Seducing Simon by Maya Banks Read Free Book Online Page A

blindly she was going into parenthood. Her mother wouldn’t be here to guide her and offer support.
    As if sensing her thoughts, Matt stood up and walked over to her, closing his hands over her shoulders. “You’re not alone, Toni. I know I can’t replace mom, but you can count on me for anything.” She turned and smiled, slipping her arms around him in a big bear hug. “And to think you used to torment me as a kid.” He laughed. “I guess I did. That is until Simon threatened to pound me if I didn’t leave you alone.”
    “Yeah he did, didn’t he,” she murmured. She drew away and resumed unloading the dishwasher.
    “Speaking of Simon, how was the appointment? He go with you?”
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    Maya Banks
    “Yeah, it was great. We heard the heartbeat. Doc thinks I’m about twelve weeks along. Gave me a March due date.”
    “You feeling better about it then?”
    “I think so,” she replied. And she did for the most part. She had spent the past few weeks numb to the reality that she was pregnant. But hearing the heartbeat today had brought home the fact she was carrying a tiny life inside her.
    And already her jeans were too snug. She’d taken to wearing loose fitting slacks and sweatpants, but soon she’d have to buy maternity clothes.
    “Oh, before I forget,” Matt said, snapping his fingers. “Mike called for you awhile ago. I told him to call back this afternoon.” She frowned and leaned back against the sink. “What did he want?” The only Mike she knew was the Mike who worked for the fire department with Matt, A.J. and Simon.
    “Dunno. He said he’d call back.”
    She shrugged and set her glass in the sink. After washing her hands, she walked to the French doors leading out to the deck and slipped outside. The sun was setting over the horizon, spreading an array of pink and purple hues across the western sky.
    Settling into a lawn chair, she leaned back to enjoy the view from the elevated deck. As a song once lauded, there was nothing like Southern nights. The evenings were cooler with the coming autumn, and the faint smell of burning leaves filtered through her nose.
    In six months her life would change forever. She no longer had only herself to look out for. Though she’d come to terms with her pregnancy, the idea of parenthood still scared the hell out of her. A lot of women seemed to have an innate sense of how to care for a child, but she wasn’t one of them.
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    Seducing Simon
    Her hand crept up to palm her abdomen. Only the slightest hint of a swell existed, and someone not familiar with her usually flat stomach would never be able to discern the gentle curvature.
    A light breeze blew over her, lifting the strands of her hair and blowing them softly against her face. Maybe pregnancy was mellowing her, but she felt an inner peace she hadn’t felt in many weeks.
    The sound of the door sliding open pulled her from her silent reverie.
    “Telephone for you, Toni,” Matt said handing her the cordless phone.
    She took the receiver and Matt backed into the house.
    “Hello?”
    “Hey Toni. This is Mike. How you doing?”
    “I’m good. How about you?”
    “Doing great. Enjoying my day off. Hey, listen. I was calling because I wondered if you wanted to go out this weekend. Maybe catch dinner at Drake’s.”
    An awkward silence ensued as Toni struggled with her surprise. “I uh.” Shit. She didn’t want to get into the whys and wherefores over the phone. No one at the station knew she was pregnant yet. “Sure,” she finally said. “Sounds great.”
    “Hey great. I’ll pick you up around six. That okay?”
    “I’ll see you then,” Toni said. They said their goodbyes, and she punched the button, ending the call.
    She leaned back in the chair and laid the phone in her lap. Her mind was whirling. Truthfully, she had no desire to go out with Mike, though he was a great guy. But on the other hand, it was high time she gave up her childish fantasies. Unrealistic dreams about a