Her Temporary Hero (a Once a Marine Series book) (Entangled Indulgence) by Jennifer Apodaca

few minutes later.
    Pam jumped up and raced around the table. “Hi there, what’s your name?”
    Becky was warming to Logan’s sister. “Her name is Sophie. Would you like to hold her? She might fuss though, she’s probably hungry.”
    “I’d love to.” She held out her arms. Once she had Sophie in them, she returned to her seat, then laughed. “Jiggy, are you checking to make sure I’m taking care of your baby?”
    Becky glanced over. Jiggy had his front paws on the chair.
    “Sorry about that. He doesn’t usually bother us at the table, but he’s protective.”
    Pam stroked Jiggy’s ears. “Every girl should have a protector.”
    For a second, Becky forgot the other three women sitting at the table. There was something so sad about Pam, a loneliness that shrouded her, keeping her separate. “Yes they should,” she agreed. How was it possible that Becky felt a kinship with her when Pam came from wealth and she came from nothing? Yet she did. “What do you do, Pam? Are you in college?”
    “I got kicked out for too much partying.”
    At the same time, Pricilla said, “She’s taking a year off to compete in barrel racing.”
    Well, crap. Becky had stepped into another steaming pile of family tension. What did she say now?
    Pricilla rose. “My turn to hold the baby.” She glanced over at Becky. “Okay?”
    “Sure.”
    Her mother-in-law’s face softened as she lifted Sophie from Pam. “Well, look at you. Such pretty eyes.”
    Becky’s chest hurt seeing the older woman with Sophie—a youngish grandmother. This was what she wanted for her daughter, but it wasn’t real. After a few months, she and Sophie would be alone again.
    Sophie’s cries got her attention. Becky took her from Pricilla. “Thanks. Does anyone mind if I feed her here?”
    Pricilla went back to the head of the table. “Of course not. Go right ahead.”
    Becky got Sophie settled just as the door opened behind her. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. The electrical currents running up her back and lifting the fine hairs on her arms told her.
    Logan.
    Her skin almost sizzled when his shadow fell over her. His warm hand covered her shoulder. “Sugar.”
    With Sophie nursing, all she could do was tilt her head back. Logan looked down at her, his light eyes a startling contrast in his darker face. He lowered his head and brushed his mouth over hers. His lips were warm and firm and for that brief second, it was like being claimed. As if she belonged to Logan, mattered to him.
    Then she remembered what he’d told her right before the marriage ceremony.
    There will be times we need to touch, and probably kiss, to keep the image up.
    Right. Okay, she could do this. “I didn’t expect you home so soon.”
    He brushed his thumb along her cheek. “I thought you’d like that tour I promised you.”
    “Really? I’d love it. Can we see the horses? Can we go now?”
    He grinned at her. “You look a little busy here.”
    She’d forgotten the three women in her house. Having Logan’s attention hone in on her, offering to take her out to see what he’d been working on, scrambled her brains. “Right. Another time.” She tried to smile as if it wasn’t a big deal.
    Pricilla rose, kissing her stepson’s cheek. “Logan, congratulations on your marriage. We’re planning a barbeque to introduce Becky.”
    Logan cast his gaze around the table. “Hi, Pam, Lucinda. Looks like you ambushed Becky while she was working.”
    Sitting down, Pricilla gave Becky her full attention. “Do you sew your own clothes?”
    “Some of them. But this is a gown for a beauty pageant.”
    Pam leaned forward. “Are you in a pageant?”
    “Not anymore. I did pageants before college. But this dress I’m working on is for another contestant.”
    Logan put his hand on her shoulder. “Becky won enough pageants to get a scholarship to college. She’s going to return to finish her nursing degree soon.”
    The pride in his voice was all part of the