Read Online The Heart Doctor and the Baby by Lynne Marshall - Free Book Online Page B

over half of it with his computer equipment.
    â€œDo you entertain a lot?” This was certainly a side she’d never seen of Jon.
    â€œMe? Are you kidding? Nah, I just like how it fits here, and the girls really spread out with their books and laptops and all. It works for us.”
    â€œIt’s impressive how much thought you put into the girls when you moved here.”
    â€œAs you’ll soon find out, kids become the biggest part of your life. Even bigger than medicine. It’s great.”
    He retrieved the alcohol-free sparkling cider from the ice bucket and popped the cork faster than she could blink. “Let’s toast to our success.”
    â€œYes, of course! That’s what I came here to do, to celebrate.”
    That devilish sparkle she sometimes noticed appeared in his eyes. “I have to know one thing,” he said. “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”
    She sputtered a laugh and delivered a firm sock to his deltoid. Feeling a bit like a schoolgirl again, she rolled her eyes at his tasteless and very macho joke. “Ugh.”
    â€œSorry. Couldn’t resist.” He lifted his glass. “Here’s toour success. May the baby be healthy and pretty as her mother if it’s a girl, and if it’s a boy outrageously masculine like his fah…sperm donor.”
    She almost spit out the cider. “Who are you, and what have you done with Jon Becker?” She loved seeing this playful side of him, hadn’t seen it nearly enough during their five-year acquaintance.
    â€œI’ve got to admit, I’m really jazzed about this successful kid experiment of ours.” He reached out and patted her waist.
    The gesture sent an electrical jolt through her stomach. She couldn’t look into his bright gaze so she glanced over his shoulder, down the wall, directly into his bedroom. Wrong move. More minimalism smacked her between the eyes. That and an inviting king-size bed neatly made with a warm brown duvet on display by recessed lighting. A prurient image popped into her mind. She blamed it on hormones and quickly glanced away, then sipped more cider to avoid his stare.
    â€œYou have no idea how ecstatic I am,” she said.
    He took her by the arm and guided her back to the living room section of the loft.
    She sat on the chrome-and-cushioned navy-blue couch, placed her cider flute on the glass-and-brushed-nickel coffee table and admired a small peacock sculpture next to three oversize art books—another fanciful surprise about Jon. The contrast with the “man” furniture was a breath of fresh air.
    â€œSo tell me,” he said. “I’m all ears.”
    She felt coy and girlish as her cheeks grew warm. “Well, you did your part.”
    He nodded. “That I did. And, might I add, magnificently.” There was that teasing, full-of-himself glance again.
    She fought the smile tickling the corners of her mouth. “And I did mine.”
    â€œYes, I see how this story is shaping up. Intriguing.” He lifted one brow.
    â€œAnd three weeks later, I missed my period. We did a blood test this morning and sure enough it took!”
    â€œFantastic. What a team, huh?” he said, looking beyond pleased.
    Maybe it was the new rush of hormones, or extreme gratitude, but before she could stop, she’d thrown herself into his arms.
    Jon wanted to keep the evening all about René and the pregnancy, but here she was smashed against him, and he knee-jerked a response. He enfolded her and held her close, doing his best to deny the most basic of all reactions between a man and woman. He couldn’t let this happen. There was no point.
    After all his years in chemistry lab, he knew it took at least two ingredients to react. Him and her. In his case, at this particular moment, combust was the word that came to mind.
    Did she have a clue what she did to him each time—twice now but who was counting—she’d flung