by Jaci Burton
They had all gathered to celebrate and offer congratulations to Des and Emma, who, in his opinion, looked ready to give birth any second. Then again, what the hell did he know about pregnant women? Admittedly, nothing. But they were moving around just fine and seemed content and healthy. Both of them had taken the time to seek him out to tell him they were happy he'd come. They were all currently gathered in the dining room eating and laughing and talking baby names, since both were still trying to decide on names. Everyone was currently trying to suggest names.
"Beauregard," Carter said to Logan, who gave him a frown.
"Beauregard McCormack?" Logan said. "What? You wanna test my kid's spelling skills?"
Des laughed. "I kind of like it. We could shorten it to Beau."
Logan shot Des a look. "No."
"I like Felicia if it's a girl," Megan said.
Brady grimaced and leaned over to whisper to her, "Really? Felicia?"
She turned to him. "What's wrong with Felicia?"
He shrugged. "Nothing."
"It's a cute name," Emma said with a smile. "I like it."
"Good," Brady said. "You can have it."
Megan lifted her chin. "Well, since you and I are clearly never having babies together, then you don't have to worry about Felicia."
Brady laughed, and that earned him a glare from Megan.
"Ralph," Carter said.
"You do not ever get to name our future children, Carter," Molly said.
Carter looked over at Brady and winked. Brady tried not to grin, since Molly was shooting visual daggers at Carter.
Then it became a free-for-all of names.
"Steven."
"Lane."
"Kathleen."
"Martha."
"Awww," Des said, grasping Martha's hand after someone had shouted out her name. "Wouldn't that be sweet?"
"Don't you dare name one of your babies after me," Martha said, but Brady noticed her eyes looked a little misty.
Brady knew that after the McCormack brothers' mother up and left them when they were younger, Martha had taken over as pseudomother for all of them. He knew how much she meant to the entire McCormack family.
"Uh-oh," Emma said from her spot on her comfortable cushioned rocking chair. She followed that up by laying her hand across her stomach.
Luke looked over at her and frowned. "Uh-oh. What does 'uh-oh' mean?"
Emma looked over at Luke. "It means my water just broke."
Martha stood. "I need you all to excuse us for a minute. Can we clear the room?"
Megan got up and Brady followed her outside. Torches were lit and there was a fire pit to keep everyone warm by the picnic tables. Everyone piled out there, with the exception of the McCormack family, who'd stayed inside, along with Emma's sister, Molly.
"Is Emma going to be all right?" Brady asked.
Megan grinned. "She's going into labor, and this party is likely over."
"So, we should leave then?"
"Not just yet."
Sure enough, about ten minutes later Martha came outside.
"Sorry everyone, but as I'm sure you've guessed, Emma's labor is starting and they have a long drive to the hospital in Tulsa. I'm pleased to tell you the party's over, and I don't think I've ever felt that way before."
Megan laughed. Emma and Luke came down the stairs. Emma had changed clothes, and Logan carried her bag while Luke helped her into the car.
"Wish me luck, everyone," Emma said, a big grin on her face. "We're off to have a baby. And whoa, baby, my contractions have already started, so hopefully I won't be at this long."
"We'll take care of your dogs here, honey," Ben said. "Don't you worry about a thing."
"I'm so excited," Molly said to Megan. "I wish I could be there with her. We all do. But she doesn't need an entourage to give birth."
"No, she doesn't," Georgia Burnett said. "Even though she's my daughter and I'd give anything to be there with her, all she needs right now is her husband. And he'll call us when she has the baby."
"It's so exciting," Megan said. "Will someone call me after she delivers?"
"I've been officially put in charge of spreading the news, so you'll hear from me, Megan," Molly said.
The group trooped inside and helped Martha clean up and put stuff away. Megan doled out the rest of the cupcakes, because she certainly had enough sweets, between her place and the bakery. She turned to Brady.
"You want some cake and cupcakes, right?" she asked.
