Page 54 of The Secrets She Keeps

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Oh,the man knew how to kiss. Maybe…maybe that was how she had gotten into this situation in the first place. He had caught her right there in the elevator at the Masterson County Inn. Where someone had put an actual piece of mistletoe. And then she had been getting kissed hotter than she had ever been kissed in her life.

And somehow, they had just ended up in the same room. They’d been in adjoining rooms. The inn had been almost full, and they had just somehow ended up together. Together and naked in seconds anyway.

He lowered her to her feet, but he didn’t let her go. Powell pressed her cheek to his chest, hearing his heart. She really wanted to stay right where she was, actually.

But her eyes opened. Her mom was looking at her, an amused look in her own brown eyes. And approval or something.

Of course. Her mother wanted Powellwiththe father of her baby. So that they could be wildly happy together and have even more babies after this one. Lots of Viking babies. Powell imagined it for one quick, intense moment.

“Call me when you are leaving Heather’s,” Powell told him. “I’ll be waiting.”

“I’ll do that.”

She stayed right where she was, tucked into Gunnar’s arms, as her family and his friends talked around her. She didn’t move at all until Alex and Commander Rodriguez decided to put all of the kids’ bikes in the back of Alex’s truck so her brother could drop them off when he made it home later.

Alex actually seemed easy with Commander Rodriguez. Like maybe they were becoming friends, as well. Apparently, Alex was finding a place hefitwith the Colesons. Friends. Connections. She liked that, for her brother’s sake.

Just like that, Gunnar stepped away. She watched as he scooped his friend’s little girl Raine into his arms to give her a “lift” back to Grandma Bonnie’s. She was getting tired and cranky and hungry, just like Frankie. Raine’s little dark head rested on his big, strong shoulder so perfectly. He just did it so naturally.

That man just melted Powell completely, and he didn’t even know he had that power at all.

He was made for a family.

She studied him next to Heather. He was made for a family and a beautiful woman who loved and adored him.

Heather knew how it all worked. Heather was sogoodat being a mom. Heather seemed so easy and natural at it and was obviously comfortable with Commander Rodriguez and Gunnar and Alex—she was still glaring at Mac, though.

Heather was talking to Powell’s mom about the baby and making her own baby food recipes now that Ember was starting a few solid foods soon and being able to finally set up speech therapy appointments for Frankie since Heather was onvacationright now.

Powell’s mom liked Heather—it was obvious. Heather was comfortable in who she was as awomantoo.

In a way Powell had never been and never would be.

Maybe Heather could give her some pointers?

Especially in how to deal with one beautiful man named Gunnar Erickson.

At this point, Powell was ready for all the help she could get.

There was so much Powell still needed to figure out.

She didn’t really even know where to begin.

Business—she was just like her dad. Good in business. Everyone had always said that. She was just like her father—they’d praised her for that. Well, she had spent all of her time being like her father. She hadn’t quite figured out how to be like her mother a little bit too.

Sometimes, it wasn’t just Alex who didn’t quite know where hefit.Powell had never felt like she’d reallyfit.At least, not in a long, long time.

But with Gunnar’s arms around her—she’d fit right there just fine. She’d never wanted to let him go.

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Heather was there again.At the park and everything.

Right there, with theBarratts.Like she was so special. Brianna hated that woman. More than she hated any of the Colesons ever. Heather thought she was so perfect and everything.

Maybe Heather was really beautiful, but so what? So was Brianna. And Brianna was rich. Heather definitely wasn’t. Not now.

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