Creation of Desire by Leah Brooke Read Free Book Online Page B

it for themselves.”
    Nat nodded. “When they saw how the town is, I heard they asked lots of questions and decided to move here. They mentioned to Garrett that they’ve worked in construction so he hooked them up with Boone and Chase.”
    Rachel’s eyes misted at the mention of her baby’s fathers and she covered her still flat stomach protectively.
    Kelly jumped up when she heard a customer walk in. “They’re going to be working on our new house with Boone and Chase.” Pausing, she looked at the clock as she went to help the customer. “Blade’s supposed to take me to lunch. He should have been here by now.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Chase stared at Blade in shock and although he opened and closed his mouth several times, nothing came out.
    “Are you sure?” He heard Boone ask the question that had been going through his own mind but had been unable to voice.
    Blade nodded. “I heard them talking in the back room of Indulgences when I went to pick Kelly up for lunch.” He looked at his watch. “Hell, I’ve got to go.”
    Chase finally found his voice. “Did she,” he swallowed the lump in his throat. “Did she sound happy, or did she sound like she,” he swallowed again, “like she didn’t want it?”
    Christ, this couldn’t be happening again.
    “What?” Blade erupted. ““You two had better get your heads out of your asses and go after your woman. Rachel’s nothing like Mona. She wouldn’t do that.”
    Chase looked up at Blade in surprise. “How did you—?”
    “You two stayed drunk for weeks when you got home. You told me that story over and over while you got drunk at the club.”
    Chase turned to his brother, stunned. He saw the same look of shock on Boone’s face.
    “Listen,” Blade continued. “If you’re going to let what that other woman did to you keep you from the woman you both love and your baby that she’s carrying, you’re both stupider than I gave you credit for.”
    Blade opened the door and started to walk out, turning to them with a grin. “Congratulations, by the way. Now go get your woman.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Boone climbed the stairs to Rachel’s apartment over her lingerie store, his brother right behind him. He’d never been so nervous in his life.
    “She doesn’t need to have to keep going up and down these stairs,” Chase muttered.
    Boone got more nervous with each step. “She won’t be. I don’t care what she says, she’s moving in with us tonight, and we’re getting married as soon as possible.” What if she wouldn’t marry them? They hadn’t been able to talk to her ever since that night. She shut them out at every opportunity. They wouldn’t allow it again. She carried their baby, and she had to listen. He paused on the steps, and Chase almost ran into him.
    “What’s wrong?”
    Boone grinned. “Rachel’s having our baby. I still can’t believe it.”
    Chase smiled. “I know. We should have known Rachel wouldn’t be like Mona.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe we’ve been so hung up on the past that we didn’t see it before.”
    “We’re stupid all right,” Boone agreed. “But I think that once we explain everything to Rachel, she’ll forgive us. I hope.”
    Boone started back up the stairs, Chase at his heels. Knocking, he waited, going over in his mind what he wanted to say. He and Chase had tried for the last six weeks to get her to talk to them to no avail. Stubborn woman. Witch. God, he couldn’t wait to hold her.
    He shook his head, mentally berating himself. He and his brother had let the past cloud their judgment and had been too afraid to make a commitment. She and the baby belonged to them, and nothing would stand in their way of claiming her. He knocked harder. Now that Rachel carried their baby inside her, the choice had been taken out of their hands. He felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
    “Do you think she’s in the shower?” He heard the worry in Chase’s voice. “What if she