Page 86 of Deadly Colton Search (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

nce.”

“That’s a good idea.” He moved in closer and couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her once more. “On both fronts. Although I think I’ve got a better idea, and it doesn’t involve an internet browser.”

She smiled at that and lifted her lips to kiss him back. “I like how you think. But I do have a question for you.”

When he only nodded, she smiled and said, “Is there a reason I keep getting retargeted with baby furniture ads?”

“Hmm. That’s interesting.”

“I thought so, too. It’s happened ever since I pulled up an internet browser.”

There was a part of him that knew he should feel a little embarrassed, yet he couldn’t seem to find it. He cared about her. Based on his revelation the night before, he even loved her. And he loved the baby. He’d already begun to think of them as a threesome, just the way he’d observed Marlowe, Bowie and Reed together.

“Let’s just say I wanted to be prepared. And maybe, in the course of that preparation, I’ve done a little browsing online.”

Her teasing smile faded, her brows knitting together. “You do know what you’re asking, right? A brand-new baby is a lot to take on.”

“I know.”

“It’s a lot to take on when you plan for it. It’s a whole different matter when it’s with someone you barely know.”

“I know that, too.” He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “But I also know something else.”

“What’s that?”

“I’d like you to consider moving in here. More, I’d like you to consider staying with me. Bringing the baby back here once it arrives. I’d like you both to live with me.”

She stood, pulling him close into a tight hug. “Oh, Nikolas. That is so much to offer. It’s amazing, but it’s so much.”

He hugged her back, pulling her tight against his chest. He wanted it all so badly—more than he could’ve ever imagined. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes!”

He hugged her tighter, and in the process bumped a few files off his desk. He bent to pick them up so she wouldn’t inadvertently trip on them, and set them down to restack later, his steno pad down on top.

Her gaze drifted, and he saw the moment she took in what was on the page.

Consider man named Ferdy.

“Nikolas? What is this?”

“My to-do list.”

She leaned a bit closer. “It’s dated the day we met.”

“Yeah.” He sensed they were on dangerous ground, but he had no idea why. “What’s the matter?”

“Why would you have written this down? About Ferdy? Why’d you put him on your to-do list? I told you that we needed to be careful and discreet. Heck, at that point I hadn’t even told you about Ferdy other than a slip of his name at dinner.”

“I know. And I didn’t do anything about it. I had written it down because I wanted to make sure I remembered it.”

“And you didn’t look up any information? Then? Before I told you everything.”

Wherever he thought this conversation would go, the immediate flare-up wasn’t it. Particularly since they had just been wrapped up in each other, envisioning their mutual future. “Nova. What is this about?”

“It’s about the information I trusted you with.”

“Yes, and I handled it properly. I made notes to myself, and that’s all I did.”

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