The Pregnancy Plot. Carol Ericson

Would she do you physical harm? Not that plunging into the icy depths of that bay couldn’t have resulted in something worse than a bad chill.”

      Pushing open the door, she paused on the threshold. “I don’t think she’d pull out a gun and shoot me, but she’d pull stunts that could have unintended consequences—just like putting a hole in a boat.”

      “And I thought my family had issues.” He stomped his feet on the mat at the door.

      “Oh?”

      He had no intention of getting personal with her and mentally gave himself a kick for even mentioning his family. He’d used his nickname and a fake last name, just in case she decided to do a little research on the internet, because it wouldn’t be hard to find Jason Bennett—or his family.

      “Do you want more tea?” He pointed to the flames simmering in the grate. “Looks like the fire died down.”

      “I’m fine.” She stood in the entryway, making no move to go back to their cozy situation in front of the fire.

      “Okay, I’ll be heading back to my motel. Do you want me to stoke that up for you before I go?” He made a move toward the fireplace, but she placed a hand on his arm.

      “I’ll let it go, thanks.”

      He strode past her anyway. “I’ll reposition those logs, so they don’t roll off the grate.”

      He couldn’t help it. Nina’s pregnancy gave him an overwhelming urge to do things for her—all the things he never got to do for Maggie. He prodded the logs and then snagged Nina’s mug and deposited it in the kitchen sink next to his.

      Shoving his hands into his pockets, he grinned because women had told him in the past he had an irresistible grin and he needed to be irresistible right now. “Let me know when you’re done checking me out and I can get to work for you around here.”

      “Oh, I’m done. Anyone who rescues me from drowning deserves a chance.” She sized him up beneath lowered lashes. “You can start tomorrow.”

      “Awesome.” He stuck out his hand and she gripped it. “I’ll be back around eight o’clock.”

      Her blue eyes widened. “Make it ten.”

      “You got it...boss.”

      When he reached the curve in the road that led back to the town, he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called Coburn.

      “What do you have for me, Jase?”

      “I met Nina Moore and she hired me as her handyman. I start tomorrow.”

      Coburn chuckled. “Must be that killer grin of yours. Is she suspicious about anything? Did she mention the father of her baby?”

      “The father?” Jase glanced over his shoulder at the empty road. “She didn’t even mention the baby. She’s, uh, not really showing, so the subject never came up.”

      “She’s gotta be five months along and she’s not showing?”

      “Yeah, your wife had twins, so I think that’s a different case.”

      “Probably. What do I know anyway?” Coburn coughed. “You okay with this assignment?”

      Jase chose to ignore Coburn’s implication. Jack made it his business to know the personal histories of all Prospero agents, and sometimes Jase thought he used those histories just to test them, to mess with their minds.

      “I’m never okay with babysitting assignments, Coburn, but you might be onto something here.”

      His boss sucked in a breath. “Oh, yeah?”

      “Someone drilled a hole in Nina’s boat and she discovered it while she was on the water.”

      “Is she okay?”

      “Chilled but fine.”

      “You think it might be our friends at Tempest?”

      “If they’re trying to kill her, sinking her boat on a well-traveled bay is a long shot. Seems Nina has some crazy family members in the mix, too.”

      “Great. Just keep doing your job, Jase—watch Nina Moore and protect her if necessary.”

      “Got it, boss.”

      Jase ended the call and tapped the phone against his chin. He’d have no problem either watching or protecting Nina Moore. He’d do whatever it took to safeguard Nina and the baby—Simon Skinner’s baby.

      * * *

      NINA STRIPPED OFF her clothes and turned sideways in front of the mirror as the bathtub filled with warm water. She massaged her bump with the palm of her hand and smiled. Her little guy was growing by leaps and bounds.

      Had Jase noticed her pregnancy? No way. Any hint of a pregnancy would’ve doused those scorching looks he’d been sending her all afternoon. She’d been enjoying those looks so much she hadn’t wanted them to end.

      What did that say about her? Carrying another man’s baby and getting hot and bothered by a stranger with a to-die-for grin. Simon had vanished from her life, but it didn’t mean he didn’t plan on charging back into it.

      And she needed to be prepared when he did.

      She stood on her tiptoes and checked the lock on the bathroom window. When the Harbor Patrol officer had told her about the hole in the boat, her suspicions had immediately turned to Lou, since any mischief connected to the B and B would have Lou written all over it.

      But had Simon followed her here? He knew about the B and B, of course, even though he’d never been here. She rolled her shoulders and stepped into the warm water, inhaling the fragrant steam from the lilac bath salts.

      She’d found a good doctor in town, a family practitioner rather than an ob-gyn, but Dr. Parducci had come highly rated and regarded.

      She sank into the warm water, stretched out her legs and closed her eyes, determined to relax. Dr. Parducci had told her to relax and not dwell on anything stressful.

      Her eyes flew open. Like Lou. That had been the most unwelcome piece of news when she’d returned to Break Island. Had Lou known she was coming back to claim the B and B? Lou had no interest in the place, but she’d been livid when Bruce had left it to his stepdaughter instead of his daughter.

      What did she expect? Her father had loved this place. Turning it over to Lou would’ve resulted in a quick sale and money blown on drugs, booze and a good time.

      Nina closed her eyes again and swirled her hands in the silky water, willing her mind to happier thoughts.

      Jase Buckley—now, there was a happy thought. Something about that man attracted her like a magnet. It could be his general drop-dead gorgeousness. She slipped farther beneath the water and blew bubbles.

      Or it could be that for some reason, in some weird way he reminded her of her baby’s father.

      * * *

      NINA ZIPPED UP her jacket to her chin and made the last turn into town. The brisk walk from the B and B into the town center had done her good. The fifteen-minute walk had cleared her head and relaxed her more than the warm bath had.

      She hadn’t completely shrugged off her big-city addiction, and the thought of spending a quiet evening at home just sounded like a big bore.

      The locals usually liked to gather at Mandy’s Café for dinner or at one of two watering holes that hadn’t become tourist traps—yet. The island had changed a lot since the last time she’d really spent time here. At least the crowds had allowed Mom and Dad to run a flourishing business, but Break Island didn’t offer the complete serenity she’d hoped for.

      Maybe that was a good thing. The warmth and conversation that enfolded her as soon as she stepped across the threshold of Mandy’s felt like a friendly hug. And she could use a few of those.

      She