SH Medical 07 - The Detective's Accidental Baby by Jacqueline Diamond Read Free Book Online Page B

a man who wasn’t her husband. During her marriage she’d been on the pill, and hadn’t been with anyone since then.
    She helped stretch the condom over his shaft. “You’re one beautiful guy.”
    “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” Lock teased.
    “Prove it,” Erica returned.
    “With pleasure.”
    She fell back, unable to think of anything but Lock as he caressed and parted her thighs. When his hardness slid inside, strength flowed from him into her. They merged into a river, sweeping away branches and rocks, old obstacles, old fears. Erica had always held a part of herself in reserve with men, even her husband, but not now. Not with Lock.
    His rhythm intensified, sending waves of pleasure through her. She had never imagined she was capable of such abandon. Above her, he pumped faster, wildly, until with a cry he exploded inside her. His final thrusts fused them in a moment of pure ecstasy.
    Warmth enveloped Erica as he eased down onto the couch and they nestled side by side. If not for a grumbling reminder from her stomach that she needed to eat, she’d have preferred never to move again.
    Reluctantly, she nudged him. “Time to get up.”
    “Do we have to?” Lock asked playfully.
    “I’m hungry.”
    “Already?”
    “Not that way. Dibs on the bathroom.” Erica wriggled free of their entanglement.
    “Is this the thanks I get?” Lock batted lazy blue eyes at her.
    “I won’t be long.” Off she went, contentment enveloping her.
    Tomorrow, there would be loose ends and ramifications to tidy up. With relationships, there always were. Tonight, she had no intention of thinking about any of that.
    H E OUGHT TO FEEL GUILTY , or at least worried, Lock mused as he lay bathed in the afterglow. He’d kept an important secret from Erica, and he’d probably violated private-detective ethics, although he’d already turned in his report. Now, if this had happened at their first meeting…well, that would have presented a conflict.
    No sense dwelling on what hadn’t occurred. He was much too happy about what had.
    The connection he’d sensed hadn’t been an illusion, after all. He’d felt it even more strongly while they made love. Something about her resonated with him, as if they’d been singing the same song all their lives and just discovered how well they blended.
    He wanted more of that. How much more remained to be discovered. While Lock was basically a loner, Erica didn’t give off any desperate-to-tie-him-down vibes. They suited each other. He could picture more lovemaking and fun times ahead without the pressure of her wanting a commitment or a family. What more could a guy ask?
    The click of the bathroom door opening reminded him that he ought to be stirring. He reached to remove the condom.
    Something was wrong. He stared down in dismay.
    It had torn. Damn.
    Most likely it meant nothing. What were the odds? Lock had taken a few chances in his romantic past, and to his knowledge none had resulted in children. But as he grabbed his clothes and ducked past Erica, he had to admit his rosy scenario of a few minutes ago might be facing a snag.
    A big one.

Chapter Five
    Erica hummed as she reheated their dinners in the microwave. Her body seemed to murmur along with the melody, which she recognized as one of Dr. T’s favorites—“Oh, What a Beautiful Morning” from the musical Oklahoma!
    How saccharine could she get? Still, she felt an unaccustomed lilt to her movements as she set the warm plates on the table.
    Her earlier shakiness was long gone. While she had no illusions about recovering from Jordan’s death on the basis of one conversation or one episode of transcendent sex, for now the pain had receded. It had been replaced by something new, something too sensitive and fresh to analyze.
    Let matters unfold at their own pace. She just hoped Lock wasn’t the love-’em-and-leave-’em type, but if he was, she could handle that.
    Despite her attempt at detachment, Erica’s spirits lifted when he