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  Lucas nodded. “Until I can rebuild the house.”

  And Kylie didn’t mind if that took, oh, forever to do that. Still, she was probably looking at three months at most. In other words, Lucas would be in his new home about six weeks before he became a father.

  The corner of Finn’s mouth hitched. “You two really look like a couple.”

  “A couple of what?” Lucas joked.

  “That’s to be determined.” Finn took his jacket from the back of the chair, slipped it on and then extracted a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. “Okay. Here’s my way of tormenting you for temporarily believing I was a depraved kidnapper and killer.”

  “What is it?” Kylie asked suspiciously.

  “I’ve written down the gender of your baby. And a name suggestion to go along with it. Since both of you have said you didn’t want this information, then I’ll just put it here on the table, where it can stay for the next four and a half months. Because I know you won’t change your mind and peek.”

  Kylie and Lucas exchanged glances. “Oh, that’s cruel,” she let Finn know.

  “My form of revenge.” He kissed Kylie’s cheek and gave Lucas a friendly jab on the arm. “Be happy, guys, because, heaven knows, you deserve it.” He added a wave. “Don’t get up. I’ll see myself out.”

  Because Lucas’s embrace was far more interesting than her chocolate milk or seeing Finn out, she set the glass on the counter next to the “crow” and snuggled against him. “You won’t mind the gossip about us living here together?”

  “Maybe I will. A little. I’m an old-fashioned kind of guy.”

  She turned on his lap, repositioning herself so that she faced him. “Old-fashioned guys don’t have sofa sex.”

  “They do. Floor sex, too.”

  Kylie smiled. “Add car sex while listening to Bob Dylan, and you’ll get me hot enough to skip the foreplay.”

  He touched his mouth to hers. “What if I don’t want to skip the foreplay?”

  “Even better.”

  In fact, a lot of things were suddenly better. Especially the alignment of their bodies. Kylie was already calculating how quickly she could undress him.

  But Lucas obviously had something else on his mind.

  He cupped her face in both his hands. “When Windham had that gun on you—”

  Kylie pressed her fingers to his mouth. “You don’t have to talk about that.”

  “But I do.” He eased her fingers away and repeated it so it was no longer mumbled. “Because I want you to know what went through my mind, what I felt, what I realized. And what I realized was that I’d forgiven you—and me—for what happened to Marissa.”

  Kylie was afraid to say anything, afraid to move, afraid to breathe for fear he’d take those words back, Words that she had prayed she would hear him say.

  “You’ve done so much for me,” he continued, his voice a little thin now. “You made the sacrifices, Kylie. Huge sacrifices. You were willing to leave your home, your life and child just to make me happy. You gave me everything. Everything. You healed me. You saved me. And during those moments when Windham had that gun aimed at you, I knew I couldn’t lose you. Ever.”

  “The baby—”

  “Not the baby,” he interrupted. “You. Don’t get me wrong, I love this baby. But in that moment, I realized I love you, too.”

  She teared up immediately.

  “Sheesh, I made you cry.” He hurried to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

  “It’s the pregnancy hormones.”

  He laughed, low and husky. “Somehow, I knew you were going to say that.”

  “Then, do you also know that I’m going to say I love you, too?”

  Lucas swallowed and nodded. “I’d hoped you would.”

  “You don’t have to hope. It’s as real and as strong as our baby’s kicks.”

  Another nod. “If I weren’t a cowboy, I’d cry.” Judging from the quiver in his voice, he was on the verge of it.

  Kylie kissed him. It wasn’t a simple peck, either. It was long and French. Exactly what she thought the moment required. Because she wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life.

  Lucas loved her.

  She loved him.

  And they were going to have a baby. She didn’t have a clue what she’d done to deserve this kind of happiness, but she was going to seize it and not let go. Ever.

  That kiss left them breathless, and it left Kylie wanting more. A lot more. “So, would you like sex before or after dinner?” she asked.

  “Both.”

  Kylie laughed. “I think I’m going to like having you for a housemate,” she whispered.

  “You’ll like it even more having me for a husband.”

  And just like that, she teared up again. “Blasted hormones.”

  Once more, he wiped away the tears and let his fingers linger on her face. “Will you marry me, Kylie? Will you be my wife so we can raise our baby together?”

  That didn’t just produce tears, it took her breath away. “Absolutely. Will you marry me?”

  “In a heartbeat.”

  The happiness flooded through her. The warmth seemed to fill all the dark, lonely places. There were also more tears. She hadn’t ever remembered being happy enough to cry. So, was this what love was all about? And better yet, this was only the beginning.

  Lucas stood, scooping her up in his arms, and headed toward the bedroom. But then he stopped. She soon saw what had captured his attention.

  She eyed the note that Finn had left on the table. Lucas eyed it too, and then they eyed each other.

  “Should we?” he asked at the same moment that she asked, “You want to?”

  Kylie debated it. Lucas obviously did, as well, which was exactly the kind of sweet torture that Finn wanted them to experience. Finally, Lucas groaned, and while balancing her in his arms, he snatched up the note. He plopped it onto her belly and let her have the honor of opening it.

  They read it aloud together.

  “You should name him Bob Dylan Creed.”

  “A boy,” Lucas said. “We’re having a son.” Now, there were tears in his eyes, proving real cowboys did cry when the situation dictated. And this situation definitely dictated. “But we’re not naming him that.”

  “The name’s negotiable,” Kylie assured him. And this time she was the one to wipe the tears from his eyes. “What’s not negotiable is everything else. Getting married, having this baby, living happily ever after.”

  “Especially that,” he assured her.

  And to prove it, Lucas kissed her. Long and French didn’t even begin to describe this as his mouth thoroughly claimed hers. Building the fire and need inside her.

  When he was done, Kylie knew she’d been kissed by a man who truly loved her.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-8690-4

  SECRET SURROGATE

  Copyright © 2006 by Delores Fossen

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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