The Baby's Guardian by Delores Fossen

the cover. She was so tired she could fall asleep despite the circumstances.
    Shaw’s expression had her rethinking that.
    “Repeat that,” Shaw insisted. Several moments went by before he barked, “Find him.”
    “What’s wrong?” Sabrina asked, but she was afraid to hear the answer. There’d already been so much bad news.
    Shaw shoved his phone back into his pocket. “A unit arrived at Gavin Cunningham’s place a few minutes ago. The door was wide open, so the officer went inside.”
    Sabrina held her breath. “Is Gavin dead?”
    “No. He wasn’t there. Neither was his car, and the neighbor said he sped away about a half hour ago. He was going so fast that he knocked down the neighbor’s mailbox, and he didn’t even stop.”
    Even though that didn’t sound good, many things could have caused him to do that. A family emergency.Or a sudden illness. But judging from Shaw’s expression, it was neither of those things.
    “He left a note,” Shaw added, “for you.” He walked closer and eased down on the bed beside her. He met her eye to eye. “Sabrina, just how well do you know this man?”
    She shook her head and held her breath. “Not well at all, only what I’ve already told you. Why? What did the note say?”
    “Gavin Cunningham said he was sorry, that it was his fault you were taken hostage.”

Chapter Five
    The sound woke Shaw.
    His eyes flew open, and he sat up from his slumping position in the chair. In the same motion he reached for his gun, which he’d placed on the nightstand. His training and experience caused him to expect the worst.
    An intruder.
    Or the gunmen who’d escaped.
    The lamp was still on in the far corner of the room, so he had no trouble seeing that there were no intruders or gunmen. Sabrina and he were very much alone, but she was no longer sound asleep as she had been that last time he’d checked on her. She was fighting with the comforter and sheets.
    “Owwww!” She got out from beneath the covers and tried to stand.
    “What’s wrong?” Shaw jumped up from the chair. “Are you in labor?”
    She shook her head, but her face was twisted with pain. “Foot cramp.”
    He glanced down and saw that the toes on her left foot were rigid. “Put some pressure on it,” he suggested,and he looped his arm around her waist so he could help her keep her balance.
    Shaw forced himself to calm down, but it wasn’t easy. He’d braced himself for a fight, and even though he was glad there wasn’t one, it would still take him a while to absorb the jolt of adrenaline.
    Sabrina adjusted her weight, so she could press her foot to the floor, and all the while she continued to say “owww.”
    “Pregnancy,” she grumbled. “I get these stupid things every night.”
    Every night? Sheez. Shaw actually felt sorry for her.
    And guilty.
    He had no idea she’d been going through this. He’d read about possible pregnancy symptoms, of course, but he just hadn’t made the personal connection between Sabrina and those symptoms. With her squirming and groaning in pain, it was an eye opener.
    So was Sabrina, for that matter.
    The clothes she’d worn while a hostage were now bagged and in the corner ready for pickup. She was dressed in a white cotton gown that the department had scrounged up for her.
    Thin, white cotton.
    Not at all meant to be provocative, but on her pregnant body, it hugged every inch of her, including her fuller breasts and bottom. Yes, she was pregnant, but that didn’t stop him from responding to her.
    And that made him feel even guiltier.
    Sabrina was hands-off in every sense of the word.
    “Thanks,” she mumbled, her face relaxing a little.
    They were hip to hip, with his arm slung around her, and she glanced down at the physical contact between them.
    “Sorry.” Shaw moved away. “I didn’t want you to fall.”
    “I wasn’t complaining. Actually, I was savoring the moment.” But then her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean it like that. Uh, I’m not really sure