Free Chosen (Second Sight) by Hazel Hunter Page A

expect us to–”
    “Oh,” she exhaled. “Oh okay. Right.”  
    She nodded quickly, stared at the table, and her face began to turn red.
    Inwardly, Mac kicked himself.  
    A little explanation would have been nice .  
    Last night, he’d sprung the transfer on her and then moving in. Now, without warning, it must have seemed as though he’d started ‘the pregnancy discussion.’
    Good work.
    He reached across the table and took Isabelle’s hand in his. She refused to look up but her hand squeezed his– hard . Several moments went by. For once, he wished he had her gift. Sometimes Isabelle was an open book–so easy to read it almost hurt. Other times, times like these, he had no idea what was going on in her head. He hadn’t meant to start talking about children but that was obviously what she’d thought. Even so, they did need to get their story straight.
    “A girl,” he said quietly, a little surprised at how easy it was to say. Then again, the choice was obvious. “She’d be adorable, just like her mother.”  
    One corner of Isabelle’s mouth crooked up into a little smile but she didn’t look up and her face seemed to flush another shade darker.  
    Though he’d intended to segue into a discussion of what they’d say tomorrow, the moment had taken on a completely different quality. They weren’t ready for kids. They didn’t even live together. But now, whether he’d meant it or not, the possibility of being pregnant hung in the air between them.  
    In his life, he’d never seriously considered it.
    Had Isabelle?
    He wanted to see her face. Slowly, still holding her hand, he stood and drew her up as well. Her eyes were still downcast and, gently, he lifted her chin. Her eyes could barely meet his, looking one way and then another, as she bit her lower lip. Mac lightly smoothed his thumb over both her lips and the lower one popped free when she realized what she was doing. She tried to look down again but Mac wouldn’t let her.
    “Of course,” Mac said, waiting for her to look at him, “I’d spoil a little girl terribly. First, I’d get her a bib.” Isabelle stared at his mouth and seemed to be hanging on every word. He was straying into dangerous territory and yet he didn’t seem able to stop himself. “It’ll be one of those bibs that says ‘Future FBI Agent’ on it. In big yellow letters. Or pink ,” he quickly corrected. At that, Isabelle smiled just a tiny bit and he found that he was grinning. He slid his arms around her and felt her hands on his waist. That felt good . “Or maybe a pink bib,” he said, pulling her closer. “With big yellow letters. Or black. Or…”  
    He watched Isabelle’s nose crinkle as she quietly giggled.  
    He didn’t have to imagine adorable.
    And yet somehow, Isabelle’s little girl gesture made him do exactly that. His mind flashed forward to a time when this might be more than just talk. But as Isabelle’s arms held him tighter and their bodies slowly connected, he focused on the beautiful curve of her smiling lips and then he gently touched them with his own.

    • • • • •

    Though Isabelle’s lips automatically clung to his, her mind was reeling.
    He’s not serious . Just the idea of a baby was completely overwhelming.
    Mac nibbled her lower lip.
    But somehow hearing him talk about it, even though it was pretend, was so… sexy .  
    It was disarming, even scary, but in some way she didn’t understand, it was definitely sexy.
    Mac’s hands were at her back, taking down the zipper of her dress.
    She’d never been with a man with whom the possibility of children was even remotely real. She’d never been in a relationship that had come close to lasting long enough.
    He lifted the dress off over her head and she realized that Mac was walking backward, moving them toward the bedroom.
    Is Mac that man?
    His smile had faded, his eyes devouring her from head to foot as he took off his tie.
    She started to unbutton his shirt.
    The