Redemption by Sharon Cullen

Carmichael. Whoever had followed them would have to know about that connection then link John to Lucas and he highly doubted that was possible.
    Unless it had been Suzanne who had followed them. But as an escaped convict, how would she have found a car, then travel unnoticed when law-enforcement agencies all over the country were looking for her and her face was plastered all over the television?
    Of course, the same thing had happened to Luke and Kate two years ago and that hadn’t stopped them. He checked the street one last time and wondered if Suzanne had someone helping her.
    There was nothing out there and he trusted his instincts enough to believe he and Hope were safe for the moment.
    He rummaged through Luke’s downstairs bathroom until he found aspirin, shook a few out and swallowed them dry. Fire shot from his left knee to his hip and he rubbed at it.
    The doctors had said he may always walk with a limp, but he’d proved them wrong. Now he only limped when he’d been sitting too long or did something stupid like sprint across the street to protect a woman from her best friend. He shook his head, feeling like ten kinds of a fool.
    He followed Hope’s path upstairs and stopped to listen outside the closed door. He hadn’t heard the water run or any footsteps after she’d disappeared inside. He knocked and softly called her name. When he got no response, he turned the knob and carefully opened the door. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands tucked beneath her, fully clothed. Tears had fallen but she wasn’t crying now. He guessed she was too tired even for tears.
    He rummaged in Luke’s dresser, came out with a worn, oversized T-shirt and held it out to her. “Put this on and get into bed.” Pulling her up by one hand, he shoved the shirt in the other. Funny how this touching thing got easier.
    She took it and walked into the bathroom.
    John stood by the bed, refusing to move until he knew for certain she was safely tucked in bed.
    A few minutes later she came out, face washed, wearing nothing but the thin T-shirt and backlit by the bathroom light. The sight of her had him dragging in a strangled breath and reciting a prayer for strength. He closed his eyes and groaned quietly as long-dead feelings twitched to life.
    With that white blonde hair highlighted by the light behind her and her long legs… He was only human. Even though he’d denied himself for so long, his body remembered. And right now it was on full alert and demanding attention, loudly screaming it’d been ignored long enough.
    She stopped in front of him and looked at him with wide eyes. Her face, still damp from a washing, shimmered, and her hair fell past her shoulders. Her lips were full and rosy. He’d never noticed them before, how utterly beautiful and perfectly formed they were, with a slight pout on the bottom and a sexy bow in the top. He had a difficult time breathing, laboring to pull in one breath after another. His fingers twitched but he folded them into his palms.
    He looked down at her rounded stomach. Right there was proof of what an idiot he was. Not only was she a woman and beyond his reach, but she was pregnant. And had just discovered her father was murdered. That thought had him taking a step back, but the spell woven around them didn’t break as he’d hoped. He cleared his throat and turned to the bed, refusing to even contemplate what they could do in that king-sized monstrosity. He pulled down the comforter and blankets and fluffed the pillow then stepped aside.
    Hope crawled in and he had to grit his teeth and look away from the sight of the T-shirt rising up, revealing a smooth, creamy thigh. She turned to her side, tucked her hands beneath her cheek and looked up at him. The absolute trust in her gaze brought him back to earth with a loud thud and he pulled the blankets over her.
    “Thank you,” she whispered.
    A hunk of hair had fallen over her cheek and he ached to brush it away. But that was