He stared at her, his brows raised above the rims of his sunglasses.
That got her back on track. “Anyway, you remember way back at the beginning, we were fooling around and you hadn’t yet rolled on a rubber? I distinctly remember...” She coughed for emphasis. “Contact.” Though her pulse seemed to be on a race, she fashioned a smile. “Delicious contact. Apparently, you’re such a potent stud, that’s all it took.”
“I’d say that makes you potent, as well.”
“Yeah. Take that, Robbie.”
His chest rose on a big breath, then he eased himself down beside her and breathed in wonder, “A baby.”
“Yup.”
It startled her when he jerked off his sunglasses. Those green eyes of his were downright incandescent with some emotion she couldn’t quite read. “We’re having a baby.” His nostrils flared. “We are, aren’t we?”
Time to come clean. “Yes, I am.” If he heard the clarification, he made no mention of it. “Baxter...” This was the hard part. Best to spit it out quickly. “I’m in great financial shape. You know that. I can care for the baby on my own—”
His body jerked toward her. “Fuck that. You’re not cutting me out, so forget it.”
“—but I...” She blinked at him. “What?”
“I said forget it. I want in.”
Ridley blinked. “In...on dad duty?”
“Damn right. Long haul. Birth to college and beyond.”
Well, he was certainly thinking ahead. “Okay, fine.” Relief lifted some of her worry. “But—”
“No buts.” His shoulders tensed as he leaned into her space. “In fact, I think we should get married.”
Whoa, somehow she’d totally lost control of this convo. “Married?”
“Stop repeating everything I say, damn it!”
“You won’t let me finish what I want to say!”
His jaw flexed and his eyes narrowed. “Because you’re trying to dump me.”
“Wrong!”
He paused. “Wrong?”
Throwing up her hands, Ridley stood again. Nervous energy made it impossible to stay still.
Baxter snatched her into his lap. Much more softly, he asked, “How am I wrong, babe?”
She couldn’t look at him this closely, so instead she stared at his chest. “I love you.”
This new silence cut deep.
“Baxter?” She peeked up and found him grinning, the jerk.
He started to speak, and then suddenly Daron was there, pausing only long enough to say, “Fire at the maintenance building! Joy’s calling Coop. Maris is calling the fire department. It looks bad.” And off he went in a fast jog.
They both stood and sure enough, smoke visibly filled the sky at the far end of the resort.
Baxter cursed. “I’ll come find you as soon as we get things under control.”
Ridley started after him. “I’ll help.”
Pivoting fast, Baxter pinned her with an incredulous glare. “You’re pregnant!”
Oh, good grief. “Doesn’t make me lame.”
“No.” He grabbed her shoulders, kissed her hard and said, “Please, for my sake, stay at this end of the park, okay? Maris will need help with the store anyway.”
Wondering if this was what she’d have to put up with, Ridley nodded. “Fine. I’ll stay. But we’ll talk about this later.”
“No doubt.”
She grabbed him before he could go. “You better be careful, Baxter McNab. I’m going to be really pissed if you get hurt.”
“Because you love me,” he said with a grin, then he turned and ran after Daron.
Ridley huffed out a breath. Life was about to change big-time.
She was pretty sure it’d be awesome.
Grinning, she headed to the store to help Maris.
*
The ringing of Coop’s cell phone sounded from somewhere down on the floor. Still trying to catch her breath, Phoenix lazily kissed his sweaty shoulder and asked, “Should you get that?”
“Probably.” Yet he didn’t move, except to fondle her breast.
Lightly, she bit his shoulder, tasting the salt of his skin, relishing the heat of his body and his scent, intensified from their fast, urgent lovemaking.
They were both very mellow now, and for Phoenix, it felt as if everything were fresh and new.
The ringing stopped, but not for long.
When it started up the second time, Cooper groaned and turned away from her, glancing around the room as if trying to locate it.
“Sounds like it’s coming from under the bed.”
“Yeah.” He stood, giving her a nice view of his broad back, narrow hips and taut behind before he knelt and located the phone.
Propping up on her elbow, she watched him as he answered the phone before sitting on the side of the bed.
The straightening of his spine told her something was wrong even before his side of the conversation registered.
“Damn it, they should all stay clear.” Already up and struggling into shorts, he added, “No, don’t go near it, Maris. I’ll take care of it. Yeah, I’m on my way. Thanks.” He disconnected, saying to Phoenix, “Fire at the maintenance building.”
“Fire?” She slid from the bed.
“I have to run. Daron and Baxter are on-site, and the fire department should be on the way, but I need to make sure our guests keep their distance.”
She tugged on her panties, then a T-shirt, not bothering with a bra. “I can help with that.”
Cooper grabbed her shoulders. “Think about it, honey. This could be a trap.”
“A trap?”
He let her go to shove his feet into shoes. “I’m willing to bet the fire was deliberately set. And that means whoever’s been hassling you is back.”
“Oh.” Slowly she sank onto the side of the bed, her thoughts spinning. “But there has to be a large crowd out there.”
“Exactly. How are we to know who did it, or who we can trust? It’s going to be chaotic and I’ll feel better if you stay here, with the door locked.”
He was ready to go, his expression stern, concerned, and the last thing she wanted to be was a distraction.
“All right. But please be careful.”
He nodded, and she followed him to the kitchen. Only a handful of stars lit the sky, so Cooper flipped on the outside floodlights.
Just then they heard the siren.
“Lock this behind me,” he said as he went out the door and over to his golf cart, which would get him there quicker than walking.
“Seriously,” she called after him. “Be careful, and please let me know how bad it is as soon as you can.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Through the closed door, she watched him drive down the hill in the grass. In the distance, colored lights flashed from the fire truck.
If it was a deliberate fire, that would mean she’d brought even more trouble to his door. The thought made her sick.
When she heard a noise behind her, she assumed it was Sugar and turned to greet the little dog, ready to comfort her—and take some comfort of her own.
She saw only a shadow in the hallway. A big shadow.
Her heart jumped into her throat, strangling any sound she might have made. She edged toward the door, quietly opening the lock and turning the doorknob, but just as she got it open, the shadow merged into a man.
A very large man.
Despite the smothering summer heat, he wore a ski mask.
*
Coop stood back as the firefighters quickly got the blaze under control. With spotlights aimed at the building, he saw that it was a loss with two burned sides, the others singed, the roof severely damaged.
The damned security camera had all but melted.
At least no one had been hurt.
Baxter and Daron had done an admirable job of blocking curious guests outside the perimeter set up by the firefighters. Joy had quickly created a makeshift play area for kids well away from danger, but unfortunately still within view of the chaos. The lodge was already in use, so she’d gotten them as far away from the smoke as she could. Frazzled parents alternately gawked and reassured their children. One of the firefighters had walked over there, equally flirting with Joy and leaving the kids in awe. He passed out badges and plastic helmets, so at least the children weren’t upset by the destruction.
Coop, however, was outraged.
With the entire park up and awake to witness the spectacle, he kept his rage under wraps.