“What thing?” Sinclair asked.
“Oh, you know…” Savannah gestured vaguely and grabbed Ryder’s diaper bag. “The thing. We’ve got a thing. Thanks for driving today.”
Sinclair’s mother looked at him, one brow arched in silent question. He gave her a small nod.
She cleared her throat. “Sinclair, honey, do you have that necklace we talked about? The one I might want to borrow?”
“Um, sure.” She glanced uncertainly at the flurry of activity around her. “Let me run upstairs and get it. Don’t everyone run off. I’ll be right back.”
He watched as Sinclair climbed the stairs and sailed along the open hallway. As soon as she disappeared into the bedroom, everyone rushed to the door. A speed round of hugs and kisses transpired, and then Cheryl lifted April from his arms. “We’re gone.” She kissed his cheek and stepped onto the porch. “Have a good night.”
“You, too. Call if she gets cranky. I’ll come get her.”
His mother-in-law laughed. “This sweet little girl doesn’t have a cranky bone in her body.”
“Sometimes she—”
“Hush. She’ll be fine.”
“All right. Let us take you and Bill to dinner next week as a thank-you.”
“No need.” Cheryl kissed the top of April’s head. “You want to thank us, just give us another one of these.”
…
Sinclair peered downstairs to find Shane standing alone in the middle of the living room. “Where is everyone?”
He met her at the foot of the stairs, and she couldn’t help noticing the little gleam in his eye. “Gone.”
“Seriously? Even Mom?”
He nodded and absently stretched, raising his arms over his head and causing his T-shirt to ride up so she caught a glimpse of rippling abs. “Even your mom.”
“Well, jeez.” She let her eyes stray to the front of his jeans for a second—just long enough to put a depraved flutter in her stomach. It was very quiet. Was April napping? Maybe they could squeeze in some grown-up time if they hurried. She set the freshwater pearl and rock crystal necklace she’d fetched from her jewelry box down on an end table. “Guess she didn’t want to borrow this after all.”
“She decided to borrow something else instead.” He took her hand and led her through the living area to the dining room, stopping to pick up one of April’s pacifiers from under the table. Sinclair opened her mouth to ask what her mom had borrowed, but got distracted by the way the move showcased his ass. His jeans rode low, revealing twin dimples bracketing the base of his spine and a generous band of pale skin below his tan line. Was he wearing underwear? She envisioned licking the enticing area from dimple to dimple and then tugging his jeans down and sinking her teeth into unprotected flesh.
When he straightened, she forced her tongue down from the roof of her mouth. “Something of Savannah’s?”
He tossed the pacifier onto the table. “Nope.”
Before she could follow up on that cryptic reply, he went on. “Did you enjoy the spa?”
“I did.” Then, because he was looking at her like he knew she’d been thinking about biting his ass, she turned to face him and slowly smiled. “What’s not to enjoy about having a brawny blond named Eric massage all my kinks out?”
A scowl carved a notch between his brows. “I can think of several things, actually.” He stepped close, trapping her between the table and his body. “Exactly where were these kinks?”
“Hmm, you know. Here and there…ohhh…” Her breath whooshed out when he reached under her skirt, and big, capable hands squeezed her ass.
His lips menaced her ear. “Here? You feel a little tight right here.”
“Um. Gosh, he might not have gotten out all my kinks.”
“Good help is so hard to find.” His grip relaxed, then tightened again, bringing her up on her toes. “I guess I’ll have to finish the job.”
“I guess you will. Where’s April?”
“Your mom borrowed her.” As he spoke, he kneaded her flesh, setting off hot waves of sensation that rolled through her, making it impossible for her to focus on his words.
“I don’t understand.” Her vision blurred as his fingers followed the line of her thong. “B-borrowed her?”
He nodded, and his unshaven jaw tickled skin. “Just for tonight.”
“Oh.” Uncertainty flared at the prospect of the baby spending the night without them but subsided as Shane read her mind and murmured, “She’ll be fine.”