Brady shrugged, trying to look uninterested. "If you insist."
"Oh, please. Your tongue is practically hanging out. I'll put a few in a container for you."
Everyone ended up hanging out at the ranch after the cleanup was done. Des rubbed her stomach, as though she could stimulate contractions.
"Wouldn't it be great if Emma and I gave birth on the same day?" Des said. "The cousins could share birth dates."
Logan put his arms around her. "You just want that baby out of you and you're jealous Emma got to go first."
Des laughed. "Okay, that's true."
"Your time will come soon enough," Georgia said. "And those cousins will be so close in age that they'll be best friends for life."
Des grinned. "I can't wait. Especially if we both have boys--or two girls."
"I don't think it'll matter either way," Logan said. "They're going to be McCormacks."
After lingering for a couple of hours longer than they had intended, Megan and Brady said their good-byes, and Megan noticed that Brady made sure to thank Martha and Ben as well as Logan and Des for having him. Then he whistled for Roxie, who came running.
"Training her, huh?" Megan asked.
He shrugged. "That part, at least, is working."
They climbed into Megan's car and drove off the ranch property.
"All in all, that wasn't too bad," Brady said.
Megan gave him a glance. "And you were expecting what? Baby shower games?"
"Kind of."
She laughed. "I told you it wasn't that kind of party."
"Well, it was a good party. Thanks for asking me."
"You're welcome. I'm glad you came along. You should do it more often."
"What? Go to baby showers?"
"No. Come hang out with us."
He studied her, and she felt his gaze roaming over her.
"Maybe."
When they reached the outskirts of town and she hit a red light, she turned to him. "Would you like to come to my place for some coffee?"
He looked at his phone. "I don't know."
"It's Friday night, Brady. And it's only eleven. Do you turn into a gargoyle at midnight or something?"
His lips curved. "No."
"Then come over. Have some coffee with me. Maybe I can entice you with something sweet."
He arched a brow. "Are you talking about another dessert?"
Her lips curved. "What else would I be talking about?"
His gaze bore down on her, intense and hot, making her quiver with sexual anticipation.
"Sure. I'll take some coffee and . . . dessert."
She pressed a little too hard on the gas pedal when the light turned green.
Okay, calm down, Megan. Just coffee and dessert.
"You should stop by my place so I can grab my bike," Brady said. "It's on the way, and then you won't have to drive me home."
"It's not a big deal for me to take you home."
"But it's already late and I'll feel better about you not having to go out again. Plus, I think Roxie is beat. I'm sure she wants to go to sleep."
She liked that he thought about things like that. "Sure."
She parked outside the auto shop, and he grabbed the box of desserts out of the backseat. "I'll just take these up with me now so I don't forget later."
"Yes, you wouldn't want to forget those."
He had Roxie on the leash and the desserts in his other hand. "I'll be right back."
He was only gone a few minutes, then she
heard the rumble of a motorcycle, and Brady appeared behind her car on his bike. She had to admit, even in the dark, there was something dark, imposing, and utterly magnetic about the way he rode his bike. Plus, he looked sexy as hell wearing his leather jacket.
She had to remind herself to keep her eyes on the road ahead of her and not on her rearview mirror all the way home.
She pulled into her garage, and Brady parked in the driveway. He helped her carry the leftovers into the house.
"You can just set those on the island," she said, then went over to the coffeemaker. "Regular or decaf for you?" she asked.
"Regular."
She brewed him a cup from her Keurig, which was easier for her to make on the go in the early mornings. She then made decaf for herself. "I'd be up all night if I drank caffeine this late."
"I can take it. Not much keeps me up at night."
"Must be nice."
She pulled out a cheesecake she'd made earlier in the day and set it on the table.
He arched a brow. "You make that for me?"
"Would it make you feel special if I said yes?"
"Kind of."
"Then yes." She got out plates and forks and cut into the cheesecake, giving Brady a large slice and taking only a sliver for herself.
