Andrea Laurence - The Baby Favour

For the baby’s sake...

Scarlet and Mason Spencer’s marriage was once hotter than a summer heat wave. But their failed attempts to start a family chilled their passion. Now on the verge of divorce, Mason’s single-parent brother is dying, leaving his baby girl in Mason’s care...and pulling Scarlet into a ruse that she’s still the billionaire’s happy, loving wife...

Pretending to be a family so Mason’s brother’s final days will be peaceful starts feeling like the real thing—as does the combustible chemistry she finds in her sexy soon-to-be-ex husband’s bed. Will Scarlet’s baby favor lead to a reunion...and the family they’ve always wanted?

“What if I said I wanted you to kiss me?” Scarlet asked.

Mason squeezed his eyelids tightly shut to block out the image of her looking up at him with those full lips and sad eyes. It was as though she could sense his weakness and knew that she was it.

The hand on his chest lifted, but before Mason could open his eyes, he felt her palm against his cheek. She softly caressed his face, letting her thumb drag across his bottom lip. “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“It’s not what I want to say, Scarlet—it’s what I want to do.”

She moved closer to him, pressing her firm breasts against his chest. Her whole body was aligned with his, reminding him of how she was the perfect fit for him in so many ways.

“What do you want to do, Mason?”

He couldn’t hold back any longer. His eyes flew open to look down at her before the floodgates gave way. “This,” he said.

Diving forward, he scooped her face into his hands and pulled her mouth to his.

* * *

The Baby Favoris part of Harlequin Desire’s #1 bestselling series, Billionaires and Babies: Powerful men... wrapped around their babies’ little fingers.

The Baby Favour

Andrea Laurence

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ANDREA LAURENCEis an award-winning author of contemporary romances filled with seduction and sass. She has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she was young. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she is thrilled to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with readers.

To Adoptive & Foster Parents Everywhere—

Whatever your reason for opening your hearts and your homes to a child in need, thank you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text For the baby’s sake... Scarlet and Mason Spencer’s marriage was once hotter than a summer heat wave. But their failed attempts to start a family chilled their passion. Now on the verge of divorce, Mason’s single-parent brother is dying, leaving his baby girl in Mason’s care...and pulling Scarlet into a ruse that she’s still the billionaire’s happy, loving wife... Pretending to be a family so Mason’s brother’s final days will be peaceful starts feeling like the real thing—as does the combustible chemistry she finds in her sexy soon-to-be-ex husband’s bed. Will Scarlet’s baby favor lead to a reunion...and the family they’ve always wanted?

Introduction “What if I said I wanted you to kiss me?” Scarlet asked. Mason squeezed his eyelids tightly shut to block out the image of her looking up at him with those full lips and sad eyes. It was as though she could sense his weakness and knew that she was it. The hand on his chest lifted, but before Mason could open his eyes, he felt her palm against his cheek. She softly caressed his face, letting her thumb drag across his bottom lip. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” “It’s not what I want to say, Scarlet—it’s what I want to do.” She moved closer to him, pressing her firm breasts against his chest. Her whole body was aligned with his, reminding him of how she was the perfect fit for him in so many ways. “What do you want to do, Mason?” He couldn’t hold back any longer. His eyes flew open to look down at her before the floodgates gave way. “This,” he said. Diving forward, he scooped her face into his hands and pulled her mouth to his. * * * The Baby Favor is part of Harlequin Desire’s #1 bestselling series, Billionaires and Babies: Powerful men... wrapped around their babies’ little fingers.

About the Author ANDREA LAURENCE is an award-winning author of contemporary romances filled with seduction and sass. She has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she was young. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she is thrilled to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with readers.

Title Page The Baby Favour Andrea Laurence www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To Adoptive & Foster Parents Everywhere— Whatever your reason for opening your hearts and your homes to a child in need, thank you.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

One

As a general rule, phone calls that came after midnight were bad news.

An hour ago, when Scarlet Spencer had looked at her caller ID and seen her estranged husband’s name, a moment of excitement had rushed through her. The other kind of calls that came at this hour were emotional outpourings brought on by late nights and alcohol. She’d hoped that it was the latter—that perhaps he’d changed his mind about the divorce—but she was to be disappointed. Now she was walking through the front door of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles just after two in the morning and she didn’t know why.

All she knew was that Mason had called and asked her to come. Despite everything that was happening between them, she knew she had to do as he asked. There was something in his voice that scared her. Mason had been her rock for the last nine years. Through the ups and downs of their marriage, he had been the one to hold her hand. She got the feeling that tonight, she was returning the favor.

As she walked through the doors of the hospital, she tried to brace herself for seeing Mason again. She hadn’t seen him since he moved out two months ago and she didn’t know how it would feel. After nine years together, he wasn’t hers anymore. He wasn’t hers to hold or care for. She would have to remind herself of that as she consoled him tonight.

Before she reached the elevators, she found Mason sitting on a bench in the hallway. The first time they’d met, she’d instantly been enchanted by the beautiful surfer boy with his golden skin, eyes as blue as the sea and messy brown hair. When he smiled, his dimples had melted her insides. Just a glimpse of him now was enough to set her heart racing in her chest even all these years later.

Tonight, however, there were no smiles. He was slumped in his seat, holding his head in his hands.

He looked defeated. Scarlet had seen that in him only a few times in all these years. Most of the time, he was the confident, successful CEO of Spencer Surf Shops. The guy who never failed at anything. Who always knew the right decision to make. Sexy, bold and sure of himself. Rarely did that facade crack. Once, when he found out he couldn’t give her a child. The second time, when he couldn’t keep the judge from giving their adopted son back to his biological mother. The third time was when he walked out the door, leaving her and their marriage behind.

She couldn’t imagine what happened tonight that could bring that look of despair back to his face. “Mason?” she asked as she approached.

Her husband shot up in his seat, turning to her with eyes more red than blue. He stood quickly, his jaw flexed tight as he tried to hold everything in. He didn’t speak right away, as though if he opened his mouth, a torrent of emotions would pour out of him instead.