Free Hot Property by Karen Leabo

miraculous phenomenon.
    “You are awesome, Wendy Thayer.”
    She realized then that he hadn’t let go of her arm. “What are you talking about? I was a blundering idiot. I panicked. Thank God I didn’t really need to
do
anything.”
    “You did great,” he insisted. Then he looked down at his shoes. “Despite my driving. I should’ve listened to you and taken Oak Lawn. I appreciate that you didn’t say ‘I told you so’ when the traffic started stacking up.”
    She would have, she realized, if she hadn’t been in such a state of hysterics. She’d missed a perfectly good chance to score a point with her nemesis.
    She was about to remedy that situation when something in his eyes stopped her. He was staring at her with this dopey smile gripping his mouth. Then the smile disappeared. Her heart quickened as his face drew closer to hers. He was going to kiss her, she realized. A well of excitement overflowed inside her even as alarm bells sounded between her ears.
    “You the one who delivered the baby?”
    Michael jerked back as a doctor approached, looking at Wendy.
    Wendy nodded and tried to compose herself. Michael had almost kissed her! That was insane. He was still her enemy, even if he had shown himself to be a bit more human.
    “That would be me,” she said to the doctor.
    “Mrs. Courtland is doing fine. The pediatrician is checking over the baby now, but he looked perfectly normal. Seven and a half pounds’ worth of healthy boy, with good lungs.”
    Wendy sagged with relief. “Thank God,” she murmured. “I was afraid I’d done something wrong.”
    “On the contrary, you did a great job. You can see her now. They’ll be transferring her to the maternity ward soon, but for now she’s still in Treatment Room Five.”
    Wendy wasted no time hustling to find Maggie. She didn’t look at Michael or in any way acknowledge what had almost transpired between them. She hoped they could simply pretend it hadn’t happened.
    Michael mentally kicked himself six ways to Sunday while they paid their respects to Maggie Courtland, who was beaming from her gurney in the ER.
    What had come over him? He would be the first to admit that watching a child being born was a life-altering experience. His throat had felt thick and his eyes had stung when he’d watched Wendy guide that tiny new life into the world.
    She claimed she’d done nothing extraordinary, but he knew better. He’d seen the look on her face.
    Still, was that any excuse to kiss the woman? Thank God that doctor had come along and interrupted them, or he would have crossed an ethical line from which there was no turning back. Wendy was a suspect in an ongoing investigation—
his
investigation.Any personal involvement with her would compromise the whole case.
    “My husband’s on his way,” Maggie was saying. “You don’t need to stay here and keep me company. I know you have more shopping and errands to do. Jillian said you were swamped.”
    Actually, Michael thought, the only thing they had pressing was a visit to an interrogation room downtown. If there was any way he could delay that meeting, he would. Wendy could no doubt use a little breathing space.
    “If you’re sure,” Wendy was saying. “I am a little behind schedule.”
    “Oh, I should pay you.” Maggie looked around for her purse. “And I’ll pay to have your van cleaned. Your back seat may never be the same.”
    “That can wait,” Wendy assured her with a laugh. “I’ll send you a bill. And I promise I won’t charge anywhere near what your obstetrician would have.”
    They said good-bye and had almost cleared Maggie’s room when a nurse arrived with a squirming bundle in her arms. “I have your son, Mrs. Courtland,” she said.
    Michael didn’t think he could take any more. He’d never thought much about babies before. Faye had made it clear she didn’t want any, and that had suited him fine. He worked too many long hours to be a good father.
    Suddenly those long-held