She would. Of course, she would, and it was sweet of him to plan an evening for them together. Then a muscular thigh slid between hers, and all thoughts of sweetness flew out of her head. He lifted her closer, so her breasts crashed into his chest. A long, thick ridge settled heavily against her stomach. She couldn’t hold back a moan.
“So, about those kinks…”
She reached between their bodies and slipped her hand into his jeans. Hallelujah, no underwear. He shuddered as she closed her fist around him. “I’m afraid they’re quite extensive.”
“No problem.” He took her hands and linked them around his neck then hauled her into his arms. Her skirt rode up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. “I planned for that.”
She leaned in and bestowed little bites along his jaw. “Did you?”
“You know me. Close your eyes.”
She did, and the world whirled. He carried her out the back door and down the deck steps. Evening closed in around them—warm air, alive with the chirp of crickets and the flash of fireflies. When he stopped and slowly lowered her to her feet, she didn’t need to open her eyes to know where she was. Their tree.
He moved away from her. Something rustled. “Turn around and open your eyes.”
She did, and her heart swelled at the sight of him standing there, bathed in the soft glow of lantern light, holding back a curtain of willow limbs to reveal a picnic basket and a blanket.
“There’s no place like home.”
“Wow. You really did have a plan for tonight.”
“I’ve been planning to get you back under this tree for a while.” He arched a brow at her. “You’re the one who came home feeling kinky.”
A memory of what he’d promised her last time he’d talked about getting her on a blanket under their tree filtered through her mind. Her knees wobbled and her cheeks heated. “How kinky are you planning to get?”
He laughed and took her hand. “I’m open to suggestions, but”—his expression sobered as he led her under the canopy—“if you’re game, I thought we might try to give April a little brother or sister.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest and then took off at double time. “Do you want to?”
He nodded. “It’s not risk free, and we could go the scientific route if you’d rather, but the old-fashioned way worked out pretty well last time around.”
“Yes, it worked out perfectly,” she managed around the lump in her throat and walked over to him. “I’d love to.”
He wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head. “I love you, baby girl. You’re mine. My past, present, and future. You’re my everything.”
“Good to know, since I feel the same way.”
His slow grin heated her belly. “That was my plan.”
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Acknowledgments
I’d like to start by thanking you, dear reader. Arguably, my friends and family have to chime in every once in a while and say “attagirl,” if for no other reason than their own peace of mind. The talented people at Entangled are kinda duty bound to help create the best books possible. (They go above and beyond the call of duty, but more on that later). Readers, however, don’t have to choose my books. You’re not obligated to tell me or anyone else if you enjoy them. I am thrilled and humbled when readers do. I’m extra thrilled to have gotten to know some of you through social media
and book signings. You ladies inspire me (occasionally with pictures of hot, half-naked men, and words cannot express how very deeply I appreciate it), you make me laugh, and sometimes you even make me cry—but in a good way! So thank you, readers. Feel free to request this appreciation in the form of a free drink the next time you see me.
Additional thanks and free drinks to:
My editor, Heather Howland, for always seeing past what’s on the page, to what should be on the page, and gently prodding me to get it there.
Liz, Melanie, Curtis, Kaitlyn and the rest of the Entangled team, for being the sh*t.
Robin and Hayson, for being the best writing buddies (aka drinking buddies) a girl could have.
My family and friends, for all the attagirls. xoxo
About the Author
Wine lover, sleep fanatic, and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy contemporary romance novels, Samanthe Beck lives in Malibu, California, with her long-suffering but extremely adorable husband and their turbo-son. Throw in a furry ninja named Kitty and Bebe the trash talking Chihuahua and you get the whole, chaotic picture.
When not dreaming up fun, fan-your-cheeks sexy ways to get her characters to happily-ever-after, she searches for the perfect cabernet to pair with Ambien.
Discover the Love Emergency series…
Emergency Engagement
Emergency Delivery
Also by Samanthe Beck
Private Practice
Light Her Fire
Falling for the Enemy
Lover Undercover
Falling for the Marine
Wicked Games
Best Man with Benefits
Compromising Her Position
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Emergency Attraction (Love Emergency) Page 21