"That's not a very big piece," he said, eyeing her portion.
"I had more than enough dessert already today."
He took a seat at the island and dug in, his eyes closing as he chewed and swallowed. "Mmm. This is damn good, Megan."
"Thanks." She took a taste, satisfied it had turned out well.
He finished off the cheesecake, and she made him another cup of coffee.
"You're not going to eat that?" he asked, pointing to the sliver on her plate.
"No, I just wanted to taste it."
"Mind if I eat it?"
"Go right ahead."
So he ate hers as well while she sipped her coffee and watched him.
"This is a little weird, ya know," he said.
"What's weird?"
"You watching me eat."
"Oh, I like watching you eat. It gives me great pleasure seeing you enjoy something I've baked."
He finished and pushed his plate to the side, then took a sip of coffee. "So is this what you do? You spend all day baking at work, then you come home and bake some more?"
She laughed. "Pretty much, yes."
He looked around. "I mean it's a great kitchen and all, Megan, but shouldn't you be doing . . . other things?"
"Such as?"
"I don't know. Going out. Dating. Having a life beyond baking."
"Says the guy who spends all of his time holed up above the auto shop and does nothing but work on motorcycles on nights and weekends."
He frowned. "That's different."
"Really. And how is it different?"
"Because I love painting bikes. It's my passion."
"And baking is mine."
He stared at her for a few seconds, before nodding. "Okay, you got me."
"Thanks. And yes, I'd rather be out dating some hot guy than in the kitchen baking every night, but my love life lately has been stalled."
"What guy would be dumb enough to overlook you?"
She laid her palms on the counter and gave him a pointed look. "I don't know, Brady. What guy would?"
He arched a brow, and if smoldering eyes could give a woman a scorching-hot orgasm, her kitchen would be up in flames right now--and so would she.
He laid his cup down and slid off the kitchen barstool. He walked around to her side and pulled her against him.
He studied her face. "Yeah, pretty stupid of me, huh?"
She barely had time to catch her breath before his lips descended on hers.
Hot. Incendiary. His lips were demanding, taking what he wanted, what she needed. It was just what she expected from him after that first short kiss he'd given her. She responded by tangling her fingers in the soft thickness of his hair. When he groaned against her mouth, everything within her quivered in response.
She wanted this man. Naked. In her bed. Right now.
His hands roamed over her back, drifting ever lower to grip her butt and pull her against his very impressive erection.
Now it was her turn to let out a moan. He pulled his lips from hers and looked down at her. His eyes were half-lidded and loaded with passion.
"How do you feel about your bedroom?"
She licked her lips. "I feel very good about it, if you're in it with me."
Her phone buzzed. She thought about ignoring it. After all, Brady had uttered the word bedroom. He had an erection, and his hands were currently roaming over her butt. She was primed and ready to go, and if he got her naked and touched her, she would go off in seconds.
But her gaze drifted to her phone, and she saw Molly's name.
With a great amount of reluctance, she said, "I need to get that."
He took a step back and nodded.
She grabbed her phone. "Hey, Molly."
"It's a boy," Molly said in a very excited voice. "Eight pounds, three ounces, twenty-one inches long. He's perfect and pink and gorgeous. I've seen pics and I'm going to head up to the hospital now. Emma's doing great."
Megan took a deep breath, then looked over at Brady, who was raking his fingers through all that glorious hair of his.
"That's so awesome, Molly. Give Emma and Luke my love."
"I will. Gotta go and call a million other people. Love you."
"Love you, too. Bye."
She hung up. "It's a boy."
Brady's lips curved. "Good. Everyone's okay?"
"Yes."
"Are you going over to the hospital?"
She shook her head. "Not tonight. I will in the morning. I'm sure Emma is exhausted, and tonight is for family."
"Okay."
She could tell the atmosphere had changed. He didn't move back to pull her back into his arms. If anything, he was making sure to keep a certain amount of distance between them.
