Carol Ericson - The Pregnancy Plot

Jase opened the latch of the broken gate and ushered her through with a sweep of his hand.

“You have no idea, Jase.”

He held his breath as she moved past him, her light fragrance tickling his nose. Would she tell him about her pregnancy? Open up about Simon?

She climbed the two porch steps and turned to face him.

He held her gaze, ready for her confidences. Not that he’d be sharing any of his own—revealing his identity was not part of his assignment—yet.

“You know that proposal you made over dinner?”

He blinked. Not what he’d been expecting, but he’d go with it. “About moving in with you? For your safety?”

“Yes. Still interested?”

“Sure.”

“Good.” She turned and shoved open the front door of the B and B. “Because I want you to move in—right here, right now.”

The

Pregnancy Plot

Carol Ericson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CAROL ERICSONlives with her husband and two sons in Southern California, home of state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery, wild freeway chases and a million amazing stories. These stories, along with hordes of virile men and feisty women, clamor for release from Carol’s head. It makes for some interesting headaches until she sets them free to fulfill their destinies and her readers’ fantasies. To learn more about Carol, please visit her website, www.carolericson.com, “Where romance flirts with danger.”

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For the LA women (and men) of the Los Angeles Romance Authors (LARA)

Contents

Cover

Introduction “You have a complicated life, Nina.” Jase opened the latch of the broken gate and ushered her through with a sweep of his hand. “You have no idea, Jase.” He held his breath as she moved past him, her light fragrance tickling his nose. Would she tell him about her pregnancy? Open up about Simon? She climbed the two porch steps and turned to face him. He held her gaze, ready for her confidences. Not that he’d be sharing any of his own—revealing his identity was not part of his assignment—yet. “You know that proposal you made over dinner?” He blinked. Not what he’d been expecting, but he’d go with it. “About moving in with you? For your safety?” “Yes. Still interested?” “Sure.” “Good.” She turned and shoved open the front door of the B and B. “Because I want you to move in—right here, right now.”

Title Page The Pregnancy Plot Carol Ericson www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author CAROL ERICSON lives with her husband and two sons in Southern California, home of state-of-the-art cosmetic surgery, wild freeway chases and a million amazing stories. These stories, along with hordes of virile men and feisty women, clamor for release from Carol’s head. It makes for some interesting headaches until she sets them free to fulfill their destinies and her readers’ fantasies. To learn more about Carol, please visit her website, www.carolericson.com , “Where romance flirts with danger.”

Dedication For the LA women (and men) of the Los Angeles Romance Authors (LARA)

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The nurse handed her the blurry picture of her baby boy, and Nina tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out if the white, fuzzy appendage in the upper-right corner of the photo represented a foot or an arm. At just about eighteen weeks that appendage could be anything—even that which distinguished him as a boy.

The nurse smiled and flicked the edge of the ultrasound. “Well, at least if his father can’t be here, you can send him his son’s picture.”

Nina pasted an answering smile on her face, ignoring the knife in her heart. “Yes, I’ll do that.”

If she could ever find her baby’s father.

She hadn’t wanted to get into the whole complicated story of her ex-fiancé’s disappearance off the face of the earth, so she’d just told her obstetrician that her baby’s father was in the military and was deployed. All good lies contained a bit of the truth.

“Make sure you stop by the front desk to make your next appointment.” The nurse closed the door behind her so that Nina could get dressed.

That was another issue she hadn’t discussed with her doctor yet. There wouldn’t be another appointment if she decided to pull up stakes and move to Washington.

The paper crinkled as she slid off the examination table. How had her life gotten so complicated in such a short period of time? She’d been happy with her job, happy with her fiancé and safe.

Safe? Where had that come from? She crumpled up the paper gown and shoved it into the trash can. She didn’t have to dig too deeply for the answer.

She’d been feeling uneasy ever since Simon had started blowing up at the smallest issue until his ranting and raving had gotten so severe, she’d broken off their engagement over four months ago. Then he’d dropped off her radar for good. Or had he?

She squeezed into her fat jeans, making a mental note for the hundredth time that week to shop for maternity clothes.

Since her breakup with Simon, she’d had the unsettling feeling that her ex-fiancé had been stalking her—watching her, following her. She had no evidence at all to back up that suspicion, only a creeping feeling of dread. Looking over her shoulder and checking her rearview mirror had become habits for her—habits she didn’t like.

Habits that gave her even more reason to leave LA for her family’s bed-and-breakfast up in the Puget Sound area. The TLC that place needed since her stepfather passed away would be enough to keep her occupied.

Slipping her feet into her wedges, she hooked the strap of her purse over her shoulder. She kissed the ultrasound picture of her baby and slipped it into her purse.

She breezed into the reception area. Leaning over the counter, she said, “I need to make my next appointment.”

“Of course.” The receptionist’s fingers raced across the keyboard of her computer. “Does this same time next month work for you, Nina?”

If the great Pacific Northwest hadn’t called her home by that time. Nina peered at the calendar on the phone cupped in her hand. “Yes, and Tuesday or Wednesday of that week looks good.”

“Perfect.” The receptionist checked some boxes on an appointment card and held it out between two fingers.

“Thanks.” Nina took the card and dropped it into her purse.

While she waited for the elevator that would take her down to the parking garage below the building, her cell phone buzzed. She glanced at the display and sighed.

Six months ago she’d been thrilled to land this job, designing the interior of a beach house in Malibu, but after Simon had gone AWOL and she’d found out she was pregnant, she had no patience for this demanding client.