"How about Calypso?" Jake said from the back.
That happened to be the name of Jake's girlfriend--his first real one. The two had been in puppy love for the past six months. It was adorable.
"I like Sofia," Harlow said, pushing up his glasses at the same time. "Or you could name her after Jacqueline." A pause. "You know she was hinting for that last weekend."
"We'll see," Isa said, not giving away the fact she and Sailor had already decided on a name for their daughter.
It had taken lots of whispered, late-night conversations and laughing disagreements before they'd agreed, but they'd been using the name for the past month when they talked to their baby girl, and it fit.
"Oh, geez, they're doing work on the road." Harlow swallowed and glanced at Isa's belly. "I really love you, Issie, but I totally don't want to deliver your baby."
Amused at the petrified look on his face, Isa patted her brother's unshaven cheek. Somehow he'd started growing into a man while she hadn't been looking. "You're safe. We should get there in plenty of time."
But as the traffic dragged on, Isa started to worry that she'd been overconfident. Because her contractions were coming closer and closer together. Biting the inside of her cheek, she managed to keep that from the boys.
When Jake said, "Do we have to change diapers?" she said, "It's one of the duties of an uncle."
"Oh, man." Both boys groaned.
Someone's phone rang. "It's Catie," Jake said from the back. "I texted her."
Isa hadn't, aware her sister was attending a training camp this weekend. But she was happy to hear her voice. "Hey, Catiebug. How was training?"
"Who cares! You're having a baby. I'm gonna catch the bus to Auckland! I already told Coach and he was a grump, but he said okay!"
Isa laughed, knowing she wouldn't be able to talk Catie out of that decision; her kid sister had inherited a full share of Jacqueline's relentless will. "I'll see you when you get here." It was only midmorning--Catie would have plenty of time to make it safely to Auckland. "Message Sailor along the way, just in case I'm otherwise occupied."
"Eee! I can't wait!"
Isa wished her baby would wait. A little longer, she begged mentally. "Come on, baby," she whispered under cover of the boys' conversation. "Wait for Daddy."
Their baby listened--just.
Sailor was waiting at the hospital entrance, Jake having called to tell him of the delay and which entrance they'd be heading to. Seeing her face, he didn't ask questions, just kissed her once before scooping her up into his arms and rushing her inside. Ten minutes later, Isa squeezed his hand tight as their wriggling, squirming, pink-faced daughter made her way into the world.
Taking her indignant little body from the midwife, Sailor snuggled her. "Hello, Emmaline."
A kiss before he placed her against Isa's skin. Isa had read up about skin-to-skin bonding, and she'd been very clear with her birth team that, unless it was a medical emergency, she and Sailor would not be separated from their baby for the first hours of her life. She wanted Emmaline to know beyond any doubt that she was loved, was wanted, would never be shoved aside and left to fend for herself.
Emmaline would never feel the loneliness that was a marker of Isa's childhood.
"Hello, sweet baby." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she snuggled their angry little baby to the skin of her chest.
Sailor leaned down to kiss her, this blue-eyed man who'd helped make all her dreams come true.
"How was the meeting?" she asked some time later, after she and Emmaline were ensconced in a recovery room.
Sailor shrugged. "No idea. We started late and then Emmaline decided to arrive, so I left it in Nayna's hands."
Isa knew her best friend--and the CFO of Bishop Gardening's first store--would do them proud in the negotiations, but she also knew how important this expansion opportunity was to Sailor. Despite that, he was seated beside the bed and was playing with Emmaline's tiny hand, utter fascination in his gaze.
"I love you, Sailor Bishop," she whispered.
He looked up after kissing one of Emmaline's teeny fingers. "I love you more, Isalind with the moonlight skin and firelight hair."
Emmaline chose that moment to yawn, and it was so adorable they both lost long minutes to watching her--until they were interrupted by the boys tumbling in. Alison and Joseph arrived soon afterward, together with Gabe and Danny. Catie made it around the same time as Jacqueline.
Nayna rushed in the instant the negotiations were complete, Raj with her.
Everyone wanted to look at Emmaline, wanted to celebrate.
And it was all right. Isa and Sailor had all the time in the world for the things that mattered.
* * *
Yet, love, mere love, is beautiful indeed...
~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Sonnets from the Portuguese)
I hope you loved CHERISH HARD! If you'd like to read Gabriel's story, ROCK HARD is currently available everywhere. Two more Bishop-Esera brothers to go! To stay up to date with my releases and get exclusive access to deleted scenes and short stories, please join my newsletter at: www.nalinisingh.com - xoxo Nalini
Acknowledgements
THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE of you for taking a chance on this new series from me. I hope you've enjoyed this cherish hard! I had a ton of fun writing each book and I'm looking forward to doing further contemporary romances. (I mean, how can I leave those rugby hunks hanging, right?!) To all the bloggers and reviewers who've supported this book, thank you. You're awesome.
A special shout out to Rahaf and Leena for your wonderful feedback on the draft, and to Nephele and the TKA team for all your work. Jenn - thanks for shooting the amazing cover image! And Frauke - I love what you did to turn the image into a cover.
And last but not least, a great big thanks to all the sexy, bad boys who inspired this series!
About the Author
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about a gorgeous, charming man and the woman he's never forgotten. If you're seeing a theme here, you're not wrong.
Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you'd like to explore the Rock Kiss series further, or if you'd like to try out her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website: www.nalinisingh.com. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels' Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. The website also features special behind-the-scenes material from all her series.
Other Books by Nalini Singh
The Rock Kiss series Rock Addiction
Rock Courtship: A Novella
Rock Hard
Rock Redemption
The Psy/Changeling series Slave to Sensation
Visions of Heat
Caressed by Ice
Mine to Possess
Hostage to Pleasure Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Kiss of Snow
Tangle of Need
Heart of Obsidian
Shield of Winter
Shards of Hope
Allegiance of Honor Silver Silence
The Guild Hunter series Angels' Blood
Archangel's Kiss
Archangel's Consort Archangel's Blade
Archangel's Storm
Archangel's Legion Archangel's Shadows Archangel's Enigma Archangel's Heart
Archangel's Viper
For detailed descriptions of these books, as well as additional titles, visit Nalini's website: www.nalinisingh.com
Copyright Information
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
Copyright (c) 2017 by Nalini Singh All rights reserved.
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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
eISBN: 978-1-942356-61-5
Cover image by: Jenn LeBlanc/Illustrated Romance
Cover design by: Croco Designs
* * *
"That First Kiss" (c) Copyright Nikita Gill / Quoted with Permission
Nalini Singh, Cherish Hard
(Series: # )
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