Book Blitz - Excerpt & Giveaway: This Baby Business by Heatherly Bell

This Baby Business by Heatherly Bell

(Heroes of Fortune Valley)

Published by: Harlequin

Publication date: October 1st 2017

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Strictly business…or is it?

Air force pilot Levi Lambert has seen plenty of danger—but his infant daughter might be the death of him. Fortunately, Levi’s found the answer to his sleep-deprived prayers: his next-door neighbor! Carly Gilmore is willing to be his nanny…until a small white lie turns their arrangement from business to very personal. The fake engagement was intended to keep Levi from losing custody of his baby girl, but is causing all sorts of new problems. Not only does Carly attract trouble like bees to honey, but there’s the little matter of Levi’s smokin’-hot attraction to her. The last thing he needs is to fall in love…

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EXCERPT:

“Why? T-that’s ridiculous. She’s perfectly safe.”

“They don’t see me as the brightest example of fatherhood. Maybe I’m not, you know, but I’m trying.

I’ve already done a lot that’s been asked of me. I left the air force and settled down in Fortune. I have ties to the community. I’ve got a job. A house. But to Sandy’s parents, it’s all done for show.”

“What are you going to do?”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. “Whatever it takes.”

“Good.”

“I sent Sandy’s stepmother an email earlier today. She emailed me back to say that they’re flying out here on Wednesday. So we’re going to meet at the park the next day, and I’m bringing Grace. She wants to see her, make sure she’s okay. She seems reasonable. Maybe we can talk this out and come to a logical conclusion.”

He acted as though he were talking about the weather. The last time she couldn’t find Double Stuf Oreos at the store, she’d been more upset than he seemed at the moment.

“I think you’re smart to let her see Grace. Once she sees how well Grace is doing, she’ll back off.”

“Maybe.”

“I’ll do anything you need. Be a character witness for you. Tell them how much you love her. How she follows your voice and she knows you. She wouldn’t do well without you.” She got teary just talking about this. “And I won’t mention all the crying she does.”

Just the thought of Grace and Levi being ripped apart, and she was near tears. What a sap. But simply put, poor Grace couldn’t also lose her father. She’d already lost her mother so young.

“Sometimes you’re the only thing that keeps me grounded,” Levi said, shoving a hand through his hair.

It was left mussed, sticking up slightly, and her pulse kicked up at seeing him look so…defenseless.

“Me?”

The thought that she could do that for him meant more to her than it probably should.

“Babe, you have to know that you drive me crazy.” He gave her an easy smile. “In the good way.”

She sucked in a breath but didn’t speak. It seemed they’d just crossed some kind of invisible line.

Babe. No point in ignoring the obvious. They liked kissing each other. And maybe they’d like a few other things, too.

He crooked his finger.

She went to him like a cat to catnip and allowed him to pull her onto his lap. Her short floral skater skirt rose to indecent heights as she straddled him. He took full advantage, hands skimming up her bare thighs.

“So soft,” he said in a low and throaty tone.

His voice, deep and gravelly, had her nipples hard. Carly nipped at his lower lip, earning a very male groan from him.

His gaze heated. “That’s hot.”

Levi kissed her, his wicked tongue warm and wet. His hand dived under her T-shirt, sliding up and down her spine, settling at the small of her back. She lost her head and rocked her hips against the bulge in his pants. That pulled an even rougher, more erotic sound out of him, and his hands lowered to tighten on her hips.