Precious Embrace (Embrace Series) Read Online Free

before, haven’t you?”
    “Yeah.” He gave her a crooked smile. “Now…can I help you to bed before I take off? Unless you want me to stay and help with Micah. I could crash on the couch.”
    “No, ah…I can get myself to bed. Thanks.” She sat up, steadied herself and followed him to the entry hall. “I really do appreciate the help today.”
    Johnny turned back to her when they approached the front door. “Do you think I could come back and visit Micah sometime?” He leaned in close and got a whiff of her freshly shampooed hair. She was rumpled from dozing on the couch and it was the sexist thing he’d ever seen.
    “Yeah…but,” she held her hand out, “hold on.” Then she leaned over the entry table and scribbled something on a pad of paper before ripping it off and handing it to him. “My phone number, so you can call first next time.”
    Johnny smiled and took the phone number and pen from her, brushing his fingers over hers. He jotted down his number and handed the pen back. “And you can call me whenever you need a babysitter…or a dinner date.” He gave her one last grin and lumbered out the door.
    Johnny drove home slowly, wishing he had convinced her to let him stay. His new place was amazing, but so quiet it drove him crazy. He parked his truck in the circular drive and went inside the house, sidestepping the boxes. He’d been in town for a few days, but he hadn’t done much of anything. He wasn’t due to start working at the Santa Rosa Police Department for a few weeks and he had no idea what to do with himself until then.
    Besides Ali, the only people he knew in town were Mark and Sarah, who were on vacation. He’d gotten familiar with Brian Hammel and his wife Julie, but not familiar enough to drop by and make himself at home. The only thing that made him more familiar with Ali was having her naked and stretched out underneath him in Hawaii. He plopped down on the huge sectional sofa, playing that night over again in his head. She’d haunted him. He couldn’t stop thinking about her and more importantly, he didn’t want to stop thinking about her.
    Sarah, his childhood sweetheart, had offered to rent him her house when he told her about moving out here. He and Sarah had reconnected last year when he’d received a call from Brian Hammel about a cold case murder involving Sarah’s step-dad.
    Ali’s ex-husband, Mark Summors, and Sarah were married in Maui on Valentine’s day and Johnny had never seen a woman happier than Sarah was now. She was very pregnant with Mark’s baby and now a step-mother to Jamie—who also happened to be Ali’s son.
    The memory of Sarah and Mark’s wedding brought a smile to his face. He didn’t expect to see Ali at the wedding. He’d hoped, and that hope was what made him accept the invitation. He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since they’d first met in December and he’d wanted her the moment he’d laid eyes on her.
    He’d moved from Nashville to Santa Rosa just to be close to her. There were other great reasons to move here. The weather, the pretty girls, he was ready for a change…but Ali was the deciding factor.
    It all came back to Ali. He didn’t give a damn that she was going through a divorce with Micah’s father, her second husband. In his eyes, Ali was single and available. Now that she had told him the details, and he’d seen the hurt in her haunted expression, the whole thing pissed him off.
    It didn’t change how he felt though; he wanted all that golden blond hair and those golden brown eyes. Stunning—it was the only word to describe her. Everything about her attracted him…her brains, her sense of humor, her delicate soft skin, and perfect soft little body. He wanted every part of her.

Chapter Three

    At three am, Micah’s crying shrilled through the baby monitor. Ali rolled over and moaned, sliding off the bed. She pulled her robe on as she padded to his room.
    “Hey, sweetpea, it’s okay, Mommy’s here.” She