Page 159 of Lethal Danger

Though maybe she didn’t have to. The boss didn’t seem to want credit or thanks for any of the good she did.

“I’d hoped she would be here, too.” Bris stood up, and Remington rose beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist as they faced the others. “But I still want to make this announcement now, while we’re at this sort of celebration, and before things get farther along.”

Jazz glanced at Nev who looked at her with a shrug.

Huge smiles beamed from the couple as Bris lifted her hands in the air. “We’re expecting a baby!”

Squeals, applause, and laughter sprang up from the group as they all got to their feet and went to congratulate the happy couple.

As Hawthorne and Jazz stepped away from the prospective parents to allow Nev and Branson access to them, Hawthorne ducked his head toward Jazz.

“What do you think?” His low murmur tickled her ear. “Should we have one of those?”

She turned into his arms with a soft giggle. “Maybe even more than one.”

He braced his hands behind her back as she leaned against them, resting her palms on his chest.

“But don’t you have a book baby coming out in a few months?” She grinned, using the term she’d learned from him as he’d spoken of his upcoming release.

“Oh, yeah. It’s a new series about an amazing woman with intelligence, beauty, and brains—along with some crazy fight skills you wouldn’t believe.”

“Wow. She sounds too good to be true.”

He pulled her in closer, tightening his arms as he brought his face close to hers. “She almost is. But I hope very soon, I’ll get to call her mine.”

The electricity in his teal eyes and the loving desire in his words sent thrills through every part of her being.

“Hawthorne?”

He leaned down farther, pressing his forehead to hers. “Yes?”

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you ever since we met.”

His slowing breath tickled her cheeks. “What is it?”

“Would you sign my Carson Steele novels?”

He straightened, pulling his head away but rewarding her with a hearty laugh.

She joined in the laughter with him as contentment and joy filled her heart to the brim.

A pop of fireworks pulled their attention to the brilliant, colorful display of light that painted the sky.

Jazz turned toward the show, and Hawthorne closed his arms around her from behind, cradling her back against his chest.

Standing at the edge of Nev’s blanket, she had a perfect view of the fireworks, but also of her Phoenix K-9 family. Love for them swelled in her heart as she looked at each woman one-by-one. How could she have almost missed out on being part of such a precious family?

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she sniffed, trying to hold them in.

Hawthorne ducked his head down by hers, his lips brushing her ear. “You aren’t sad, are you?”

She rested her hands on his strong arms and leaned her head back against him, reveling in his embrace. “No. I’m happier than I ever dreamed.”

Hawthorne responded with a gentle squeeze.

God hadn’t given Jazz the dream she’d tried to force into reality. No, He’d given her far greater gifts than she’d dreamed of—a trustworthy man and a family of women who chose to accept her and love her.

Belonging to Jesus would have been enough. She’d learned that as she’d grown closer to Him every day, reading the Bible and learning all about who God really was.

He was the Father who had chosen her—Jazz Lamont—before He’d even created the universe.

And that wasn’t a dream. It was so real and true and wondrous that Jazz wondered every day why she’d taken so long to come to Him.

Thank the Lord, He’d chased her down and brought her to Himself despite her resistance. No matter what happened from now on, she was safe in the arms of the God who had chosen to call her His, forever.

---