Page 38 of Her Baby, Her Badge

“You want me to notify Georgia’s next of kin?” Rory asked. “Her sister went to her place to get some things, but she should be back here at the hospital any minute now, and I can tell her then.”

Grace nodded. She didn’t have the mental bandwidth to do that right now, and it had to be done before the woman’s sister learned about it through some other means.

“Are you two alright?” Rory pressed, volleying glances at both of them. He added a third glance at her stomach.

“Right enough,” Grace assured him, and Dutton echoed much the same. It was a lie. They were far from alright, but then everyone involved in this investigation could say the same thing.

Rory made a sound of agreement and then left, closing the door behind him. Dutton immediately moved toward her again, doing what he’d no doubt intended to do before his brother’s arrival.

He drew her into his arms, being very careful not to touch her wounded arm.

This was a bad idea. Every part of Grace knew it, too. But that didn’t stop her. She melted right into the embrace as if she belonged there. And felt the instant soothing comfort that only Dutton could provide. Even when she didn’t want him to.

She braced herself for him to ask how she truly was, and she’d have to repeat the lie she’d just told Rory. Instead, he brushed a kiss on her forehead and then eased back to lock gazes with her.

“I saw something I shouldn’t have,” he said. That gave her a fresh jolt of alarm before he smiled and added, “On the ultrasound. The gender is no longer a secret.”

Just like that, she relaxed. And smiled. “Since I’ve heard ultrasounds look very grainy, I’m guessing what you saw was a part of a body that’s…obvious.”

“Obvious,” he confirmed. “We could just run with this newfound knowledge and start testing out names.”

“Boy names,” she muttered, knowing that would have been theobvious.

Again, this was wrong, but so much of it felt right, too. The baby was a boy, and Dutton was the one person who would understand this was one of the pregnancy moments. They were going to be the parents of a little boy.

“Mordecai,” Dutton joked. “That’s an old family name.”

Grace shook her head, but she was still smiling. Yes, it was good to think of something that didn’t involve murder and attacks. Leave it to Dutton to come up with something that could ease this weight on her shoulders.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome.” He paused, keeping his gaze locked with hers. “You don’t mind knowing the gender?”

She shook her head. “The timing is good. Like an unexpected gift. Though I would have been equally pleased had you seen nothing obvious and the baby was a girl.”

“Yes,” he quickly agreed. “Part of my dad fantasies involved old stereotypes of teddy-bear tea parties and me fending off boys who’d want to date her once she reached her teens.”

It was odd to think of him having fantasies like that, but Grace didn’t push for any other details of what his dreams for the future would include. In fact, it was probably time for her to move out of his arms and send off texts to try to get any updates.

She didn’t do that, though.

Grace stayed put, and made things a whole lot worse by moving even closer. And closer. Until her mouth met his. It was just a touch, but it packed a punch alright. The heat didn’t come in slow, gentle waves. This was more like a tsunami.

Dutton reacted. Of course, he did. He eased her even closer and deepened the kiss. In a flash, it turned into something much more. Hot and filled with need. Until it felt like foreplay.

Still, Grace stayed put, and she did her own share of deepening. Her own share of fantasizing, too, and this had nothing to do with tea parties and teenage dates. It was about this ache she’d had for Dutton for as long as she could remember. It was about the single time she’d made love with him. That’s where her mind went. To the bed. To the sex. To those incredible moments when they’d forgotten about their pasts and given in to the need.

She slid her hand around the back of his neck, urging him to take more. He did. He took and moved his hand down to the small of her back, moving her forward until their centers met. Well, as much as they could with the baby bump. It was that reminder of the baby that finally forced Grace to come to here senses.

Gasping for air, she let go of him and stepped back. Way back. But even the space between them didn’t cool the heat. It was right there, zinging between them, and willing her to go back into his arms. She might have done that, too, if there hadn’t been another tap at the door.

Good. It was probably the doctor, who could give them the all clear to leave. They could go back to the police station, where they’d be surrounded by people and wouldn’t be able to give in to the temptation of kissing again.

Or doing more than kissing.

Her body was all for that notion, but Grace forced aside those thoughts and called, “Come in,” to the person who’d tapped on the door.

But it wasn’t the doctor. Her mother took one step inside and then sort of froze, her attention sliding between them. Aileen’s sigh told Grace that her mom had no doubt figured out what had just happened.

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