Authors: Loving Miranda

Teresa Bodwell (27 page)

BOOK: Teresa Bodwell

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Miranda stared at him. He’d said
children
. “You . . . Is this because of Mercy and seeing her baby?”

“No.” He looked up at her. “I won’t forget the miracle I witnessed last night and, yes, it made me think of you and our baby.” He drew in a deep breath. He held Miranda’s beautiful, graceful hand with his maimed one. They were meant to be together. Perfection and imperfection joining to make a life together. He kissed her palm. “I want you to know that I’m not staying for the child’s sake, or for your sake. The honest truth is, I need you. I need your smile.” He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. “And your way of seeing so much life around you—the smell of the earth after a rain, the miracle of a spider’s web. All the things that I never noticed before you showed them to me. Even more than that, I need the way you make me feel—that I’m a man who has a right to be alive. I . . .”

She dropped to her knees then, kissing him and sending jolts of desire through him. He managed to get control over himself, to keep from pressing her back to the floor and driving himself inside of her. He was determined to take care of this precious woman and the tiny bit of life they’d made inside of her, and right now that meant getting her a nice hot bath and a good night’s rest. “I love you, Miranda.”

“I love you, Ben,” she whispered into his neck. “I’ll always love you.”

“Let me fill the tub for you. I’m sure a nice hot bath—”

“Plenty of time for a hot bath later.” She bent to open the buttons of his trousers. “Right now, there’s something else I need. And months to go before I’m too big for you to want me.”

There it was—the spark of sunlight in her eyes that could make him forget everything but her. “There won’t ever be a time I don’t want you.” He scooped her into his arms and carried her over to the big bed. “You’re certain it’s safe?”

“Safe?”

“The baby.” He set her gently on the bed. “I don’t want to do anything that—”

But she’d found her way inside his pants and his last good sense left him.

“The only danger now is you may drive me to distraction if you don’t come inside me soon.” She pulled him down onto the bed, straddled him and bent to kiss him.

“Patience, my love,” Ben mumbled through wet kisses.

She pulled back and smiled. “Say that again?”

Her smile was like sunshine peeking through clouds, and it warmed him in places the sun couldn’t begin to reach.

“Patience.” He pulled her back down to him. “Patience.” He nibbled on her ear.

“Oh, Ben,” she sighed. “Not the patience part. What you called me a minute ago.”

He thought for a moment, then smiled. “Oh, my love.” He brushed a kiss to her soft lips. “My love. My Miranda. Now and forever.”

About the Author

Teresa Bodwell grew up in the West writing stories in spiral notebooks, journals, and the odd scrap of paper. After serving in the U.S. Army where she helped make the world safe for John Philip Sousa music, she read her first romance novel and knew she had found her niche. Teresa lives in western Montana where she practices law, marriage, raising children, and leading Girl Scout troops. She hopes to get all of these things right one day. Visit her website at
www.tbodwell.com
.

ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.
850 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022

If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

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ISBN: 978-1-4201-3260-1

BOOK: Teresa Bodwell

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