Read Online The Bad Boy's Baby (Hope Springs) by Cindi Madsen - Free Book Online Page A

with all its climbable items and machines to check out, and he had a vision of her yanking out cords that definitely shouldn’t be yanked out. “Wouldn’t it be easier if you didn’t have to bring Zoey with you?”
    “It would,” Emma said, picking Zoey’s discarded jacket off the floor, “especially since I’ll probably have my hands full with my grandma. But I don’t have anyone to take her.”
    He glanced from Emma to Zoey, who was happy with her marshmallow at the moment, then back to Emma. “I could…I could keep her for a bit.” He tried to put conviction behind his voice so it didn’t come out as a question, even as he was questioning himself.
    Emma’s movements slowed. “You’re offering to watch her? Alone? She’s going to get tired, and I don’t have her pajamas—for once she’s not already wearing them, and everything else she needs for her bedtime routine is at my house.”
    He’d survived boot camp and had been on missions in endless stretches of desert in 110-degree weather. And if bedtime was around the corner, then he could definitely handle a toddler for an hour or so. Buck up, Brantley.
    “So I’ll take her to your place. Or I’ll keep her here until you can get back. Whatever you need. I…want to help.”
    Okay, maybe “want” was a strong word, but he could hardly leave Emma to deal with it all herself when he could practically feel the stress radiating off her.
    He could tell she didn’t know whether to disagree or to thank him, and he got the feeling that not many people offered to help her. Or maybe she never let anyone help. If that were the case, he’d have to take the option away. He could outstubborn anyone.
    “She’s potty training, too,” Emma said. “I’ve got her in pull-ups, but she’s done so well, and I don’t want her to get out of the hab—”
    “She already had to go, just a few minutes ago. I took care of it.”
    “You did?”
    He tried not to be offended by her incredulous tone. He supposed he shouldn’t be, considering how out of his league he’d felt during the potty incident. “She demanded candy, but I didn’t have any, so I gave her a marshmallow. I hope that’s okay—I figured since she eats Lucky Charms she could have one.”
    “Lucky Charms!” Zoey yelled, clapping her hands.
    “Rookie mistake,” Emma said, but she said it lightly, a hint of teasing. Then she put her hand on his arm, and while he knew she needed to go, he wanted her to keep standing this close, close enough he could smell her vanilla perfume and see the various shades of brown that twisted through her wavy hair. “If you go to my place, all you have to do is put on F-R-O-Z-E-N . She’ll fall asleep and then you can carry her to bed. As far as pajamas go, if it causes a fight, she can just sleep in what she’s got on—even the skirt.”
    “Okay,” he said with one sharp nod. “Got it.”
    She dropped her hand and took one step away, then spun on her heel. “Oh, but her car seat.” She sighed. “There’s just too much to deal with. It’d need to be moved, and you’d have to strap her in, and—”
    Cam put his hands on her shoulders, and she snapped her mouth closed. “Take my truck. I’ll take your car. I know how to work seat belts, and I’ve been driving for a long time. Believe it or not, I even know my way around this massive town.”
    When she hesitated, not even smiling at his attempted joke, he nudged her gently toward the door. “Go.”
    “If you need anything, or have any questions, call.”
    “I will.” He’d stored his number in her phone earlier today, and she had his, too.
    It took another nudge toward the door before she finally gave in, her tensed muscles becoming pliant under his fingertips. She stopped to hug Zoey, told her that Daddy was going to take her home—which admittedly still sounded weird to his ears, yet sent a swirl of pride through him—and then she rushed out the door.
    The engine revved, and he expected a slight