The Marine's Babies (Men Made In America) Read online

  “Shut up and kiss me. That’s what you should’ve done.” When his lips finally touched hers, Emma once again became whole. Jace cinched her higher, backing her against her desk, nearly tripping over Bea in the process. “Careful,” Emma teased.

  “Are we ever going to have some privacy?” Not waiting for an answer, he kissed her long and leisurely until her limbs leadened with a happy tingle.

  Bronwyn whimpered and whined before letting loose with a full-blown wail.

  “I’ll take that as a no,” Jace said with a groan.

  Laughing, Emma said, “I’ll take care of Bronwyn if you’ll catch up with Bea before she topples my fern on her head.”

  “Deal.” He set Emma to her feet.

  Once Emma sat on the sofa with Bronwyn falling asleep in her arms, Jace sat beside her, jiggling Bea on his knee. Suddenly exhausted, Emma rested her head on his shoulder.

  Jace asked, “Got a quick question for you.”

  “Shoot.”

  “You know the ring I gave you?”

  “Uh-huh?” she teased, toying with one of Bron’s curls. “What about it?”

  “I don’t suppose you still have it? Because if so, I’d really like to close the deal, and make you my wife.”

  “You’re such a romantic, Mr. Monroe.” Kissing his stubbled cheek, she asked, “What happens if it’s lost? Do we just live in sin?”

  With a playful growl he asked, “Where is it?”

  “Right here.” Reaching beneath her blouse’s neckline, she withdrew a slim, gold chain. On it, close to her heart, she wore the ring he’d given her. She might’ve hated him, but she’d also never stopped loving him. “Convenient enough for you?”

  “That’ll do.” Laughing while he tried maneuvering the necklace off her neck with Bea bucking his every move, he finally succeeded. “All right. Now, let’s try this again. Marry me?” he asked, slipping the ring onto her left hand.

  “Yes.” Tears stung her eyes.

  A knock sounded on Emma’s office door. “Ms. Stewart?” Hallie called, her voice muffled, since Emma had had the foresight to turn her lock. “Everything all right?”

  “Perfect,” Emma shouted.

  “Need anything?” Hallie sounded curious. For that matter, everyone probably was. After all, it wasn’t every day the staid firm was invaded by a baby-stroller-wielding Marine.

  “I don’t need a thing,” Emma called back.

  “Nothing?” Jace teased in a bawdy tone.

  “Sir,” Emma teased right back, “might I remind you there are children present?”

  The flirtatious banter went on for a good twenty minutes before Jace said, pointing at the wall of windows. “Hey, look.”

  The sun had come out, and Lake Michigan shimmered velvety blue. “It’s beautiful.”

  Nodding to their rich surroundings, he asked, “You going to miss all of this?”

  “Nah.” With a happy sigh, Emma said, “Blue is nice, but I much prefer the green in Bronwyn, Bea’s, and most especially, your eyes.”

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-3292-5

  THE MARINE’S BABIES

  Copyright © 2009 by Laura Marie Altom.

  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 M3B 3K9, Canada.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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