonight," he whispered, holding her gaze, "I'll love you the way I loved you that morning in Veracruz."

  "You'll get me pregnant again," she whispered, her heart throbbing wildly.

  His own breath caught. "We'll talk about it tonight."

  "Yes." She searched his eyes slowly. "No regrets?"

  He shook his head. "Not one. Watching that baby

  being born was the most exciting thing I've ever done; next to loving you," he added softly.

  She reached up and touched his hard cheek gently. He smiled, and for a moment, they were alone in the world.