Free Found (Not Quite a Billionaire Book 3) by Rosalind James

going to be hopelessly in love with you.”

 
    Hope

    Did he kiss me then? Of course he didn’t. He had a plan, I could tell, and it was going to be worth waiting for.
    Have you ever wanted to be swept off your feet? I had. I did . I was a sucker for it, in fact, and Hemi could sweep like nobody’s business.
    We walked back along the beach, and he asked, “All right?” I guess I’d gone too quiet.
    “Sure.”
    “You’re worrying. Don’t worry. We’re going to be all good, you’ll see.”
    “I’m not worrying. I’m just . . . I’m . . .”
    He looked down at me, his expression impossible to read. “Hope,” he said softly, “what are you?”
    “I’m a dirty girl,” I said with a sigh. “I should be having elevated thoughts about love and life and motherhood and my higher purpose and all that, and I’m not. Maybe you should be the one thinking twice.”
    There was a light in his eyes now that I could read just fine. “You need to be straightened out?”
    That gave me such a hard rush, I nearly shuddered again. “Maybe.”
    He sighed. “And here I was, planning to be nothing but tender and adoring with my sweet little pregnant bride.”
    “You were not,” I said, trying not to laugh. “You are a dirty liar.”
    He laughed out loud himself. “Well, mostly I was.” He let go of my hand and gave me a light slap on the bottom that made me jump.
    “Hey,” I said. “I thought we weren’t doing that anymore.”
    “Just a tap.” He was still smiling. “If a man can’t give his woman a little tap on the bum when she needs it, what’s the point in living?”
    “There is so much wrong with that statement.” I tried to frown at him, but it wasn’t working.
    “Well, you can tell me tonight,” he said. “Maybe. Or could be all you’ll be able to say is ‘Please.’ We’ll see which it is.”
    Which was all wonderful. And then we went back to the hospital.
    When we walked into Koro’s room, Karen was still there, and so were June and Tane. And Daniel, sitting at his father’s bedside.
    It was odd, really. He looked like Koro, and he looked like Hemi. Tall and broad-shouldered, with strong features and bronzed skin. And yet he looked nothing like them. He had none of their power, none of their force of personality. None of their strength.
    Even as I was thinking it, I felt Hemi tensing up beside me. Koro, though, merely said, “There you are. Good. Take Karen home, and the rest of you lot can go on as well. I need to rest for a bit, especially as I’m meant to be going home tomorrow.”
    “About that,” Hemi said. “What do you think about Hope staying with you?” Which tells you all about Hemi and how hard he was trying. He hadn’t wanted me to stay, but he’d listened to me, he’d agreed, and now, he was jumping straight in to help me do it.
    “Thought she was staying,” Koro said. “Thought that was the whole idea. Were you thinking I’d tell her to go on home with you? Not until she’s ready.”
    Everybody was looking pretty interested. I said, “I’d like to stay with you, and I’d like to help out. Thank you.”
    “Oh,” June said, giving me a curious glance. “Well, that makes life easier. I was just on the phone with the others this morning, trying to work out a schedule.”
    “Nobody has to work out a schedule,” Koro said. “I won’t be helpless.”
    “You’ll need some help in the bath and all,” June said. “At least at first. In and out, with the dizzy spells, the arm. D’you want Hope doing that? Better be me, I’m thinking.”
    Koro scowled at her. “Not showing you my bare backside, thank you very much.”
    She laughed, not one bit fazed. “I’ve got two sons. There’s nothing you can show me that’s going to be a surprise, or that I haven’t seen too much of.”
    Koro was still frowning, and Tane said, the amusement clear to see on his face, “I’ll come help with the bath, eh. Or Matiu will, if I can’t. No worries. As I’m guessing