Page 62 of A Royal Baby Surprise

Brooke squared her shoulders and continued down the hallway.     She might as well introduce herself to Nic’s replacement and start to accept the     changes that he’d bring to the team.

“Hi,” she called over the music as she first knocked, and then     pushed open the unlatched door. “I’m Brooke Davis, Glen’s...” Her voice trailed     away as the tall man in jeans and a black T-shirt turned to greet her.

“Sister,” Nic finished for her. “He told me you might be     stopping by today.”

Brooke’s throat tightened. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here.” His smile—at once familiar and utterly different     from anything she’d seen before—knocked the breath from her lungs.

“I don’t understand.” She sagged back against the door frame     and drank in Nic’s presence. His vibrant, imposing presence made it impossible     for her to believe he was a hallucination, but she couldn’t let herself trust     this amazing turn of fortune until she knew what was going on. “I left you in     Sherdana. You were going to get married and make Alessandro heirs.”

Nic shook his head. “Turns out I was completely wrong for the     job.”

“How so?” His wry amusement was beginning to reach through her     shock. She was starting to thaw out. The ice water that had filled her veins for     the past week heated beneath his sizzling regard. “You’re not impotent or     something, are you?”

He laughed and reached out to snag her wrist, pulling her away     from the wall and up against his hard body. “That was not the problem.”

“Then what was?” She wrapped her arms around his neck and     arched her back until they were aligned from chest to thigh.

“No one wanted me.”

“I can’t believe that.” And she didn’t. Not for a single     second.

“It’s true. Word got around that a spunky redhead had stolen my     heart and left me but a shell of a man.”

Brooke purred as he bent his head and nuzzled his lips into her     neck. “So you’ve come here to take it back?”

“No. I’ve come here to sign it over all legal and such.”

Fearing she’d misunderstood what he was saying, Brooke remained     silent while her mind worked furiously. He’d left Sherdana and resumed his old     position on the team. From the way his lips were exploring her neck, she was     pretty sure he intended that their physical relationship would get back on     track.

“Brooke?” He cupped her face and stared deep into her eyes.     “You’re awfully quiet.”

“I guess I’m not sure what to say.”

“You could start by saying yes.”

Relief made her giddy. “You haven’t asked me a question.”

“You’re right.” And to her absolute delight, he dropped down on     one knee and fished a ring out of his pocket. “Brooke Davis, love of my life and     mother of my child, will you marry me?”

She set her hands on her hips and shook her head. “If this is     about the baby, I assure you I’m not expecting you—”

“Oh, for heaven sakes,” came an explosive shout from the     hallway behind them. “Just tell the guy yes.”

“Yes,” she whispered, leaning down to plant her lips on     Nic’s.

He wrapped his arms around her and shot to his feet, lifting     her into the air and spinning her in circles. She laughed, delirious with joy,     and hugged him back. When he let her toes touch the floor once more, Glen was     there to pound Nic on the back and offer his congratulations.

Amidst this, Nic slipped an enormous diamond ring onto her left     hand. She ogled it while Glen played the brother card and threatened Nic with     bodily harm if he didn’t take good care of her. Then Glen left her and Nic alone     so he could fill her in on what had transpired after she’d left.

“Gabriel almost killed me when he heard that you’d left,” Nic     explained, sitting on his couch and pulling her onto his lap.

She let her head fall onto his shoulder and savored the     contentment that wove through her. “He did?”

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