Rescuing the Bad Boy (Second Chance #2)(106)

A warning she ignored. “I think you should keep your schedule open.”

“No surprise parties.”

Her mouth dropped open in feigned offense. “Who said anything about a surprise party? I’m saying be prepared… just in case your friends want to come by and see you. And in case the ballroom is already decorated with black balloons and streamers.”

Carefully, so she wouldn’t slip, he navigated her until her back was against the tiled shower wall. He pressed against her, as close as he could get around her protruding belly.

“I told you there would be consequences if you plan a party.”

“Sounds terrifying.” Her eyebrow arched.

Like that, he was hot for her. He’d married the sexiest woman on the planet. No one got him like she did. No one had ever bothered trying.

“I’m not sure you can maneuver around this.” She gestured at her belly between them.

“Wanna bet?” His fingers found her nipples. He slid a hand between her legs.

Sofie’s mouth dropped open, her head tilting back. He found a familiar sprayer and moved her so she was standing in front of it, and then his fingers went to work.

Then he proved his wife wrong.

He could maneuver just fine.





Cassidy and Carmen Pate were born at eight forty-two p.m., small, squealing, and bright pink.

Sixteen years later, his twin girls were both driving, both drop-dead gorgeous with long, black hair and their mother’s moss green eyes. Against Donovan’s will, they also had permission to date.

Miranda’s prediction was accurate.

He was in big trouble.





DONOVAN’S SHRIMP “SCAMPI” A LA SOFIE



Inspired by Rescuing the Bad Boy


Seven years ago, Donovan Pate was sweating over four sauté pans when he warned his then-coworker Sofie Martin not to sell one more Shrimp Scampi special or he’d brand her for life. Sofie took that bet, marched out of the kitchen, and sold three. Today, RESCUING THE BAD BOY’s broody hero still addresses Sofie as “Scampi,” and was nice enough to share his secret recipe for the dare that inspired her name.





Ingredients:



? lb jumbo shrimp, deveined and peeled, patted dry and laid in one layer on a plate 1? Tbsp of butter

1–2 cloves garlic, minced ? cup vegetable broth 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley ? cup orzo pasta

sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste





Directions:


Fill a medium pot ? of the way with water and bring to a boil. Add pasta, cook 9 minutes.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp of butter.

Salt and pepper both sides of the shrimp.

When butter is bubbling, turn heat down to medium. Invert the plate over the skillet so that all the shrimp hit the pan at the same time. Add garlic. Cook 1 minute. Flip each shrimp, cook 2 more minutes. Set shrimp and garlic aside in a bowl.

Add vegetable broth and lemon juice to the hot skillet. Scrape with a wooden spoon to get brown bits off the bottom.

Add drained, cooked pasta to the broth mixture in the skillet, then add lemon zest, parsley, and remaining ? Tbsp of butter. Toss in shrimp. Add more salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne to taste.

Serve immediately, with warm, buttered bread and a cool, crisp salad.





About the Author


A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design, currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing supersexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers.



You can learn more at: JessicaLemmon.com Twitter @lemmony Facebook.com/AuthorJessicaLemmon





After four years in Afghanistan, Connor McClain moves to Evergreen Cove to keep his mind off the war. And when he meets a certain long-legged beauty, the only thing this bad boy can think about is how to get her into his arms…

Please see the next page for a preview of

A Bad Boy for Christmas.





CHAPTER ONE




Glitter.

Glitter everywhere. Lining the seams of the car’s seats, sprinkled liberally across the floorboards, and at this point, probably a part of her DNA.

Faith Garrett had spent the day gluing glitter onto the surface of one hundred foam pumpkins in various shapes and sizes. The pink-bedazzled vegetables were for a Breast Cancer Awareness dinner. Meg Dillon, who was in charge of said dinner, had oohed and ahhed over the dinner’s centerpieces, going as far to throw her arms around Faith’s neck and sing the praises of Make It an Event, the planning company where Faith worked for her best friend, Sofie Martin.

This was the good news.

The bad news was the shop vac she’d hauled out of the mansion’s garage was not working. Tape. Maybe she could use tape. She kicked the Off switch on the machine and ran the back of her hand over her forehead. For October, it sure was warm today. High in the seventies, not a prayer of a breeze blowing through the colored leaves still clinging to the trees lining the mansion’s drive.