Hidden Crimes (37 page)

“Call me anytime you need a break from this
one,” she said to Evina while wagging her thumb at him. “You’re
pack now. We girls try to stick together when we can.”

Evina seemed unsure what to make of the
pint-sized, slightly punk alpha’s wife, but she took the offer in
stride. “Thank you,” she said. “Whatever girl lunches and the like
can do to improve detente, I’m in favor of.”

The women’s lips curved like they understood
each other perfectly.

Nate told himself this was a good thing.

Ethan delayed their departure a little more
by running over to chatter at Rafi and Abby. “Come back tomorrow!”
he insisted. “We’ll build a fort! And finger-paint! I
have
to see what you look like when you turn into tigers!”

“Ethan,” his mom scolded, but the twins
didn’t seem put off, just more tired than he was.

“We’ll set up a play date,” Evina said to
Maria. “I understand kids like to hang with other kids near their
age. My friend Freda has a five-and-a-half year old. God help us,
but maybe they’ll all get on.”

Nate was awed by the ease with which they
settled this. Apparently, facilitating children’s social lives was
another skill he’d need to cultivate.

Evina’s mom wandered over then, hugging her
daughter and shedding a few tears. “A wedding,” she sniffed. “You
have no idea how much fun I’ll have helping you pick a dress. You’d
look absolutely gorgeous in an Edwardian gown! I can start
searching online tomorrow for bargains.”

With a slightly leery expression he had no
trouble reading, Evina promised to call her later and got them all
out of there. When they reached the freight elevator, he and Evina
heaved relieved sighs.

The twins conked out in the back of his
Goblinati five minutes after he’d begun driving.

All of this struck Nate as so normal it was
surreal; as if in an instant they’d become a real family. How had
he not known he wanted this so much? He took a moment to remember
the babies for whom play dates and giggles and sleeping in back
seats was over. Saving five out of two dozen had been a bittersweet
victory, but Resurrection’s citizens were correct: those five were
miracles.

“We’re lucky,” Evina said, reaching to
squeeze his knee.

He rubbed the hand she’d laid there. Words
weren’t sufficient to express how thoroughly he agreed.

“You know you probably won’t have kids of
your own with me,” she said.

He touched her cheek, soft as velvet, warm as
a summer’s day. “I’ll have two. And I already know they’re turning
out amazing.”

Evina’s eyes glimmered with quick emotion—and
then twinkled with mischief. “I covet your dishwashers,” she
confessed.

Nate laughed softly. “That’s convenient. I
covet having you and the twins move in with me.”

“So we’ll work it out.”

“Yes, we will,” he promised.

When she laid her head on his shoulder, he
knew they were both smiling.

# # #

EMMA Holly is the award winning,
USA
Today
bestselling author of more than thirty romantic books,
featuring vampires, demons, faeries and just plain extraordinary
ordinary folks. She loves the hot stuff, both to read and to
write!

If you’d like to find out what else she’s
written, please visit her website at
http://www.emmaholly.com
.

Emma runs monthly contests and sends out
newsletters that often include coupons for new ebooks. To receive
them, go to her contest page.

If sexy shapeshifters are your thing, you
might try
Hidden Talents
, which stars Nate’s boss, Adam.
Hidden Talents
is the start of the Hidden series.

Thanks so much for reading this book!

WEREWOLF cop Adam Santini is sworn to protect
and serve all the supes in Resurrection, NY—including unsuspecting
human Talents who wander in from Outside.

Telekinetic Ari is hot on the trail of a
mysterious crime boss who wants to exploit her gift for his own
evil ends, a mission that puts her on a collision course with the
hottest cop in the RPD.

Adam wants Blackwater too, but mostly he
wants Ari. She seems to be the mate he’s been yearning for all his
life, though getting a former street kid into bed with the Law
could be his toughest case to date.

“
Hidden Talents
is the perfect package of
Supes, romance, mystery and HEA!”—Paperback Dolls

available in ebook and print

JAMES and Olivia Forster have been happily
married for many years. A harmless kink here or there spices up
their love life, but they can’t imagine the kinks they’ll encounter
while sneaking off to their beach house for a long hot weekend.

Anso Vitul has ruled the wereseals for one
short month. He hardly needs his authority questioned because he’s
going crazy from mating heat. Anso’s best friend and male lover Ty
offers to help him find the human mate his genes are seeking.

To Ty’s amazement, Anso’s quest leads him
claim not one partner but a pair. Ty would object, except he too
finds the Forsters hopelessly attractive.

"The most captivating and titillating story I have
read in some time . . . Flaming hot . . . even under water"—Tara’s
Blog

available in ebook and print