The Bodyguard's Baby (Billionaire Bodyguard Series) by Kristi Avalon Page B

in history. Not exactly inspiring.”
    The man smiled. “But when he did hit those homeruns, they soared out of the ballpark. That’s what is inspiring.”
    “Thanks for the pep talk,” Slone said, going back to his magazine.
    The man sat back casually and crossed his legs at the ankles, the way James used to do. Same posture and everything. Slone wasn’t sure if he wanted to hug the guy or throw up the empty contents of his stomach.
    “The thing is, no matter what happens we can’t stop living our lives because of a few bad calls. We can’t give up on our dreams, even when we question ourselves or wonder at the outcome.”
    Christ, was he sitting next to Tony Robbins? Of all the crap luck. And he had to resemble James on top of it.
    But as his mind digested the man’s words, Slone stared at the print on the page without seeing it. Sliding his hand into his pocket, he clutched the warm metal, his brother’s name imprinting on his palm.
    James had always possessed the ability to know just what to say at the right moment. Slone had teased his little brother, calling him an arm chair philosopher, but the kid had spooky insight into people. Since James had died, Slone had done exactly what the guy next to him warned about. He’d stopped living, and just…existed. No purpose. No point. Few dreams, and little hope.
    Would James have wanted that for him? For him to let Lindsey and the future he saw with her pass him by?
    Hell no, came the knee-jerk response. James would narrow his eyes at him and tell him that just because he’d died didn’t mean Slone should stop living. Or hoping. Or wanting for himself what James had left behind.
    Damn it.
    Couldn’t this revelation have come last week?
    Slone stuck out his hand. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
    “No problem,” the guy said as they shook hands, his blue-gray eyes hauntingly familiar. “It’s important to keep hope alive.”
    “It’s even better when you can give it to someone else.”
    Shoulders squared, he tossed aside the magazine and strutted past the check-in window. He heard papers shuffle. “Sir, wait. You can’t go in there.”
    Ignoring the woman, he walked through the door and faced a hall of rooms. “Lindsey,” he bellowed.
    A door near the center of the hall cracked open. She peered out. “Slone?”
    He marched toward her. “Get dressed, sweetheart. We’re out of here.”
    *
    “My God, what’s going on? What happened?” Lindsey exclaimed, out of breath.
    Though she tried to dig in her heels, she couldn’t manage to tug her hand free from Slone’s iron grip. He continued barreling down the hall toward the elevators.
    Once he’d slapped the down button, he finally came to a halt. “I changed my mind.”
    Confused and exasperated, she blinked at him. “Um…care to clue me in on that? And why you had to drag me away from my appointment? The timing is so critical, and—”
    “You don’t need an appointment anymore.”
    As if that answered anything. “It’s a crucial component of the whole plan, Slone.”
    “Plans change.” He caught her against him and crushed her lips beneath his.
    Shocked, she moaned at the sweet, violent suddenness of his actions. He swallowed the sound she made, his tongue delving into her open mouth. The long searching strokes left her boneless in his arms, surrendering to the urgent need overpowering them both.
    The elevator dinged. The doors parted behind her.
    Struggling in his grasp, she pushed at him until he reluctantly released her. “We’re in the middle of a hospital,” she said, dazed and a little unsteady on her feet.
    “Don’t mind us,” Slone told the couple exiting the elevator. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The reproductive center is back that way.”
    Inside the elevator, he clamped his lips on hers once more. The woman said to her partner on the way out, “Wow, this fertility doctor must be really good.”
    As the doors closed, Lindsey couldn’t deny the sensual sparks