Well, damn.
"So, it's getting late," he said.
"So it is."
"I should go."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I think that would be for the best."
She wasn't going to force him into her bed if that's not what he wanted. But she sure was disappointed in the abrupt turnaround. "Okay."
She walked him to her front door. "Thanks for coming with me tonight."
He turned to her and smiled. "I had a good time. I'll see you later, Megan."
"Sure. See you, Brady."
She closed the door and shook her head.
One minute he was hot and passionate and ready to take her to bed. The next it was like he couldn't get out of her house fast enough.
She did not understand Brady Conners at all.
*
BRADY LET THE cool April wind blow against his face. It wasn't a long ride back to his apartment, but he wanted some cruising time, so he chose back roads, taking an indirect route. It was quiet and peaceful this late at night, with few cars on the road.
Just the way he liked it. Alone on the road. Just him, the bike, and his thoughts.
He was glad Molly had called, breaking the spell Megan had weaved over him.
What the hell had he been thinking? If they hadn't been interrupted by that phone call, he'd have taken Megan to bed.
And then what? Entanglements, awkwardness, and likely she'd hate him in the morning when he told her there'd be no next time.
He enjoyed sex as much as the next guy, but Megan seemed like a relationship type of woman, not the one-night-stand kind. And he preferred sex to be uncomplicated, so he generally chose women who wanted a good time with no strings and no promises of tomorrows.
He was going to have to be a lot more careful around Megan in the future, because not only was she smart and pretty, she was also sweet and kind, and the last damn thing he wanted to do was hurt her.
He pushed the throttle on his Harley as he
hit a straightaway, enjoying the speed and freedom a quiet, dark road afforded him.
Maybe the cold air slashing along his face would cool down the heat within him. Because no matter how hard he tried to shut off the images in his head, he could still feel the way Megan's body moved against his, could still taste the lush softness of her mouth, could still remember the sweetness of her scent, and could still recall the wide-eyed surprise in her eyes when he'd kissed her.
When he'd kissed her, she'd fallen so eagerly into his embrace, had given as well as she'd received. He could already envision how it would go with her, how she'd be his match in bed. He could already imagine her sweet mouth wrapped around his--
Dammit. No amount of late-night, cold-air rides on his bike were gonna cool him down tonight.
Megan made him hot. He was going to think about her all night long.
Chapter 9
ON SATURDAYS, MEGAN opened the bakery an hour later than on weekdays and closed at noon. There were always crowds in the morning. Families with kids coming in to get baked goods, people buying donuts for sporting events, couples grabbing breakfast goods and coffee to start off their weekend. She was always happy to see everyone, and her shop was constantly full until closing. The atmosphere was fun and upbeat and a little chaotic. She loved the weekend energy.
But today she was anxious to get to the hospital to see Emma and Luke and the baby, so after she cleaned up and closed down the shop, she hustled home to take a quick shower and change clothes.
The first thing she did before heading over to the hospital was drop by Emma and Luke's house. Since she had the code to their garage, she ducked inside and left them a gift of confections on the counter. She'd also baked them a casserole early this morning, so she tucked that away in their freezer. She left a note on the counter letting them know the casserole was there, then headed out to the hospital in Tulsa.
She couldn't wait to see little baby McCormack, and when she got to the room, she heard laughing, so she knew Emma was awake. Still, she knocked softly on the partially open door.
"Come on in," Molly answered.
She pushed the door open and walked in. Emma was sitting up in bed, looking utterly beautiful for someone who had just given birth the night before. Her long blond hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, her cheeks were pink, and Luke sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Molly and Carter were there, along with Sam and Reid and Logan and Des.
Emma smiled when she saw her. "Hi, Megan."
"If it's too crowded in here I can come back another time."
"Don't be silly. There's plenty of space. I booked a private room, knowing that with all the McCormacks--as well as my friends--I'd likely need it."