Yours For The Taking Part 34

"Finding Rafael."

"They know?" Her face heated with the intense shame that followed her all her life. She tried to push herself off him, but he held her firm.

"Sweetheart, when you married me, you didn't think you were just marrying me, did you?" Ben drew her close against him. "Oh no. You got the whole family along with me. Once they got wind of Rafael, they did what they always do. They interfered. I'm sorry. I couldn't keep them out of it."

"They knew about Rafael before the wedding? And they didn't try to stop it?"

"Why would they?" He looked as if he didn't understand why she asked. She searched his face for any signs of deceit or contempt, but she didn't see any. He really didn't care about her past, and for the billionth time since she'd met him, she thanked G.o.d she'd taken Ben up on his offer.

"Sam and Trapper have been talking, and Gramps got involved. d.i.c.k Sommers is flying in tomorrow and he's going to update us on what he's found. Now that you've got all of us on your team, we should be able to find Rafael in no time."

Gina swallowed hard and blinked away tears.

Ben furrowed his brows. "s.h.i.t. Sweetheart, I couldn't keep them out of it, they love you almost as much as I do. And h.e.l.l, they've adopted Sam and Tina too." He wiped the tear running across her cheek. "Are these happy or sad tears?"

"Happy. Definitely happy. I love you and our whole family." She did her best to stop crying. She knew she'd look like a racc.o.o.n if she didn't. "Just wait until Kate hears the news."

Ben kissed her. "What news?"

"Tina's pregnant."

Ben smiled and pulled her closer. "That's great."

Gina slid her hand through the hair on his chest. "I was thinking that we should get busy making our niece or nephew a few cousins. I want our kids to grow up with a big family."

A slow grin spread across Ben's face. In the blink of an eye, he tossed Gina on her back. "Then we better get started."

The End

Acknowledgments.

Writing is a solitary endeavor, but a writer's life isn't. I'm lucky to have the love and support of my incredible family. My husband, Stephen, who, after twenty years of marriage, is still the man of my dreams. My children, Tony, Anna, and Isabelle, who, in spite of being teenagers, are my favorite people to hang out with. They make me laugh, amaze me with their intelligence, determination, drive, and generosity, and make me proud every day. My parents, Richard Williams and Ann Feiler, and my stepfather George Feiler who have always encouraged me and continue to do so.

And of course, there are my brilliant critique partners Laura Becraft, Deborah Villeges, Hope Ramsay, and April Line. They shortened my sentences, corrected my grammar, and put commas where they need to be. They listened to me whine when my muse took a vacation, gave me great ideas when I was stuck, and answered that all-important question: Does this suck? They help me plot, love my characters almost as much as I do, and challenge me to be a better writer. They are wonderful friends, talented writers, and the sisters of my heart.

I wrote most of this book in the Carlisle Crossing Starbucks, and I have to thank all my baristas for keeping me in laughter and coffee five days a week while my computer and I camped out in their store. Jess, Ben, Gina, Corey, Josh, Zac, Stephanie, Shannon, Thomas, Trudi, Laura, and Jesse (and no, Ben and Gina were not the inspiration for my hero and heroine). They were always there for me when I searched for the right word or fell asleep at my computer. I don't think I could have written this book without them. I also need to thank a few of the customers who have become friends-Alan Monahan who is hands down the funniest guy I know, Josh "Casino" Rice, Dana Gossert, and my buddy, Mark Rummel, for giving me an excuse not to write.

I want to thank everyone at Humpin' Hannah's, the co-owners Todd, d.i.c.k, and Darcy, and their staff for having the very best bar in all of Boise, Idaho, and letting me play with it in my book. All the characters in this book are figments of my imagination; so don't expect to find Karma behind the bar. But if you are anywhere in the vicinity of Boise, be sure to stop by Humpin' Hannah's on Main Street and tell them Robin sent you!

As always, I have to thank my wonderful agent Kevan Lyon for all she does and my team at Sourcebooks, my editor Deb Werksman, and my publicist Danielle Jackson.

About the Author.

Robin Kaye was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge next door to her Sicilian grandparents. Living with an extended family that's a cross between was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge next door to her Sicilian grandparents. Living with an extended family that's a cross between Gilligan's Island Gilligan's Island and and The Sopranos, The Sopranos, minus the desert isle and illegal activities, explains both her comedic timing and the cast of quirky characters in her books. minus the desert isle and illegal activities, explains both her comedic timing and the cast of quirky characters in her books.

She's lived in half a dozen states, from Idaho to Florida, but the romance of Brooklyn has never left her heart. She currently resides in Maryland with her husband, three children, two dogs, and a three-legged cat with att.i.tude.

Robin would love to hear from you. Visit her website at www.robinkayewrites.com or email her at