{"product_id":"her-babys-first-christmas","title":"Her Babys First Christmas","description":"\u003cp\u003eExcerpt.  Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Jared Johnson drove his black SUV out of the basement parking garage of Clover Valley Luxury Apartments onto the street and saw Elise McDermott standing on the corner in the pouring rain. Suitcase, diaper bag and small boxlike container on the sidewalk beside her feet, she held her baby in a carrier, which she protectively sheltered with her umbrella.But the storm was relentless and Jared suspected it wouldnt take more than a minute or two before Elise and her baby would be soaking wet. Angry with her for standing in the rain with a baby, when she could be in their building lobby, he stopped his SUV and hit the button that lowered the passenger side window.Leaning across his seat, he yelled, What the hell are you doing out in this storm with a baby!Im waiting for a taxi to take me to the bus station.With the window down he could hear the heavy California rain as it pounded his windshield, roof and hood. Obviously thinking hed yelled to be heard over the noise and not out of anger, she stepped closer. Her pretty green eyes were dull with worry. Her thick, curly red hair danced around her in the wind.But Ive been waiting a while. And the schedule I have has the bus leaving in a little over an hour. If I miss it I wont get to North Carolina in time to do everything I need to do before Christmas. Do you think my taxi forgot me?Yes! Guilt stabbed him. She wasnt standing in the rain like a ninny with no place to go. It sounded as if she was on her way home for the holiday. To her real home. Not a condo she was housesitting as shed been for the past six months for Michael Feeney while he was in Europe. And her taxi had forgotten her. She wasnt a scatterbrain. He had to stop jumping to the conclusion that everybody who did anything out of the realm of what he considered normal was somehow wrong.Annoyed with himself, he sighed and glanced at his watch before he shoved his gearshift into Park. He was way too early for his flight anyway.He jumped out of his SUV and rounded the hood. He knew from experience there was only one way to deal with his guilt. Penance.How about if I give you a ride to the bus station?Elise McDermott stared at darkhaired, grayeyed, absolutely gorgeous Jared Johnson. He wore an expensive raincoat over a dark suit, white shirt and tie, and was currently getting drenched because he didnt have an umbrella. When she agreed to housesit for Michael Feeney, Michael had told her Jared was the person to call if anything happened while he was away. Hed laughingly said Jared was grouchy but once he got over being disturbed, he would always come through, if only out of guilt. Jared had probably offered her a ride because hed felt bad about yelling at her.Id love a ride, but youre obviously on your way somewhere and I dont want to be any trouble.He reached for her suitcase. No trouble.She put her hand over his on the handle. Im serious. You were going somewhere and I dont like to be a bother. He might want to make up for yelling at her, but he didnt have to. Being alone and pregnant shed learned to stand on her own two feet. She didnt need to be coddled. Ill call another cab.Im on my way to the airport. But Im early. Way too early. Youll be doing me a favor if you let me make the side trip to the bus station. I wont have to sit in the airport lounge for three hours.ButBefore she could argue any further, he pulled on the suitcase, easily wrestling it away from her. Come on.She opened her mouth to stop him, but the wind caught her umbrella and she couldnt hold it. The rush of air jerked the handle out of her grip and it took off like a kite.He nodded at the baby seat. You buckle her in, he said, shouting over the noise of the storm as he began walking to the rear of the SUV. Ill put these in the back.She shook her head. Lord, he was persistentand she was getting drenched. Since he was offering to do what she\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harlequin","offers":[{"title":"Meier, Susan \/ paperback","offer_id":47844787880181,"sku":"DADAX0373184123","price":14.84,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/5804\/8501\/files\/81jTVPhpjYL.jpg?v=1773818469","url":"https:\/\/ergodebooks.com\/products\/her-babys-first-christmas","provider":"Ergodebooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}