I glanced at Asher’s office door. The light was on and the door cracked open. He’d been up late doing an interview for his podcast with someone in Hawaii.
I sighed. Hawaii sounded really good right about now. Maybe for our honeymoon.
I got to the door and paused at the unfortunately flat singing voice of my fiancé. But what he didn’t have in talent, Asher definitely made up for in sweetness. Each of our girls had a different song.
He said he wanted them to always think they were special.
Dammit, he was always stealing my breath by saying stuff like that when I least expected it.
I leaned on the doorjamb, unwilling to disturb them just yet.
Our new baby daughter, Rose, was nestled in the crook of his arm. The thimble-sized nursing bottle looked like a toy in his hand, but he was so gentle with her. There was no fear in how he handled a baby now. Only a huge love that seemed to only get bigger with each day we were together.
He turned as his whispery and rumbly voice hit a high note that sounded just about perfect. He spotted me and smiled.
I went over to meet him and kissed our daughter’s cap of feathery dark hair.
“She’s finally asleep,” he whispered. “I wanted to let you get some rest. And I couldn’t resist coming in here.”
“And here I was trying to let you work,” I said softly. A little discomfort on my end was totally worth the wonderment in his voice.
He pulled me in a little closer and we both swayed for a few minutes. The little baby squeaks and grunts were only here for a short time. I wanted to remember them all.
But we were asking for trouble if we didn’t put her back in her crib. We had so few hours to sleep between feedings. He settled Rose back into her bassinet as I checked on Lily, whose crib was right next to hers.
Originally, I wanted Rose’s crib in our room for the first few weeks, but her older sister was quite insistent on getting her way when it came to sleeping arrangements.
Asher’s hand slipped up my back and tangled in my hair. I straightened up and cupped his face. In the dark, with our two girls sleeping, all my emotions bubbled up. “I love you.”
He curled his arm around me gently. My body still felt like one huge swollen bruise from giving birth a little over ten days ago. “I love you too, Hannah. I love you and our family so much. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found you.”
I rested my head on his chest and glanced down at the daughter of my heart with her arms up over her head. “We both lucked out that stormy night.”
I was pretty sure I’d have this little snapshot in my memory banks forever. And that was a very nice word that I was more than happy to have in my vocabulary these days.
Especially when it came to my little family. Something I never thought I’d truly have—or want—again. Yet here I was with not one, but two little girls in my life again and a husband-to-be.
And I wanted the three of them with a ferociousness I never expected.
All because of a winter storm that had originally made me feel so alone and hopeless. Now I had Asher and our two daughters that filled my life with laughter and happiness again.
I’d even given up the last bit of my past by selling my old house to Gabby, who was thrilled to have a space of her own for the first time.
As for me? I had everything I ever wanted right here.
* * *
Thanks so much for reading CEO DADDY. Jump into more of Crescent Cove with our Halloween release, DADDY IN DISGUISE, before you go back and binge on the rest of the series! All books are standalone romantic comedies with a happily ever after. One-click DADDY IN DISGUISE now.
I didn't want a baby. I didn't date men with kids—not anymore. Then John Gideon hammered his way into my life and my café. And he’s keeping a big secret…
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Crescent Cove Character Chart
Beware...spoilers aplenty in this character chart. Read at your own risk!
Ally Lawrence:
Married to Seth Hamilton, mother to Alexander, stepmother to Laurie, best friends with Sage Evans
Andrea Maria Fortuna Dixon Newman:
Mother to Veronica ‘Vee’ Dixon
Asher Hamilton: Judge
Distant cousin to Seth and Oliver Hamilton
August Beck: Owns Beck Furniture
Brother to Caleb and Ivy, involved with Kinleigh Scott
Beckett Manning: Owns Happy Acres Orchard
Brother to Zoe, Hayes, and Justin
Caleb Beck: Teaches 2nd grade
Brother to August and Ivy
(Charles) Dare Kramer: Mechanic, owns J & T Body Shop
Married to Kelsey Ford, son Weston (mother is Katherine), son Sean, brother Gage
Christian Masterson: Sheriff’s Deputy
Brother to Murphy, Travis, and Penn, sister Madison ‘Maddie’
Cindy Ford:
Married to Doug Ford, mother of Kelsey and Rylee
Doug Ford:
Married to Cindy Ford, father of Kelsey and Rylee Ford
Gavin Forrester: Real estate owner
Gina Ramos: Waitress at the Rusty Spoon
Best friend Sheriff Brooks
