Which left her with nothing more than a host of questions and two swollen feet. If only life were as simple as tossing a penny into that sparkling fountain so she could wish her world right again. She stared into the bubbling waters, her mind mixing around the images of the portrait, rings—Jordan’s handsome face. Simply the thought of his kiss made her skin tingle all over as if she’d plunged herself into the fountain.
At this rate, how would she ever manage to resist falling into bed with him?
Moonlight glistening on the surf, Jordan looped his arm around Brooke’s side and enjoyed the gentle kick of his child against his fingertips. The little one seemed restless tonight.
And something was up with the baby’s mother, as well. He wasn’t sure what churned around in that beautiful head of hers, but she’d been jittery since they’d arrived. Not the reaction he’d planned for.
He’d hoped bringing her here would advance his cause. With luck, this midnight walk by the water would calm her and romance her. But he wanted more than romance from her. He wanted commitment. He wanted to plant his ring on her finger the way Cassie Sinclair’s hand sported Brandon’s rock.
No question, Brandon was one astute dude on a lot of points. Brooke Garrison was a hot pregnant woman.
Her pink dress with the gauzy wrap draped around her shoulders complimented her new curves. The simple elegance seemed all the more perfect with her bare feet furrowing in the sand. He couldn’t help but notice how her dress tied at the shoulders, simple little strings he could so easily tug and undo …
Stop. Many more thoughts like that and he would have her ducking behind a dune.
“How was your time with Cassie?” He thought of all those photos packed in every corner of the house. The outward structure of the place might resemble the South Beach Garrison mansion, but no question, John Garrison had found a home here. It was that element that had been missing from Bonita’s house, even Brooke’s condo. He just hadn’t been able to pinpoint it until now. Could Brooke distinguish the difference?
“Good. Very good, actually. It’s a journey forming a sister bond once we’re already grown-ups, but we’re definitely well on our way to the friends part.” She kicked her way through the surf. “Cassie’s an amazing person.”
“All the Garrisons are definitely overachievers.” He leaned in to sniff her neck, catch a hint of her perfume.
“Is that a compliment?” She tipped her head toward him, then pulled back as if reminding herself she shouldn’t give in.
What might things be like between them once they got past all the stop-and-start negotiations of this marriage deal? A no-holds-barred Brooke was something he wanted to see.
“In my book it is.” Their child would probably be a supercharged handful, and yeah, he looked forward to the challenge.
“Do you ever take vacations? Just pick up and leave all the work behind?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“You’re here because you want to win me over. That’s different.”
She’d figured that out? He should have realized she would. Still, that didn’t make the effort wasted, especially if it worked. “I’m lucky my job takes me to amazing places. I tag on an extra day to sightsee when I can.”
“What about after the baby comes?”
Ah, now he saw where she was going with this, and he liked that her thoughts were finally on the future. “Obviously a child means we’ll both make changes in our lifestyles. I expect that. I look forward to it.”
Did she trust his answer? He couldn’t tell, and she’d stopped talking so he searched for something to fill the silence that would reassure her. “I did just pick up and leave once, six months after I graduated from college. Emilio and I backpacked across Europe.”
He hadn’t thought about that awesome month in … Hell, he couldn’t remember when he’d dredged up memories of that time.
She snuggled closer against his side as they strolled. “You’re really close to your brother.”
“We are. Always have been since we were kids. And now he’s the only family I have left.” Jordan paused. “Or rather, he was. Now I’ve got this baby—and you.”
“Sounds like the perfect sort of vacation.”
“It was great, until …” Crap. He’d meant to dig up pleasant words to soothe her.
“Until what?” She glanced up at him.
He settled for, “We went home.”
“Come on, Jordan.” She squeezed his side. “You’ve heard about me and my father and how painful the past months have been. This sharing thing needs to be a two-way street.”