The Bad Boy's Baby (Hope Springs) by Cindi Madsen

just leave it in her driveway if he wanted—that she wasn’t worried anyone would steal it, even with the keys dangling from the ignition.
    But he couldn’t stop thinking about that dance they’d shared two nights ago, and he didn’t want to wait till tomorrow at work to see her. So he’d told her he’d bring it by the park.
    She spun around as he approached, and his heart caught. The sun played on her features, emphasizing the dark eyebrows and lashes that framed her big brown eyes. A smile spread across her lips, and warmth coursed through his veins. “I thought you’d have on a ski mask. Don’t thieves usually try to conceal their identity when they return to the scene of the crime?”
    “Technically, this isn’t the crime scene, and ever since I heard the senior citizens have taken over the town, I’ve been trying to up my game. I’ve just got to find the right time to make my move and take control back.” He gestured to where he’d parked the car and then pulled the keys out of his pocket. They jingled as he handed them over, and he couldn’t help but hold onto her hand for a second before letting them go.
    “Thank you,” she said.
    For a second he paused, noting all the kids running around on the playground and the other parents seated on benches next to strollers and big diaper bags. Sunday afternoon at the park was apparently a big thing when you had kids, and all of a sudden the whole scene made his internal organs tighten.
    It felt fast. He hadn’t thought this through. He’d just meant to come see Emma, and he hadn’t thought about how…family oriented the entire thing would feel.
    Watching Zoey the other night had been eye-opening and completely overwhelming, and while he was working to adjust to having a kid, he wasn’t sure he was ready for full-on park time with the whole town watching.
    Just as he was about to make an excuse to go, though, Zoey came running over. She eyed him for a second, like she was trying to place him, and then she said something he couldn’t make out. He squatted down so he could hear her better.
    “What was that?”
    She pointed to his chest. “Daddy?”
    He nodded, his throat growing tight. The surreal sensation he’d experienced before was still there, but more in the background, and happiness and pride swirled into the mix. “Yep.”
    He figured he was here now, and he might as well stay. What else was he going to do? His brother was all wrapped up in his fiancée, and besides being the third-wheel at their meals, he just worked while he was at home.
    “Up,” Zoey said, raising her arms. So he picked her up, standing as he did so.
    Emma stood and picked a leaf out of Zoey’s hair. She glanced around and then gave him a nervous smile as she fidgeted with the sippy cup in her hand. “If this doesn’t get the town talking, nothing will.”
    Aware that there were, in fact, several pairs of eyes on them, Cam leaned down and kissed Emma’s cheek. He’d never cared what people in town thought about him, and he wasn’t about to start. “That’ll help give them something to talk about.”
    Emma blushed, and his gaze moved to her lips, where he’d like to plant another kiss. But the little girl in his arms demanded that it was time to swing. He stepped toward the swing set, and Zoey twisted around and said, “Tom on, Mommy.”
    Emma trailed after them, and once he’d deposited Zoey in the bucket swing and pushed her, she urged Emma to swing, too. She lowered herself onto the flat-seat swing the next set over, and Cam reached over and pushed her.
    That awesome laugh of hers filled the air as she wobbled, his push not very good since he was attempting to push her from the front without accidentally feeling her up—even though he wouldn’t be opposed to feeling her up in private.
    Okay, Brantley, time to tame down the thoughts. We are at a park.
    Emma slowed to a stop as Zoey demanded going higher. She stood and took a picture with her phone, first of him