Greta: Manager of the Rusty Spoon
Hank Masterson:
Married to JoAnn Masterson, sons Murphy, Christian, Travis, Penn, and daughter Madison
Hayes Manning: Owns Happy Acres Orchard
Brother to Zoe, Beckett, and Justin
Ian Kagan: Solo artist
Brother to Simon, engaged to Zoe Manning, son Elvis, best friend Rory Ferguson, friends with Flynn Sheppard and Kellan McGuire
Ivy Beck: Waitress at the Rusty Spoon and owns Rolling Cones ice cream truck
Sister to Caleb and August, engaged to Rory Ferguson, best friend Kinleigh Scott, friends with Maggie Kelly and Zoe Manning
James Hamilton: Owns Hamilton Realty
Father to Seth and Oliver Hamilton
Jared Brooks: Sheriff
Brother to Mason Brooks, best friend Gina Wilson
Jessica Gideon: Famous actress
Ex-wife to John Gideon, mother to Dani
JoAnn Masterson:
Married to Hank Masterson, sons Murphy, Christian, Travis, Penn, and daughter Madison
John Gideon: Owns Gideon Gets it Done Handyman Service
Daughter Dani, ex-wife Jessica Gideon
Justin Manning: Owns Happy Acres Orchard
Brother to Zoe, Beckett, and Hayes
Kellan McGuire: Lead singer Wilder Mind, solo artist
Brother to Bethany, married to Maggie Kelly, son Wolf, friends with Rory Ferguson, Ian Kagan, and Myles Vaughn
Kelsey Ford: Elementary school teacher
Married to Dare Kramer, son Sean, stepson Weston, sister Rylee Ford
Kinleigh Scott: Owns Kinleigh’s
Best friend Ivy Beck, involved with August Beck
(Lucas) Gage Kramer: Owns J & T Body Shop, former race car driver
Married to Rylee Ford, daughter Hayley Kramer, brother Dare Kramer
Lucky Roberts: Works for Gideon Gets it Done Handyman Service
Macy Devereaux: Owns Brewed Awakening
Madison ‘Maddie’ Masterson:
Sister to Murphy, Christian, Travis, and Penn
Marjorie Hamilton:
Ex-wife of Seth Hamilton, birth mother of Laurie Hamilton
Mason Brooks: Owns Mason Jar restaurant
Brother Jared Brooks
Maggie Kelly:
Married to
Kellan McGuire, son Wolf, best friend Kendra Russo, friends with Ivy Beck and Zoe Manning
Maureen Ferguson:
Sister of Rory Ferguson, engaged to Kevin
Melissa Kramer: Owns Robbie’s Pizza
Married to Robert Kramer, mother of Dare and Gage Kramer
Mike London: High School Teacher
Mitch Cooper: Owns the Rusty Spoon
Murphy ‘Moose’ Masterson: Game Designer/Construction Contractor and Owns Baby Daddy Wanted
Married to Vee Dixon, son Brayden, brother to Christian, Travis, Penn, and Maddie
Oliver Hamilton: Owns Hamilton Realty and the Hummingbird’s Nest
Married to Sage Evans, daughter Star, twin brother Seth Hamilton
Penn Masterson: Graphic novelist
Brother to Murphy, Travis, Christian, and Maddie
Robert Kramer: Owns Robbie’s Pizza
Married to Melissa Kramer, father of Dare and Gage Kramer
Rory Ferguson: Record Producer/Rhythm Guitarist
Brother to Thomas and Maureen, engaged to Ivy Beck, best friend Ian Kagan, friends with Flynn Sheppard and Kellan McGuire
Rylee Ford: Barista at Brewed Awakening
Married to Gage Kramer, daughter Hayley, sister Kelsey Ford Kramer, best friend Macy Devereaux
Sage Evans: Owns the Hummingbird’s Nest
Married to Oliver Hamilton, daughter Star, best friend Ally Lawrence
Seth Hamilton: Owns Hamilton Realty
Married to Ally Lawrence, daughter Laurie, son Alexander, twin brother to Oliver Hamilton, ex-wife Marjorie
Tish Burns: Owns J & T Body Shop, custom fabricator
Friends with Gage Kramer
Travis Masterson:
Brothers Christian, Penn and Murphy, and Maddie, daughter Carrington
Veronica ‘Vee’ Dixon: Pastry Baker, owns Baby Daddy Wanted
Married to Murphy Masterson, son Brayden
Zoe Manning: Artist/photographer
Sister to Beckett, Hayes, and Justin, engaged to Ian Kagan, son Elvis, cousin Lila Ronson Shawcross Crandall, friends with Ivy Beck and Maggie Kelly
Taryn Quinn
Have My Baby
Claim My Baby
Who’s The Daddy
Baby Daddy Wanted
Rockstar Baby
Daddy in Disguise
Crescent Cove Standalones
CEO Daddy
Get Your Crescent Cove Updates
* * *
Afternoon Delight
Deuces Wild
Wilder Rock
Find the rest of our books at
www.tarynquinn.com
Quinn and Elliott
Rockers Reading Order
Lost in Oblivion
Winchester Falls
Found in Oblivion
Hammered
Rock Revenge
Brooklyn Dawn
* * *
The Boss
Tapped Out
Love Required
Boys of Fall
About Taryn Quinn
USA Today bestselling author, Taryn Quinn, is the redheaded stepchild of bestselling authors Taryn Elliott & Cari Quinn. We've been writing together for a lifetime—wait, no it's really been only a handful of years, but we have a lot of fun. Sometimes we write stories that don't quite fit into our regular catalog.
Do you like shorter and dirtier reads?
* Ultra sexy—check.
* Quirky characters—check.
* Sweet–usually mixed in with the sexy...so, yeah—check.
* RomCom—check.
* Dark and twisted—check.
A little something for everyone.
So, c'mon in. Light some candles, pour a glass of wine...maybe even put on some sexy music.
For more information about us…
tarynquinn.com
tq@tarynquinn.com