by Karen Legasy
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Table of Contents
Cover
Synopsis
Title Page
Copyright Page
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Bella Books
Synopsis
While on vacation in Australia, Canadian police officer Marlee Nevins has her life turned upside down when a surfing accident nearly ends in disaster. Rescued by the enigmatic Abigail Taylor, Marlee’s life soon takes an amazing twist that she could never have imagined.
When Abigail, founder and CEO of a successful biosystems firm, is framed for tampering with research to create bioweapons, she turns to Marlee to help uncover the real culprit.
With a hyper attraction to Abigail, Marlee struggles to contain her emotions as she endeavors to vindicate her hero.
Marlee owes Abigail her life and Abigail needs someone she can trust with hers. Can Marlee save Abigail from ruin or worse yet—death?
Copyright © 2017 by Karen Legasy
Bella Books, Inc.
P.O. Box 10543
Tallahassee, FL 32302
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
First Bella Books Edition 2017
eBook released 2017
Editor: Lauren Humphries-Brooks
Cover Designer: Judith Fellows
Cover Photo: Taken by Pamela Laidler of Ottawa, Ontario. Photo taken in Sydney, Australia.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-579-4
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
About the Author
Karen Legasy lives in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with her longtime life partner, Pam. They have one adult daughter, Lisa. Having grown up in northern Ontario in a loving family of six, Karen enjoys the outdoors and spending time in nature. After a successful career in government, Karen is pursuing fiction writing as her next vocation.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge Humber College for its gem of a Correspondence Program in Creative Writing. Many thanks to author Elizabeth J. Duncan, my teacher and mentor who provided insight and guidance while drafting My Forever Hero. Many thanks also to author Kim Moritsugu, a teacher and mentor from Humber College who taught me many things about the craft of writing that were fundamental to writing this novel.
I feel very fortunate to have worked with Lauren Humphries-Brooks as my editor. She provided lots of excellent insight and suggestions that helped me to bring out the best that I could with this story. Thank you Lauren.☺
Maureen Bellgard, thank you for hosting Pam and I in Canberra while I was researching this book, and thanks so much for giving the manuscript a read to ensure I got the Aussie slang right. You are the best.☺
Bella Books, with publishers like you, these lesbian stories can be told. I am so grateful to be part of your team of authors and appreciate all of the work you do to make books like My Forever Hero happen.
A big thank you goes to my life partner, Pam, for supporting me in this project, turning me into a cat person by bringing Sydney and Tazzie into my life for seventeen years, and being the first reader of a completed draft. To my parents Elmer and Patricia, sister Linda, and brothers Lawrence and Joel—you are the best and I was so lucky to be born into this family. I would also like to acknowledge Jeff and the fun times we had together. I hope you are resting in peace Jeff.
Dedication
To Pam, my forever hero
Chapter One
Marlee Nevins feared she was going to drown until a shark nudged her surfboard and bared its teeth.
“Holy shit! Holy fuck!” Marlee yanked her limbs out of the water as the great white circled then dove.
“You’re not getting me, you bastard!” She ripped off a neoprene bootie in desperation for a weapon to strike back if charged and clung to her board.
Marlee screamed as a jolt from beneath pushed her into the ocean in one big splash and left her defenseless. Disoriented, gasping for air, and nose burning from inhaling salty water, she broke surface a short distance from her overturned board. The shark was mangling it, allowing her a chance to back away with thrashing arms and hyperventilating curses. She started to swim for her life.
Marlee had been trapped in the water off the coast of New South Wales for over six hours, initially caught in a riptide then drifting farther out to sea after many futile attempts to make it back to shore. The solitude of the secluded morning beach had followed her into the far horizon where nothing was in sight, not even a seagull, until the shark showed up.
Marlee swam like hell. Heart-pounding tremors roared in her head as she raced against the waves. Marlee had never been this scared before. Her lungs about to collapse, she finally stopped to get her bearings.
Head thrashing from side to side, she scanned the rolling waves for other triangle fins. There were none. If she could keep in control and stay at the ready to wallop against an attack, maybe her grisly death could be put off for a little longer.
The shark swam around shreds of fiberglass floating on the surface. Marlee whimpered as she envisioned her horrific end. She struggled to keep her head above the waves, arms weakening and legs all bu
t dead weights. Her bootless foot felt numb and her anxiety level peaked with the realization she was likely to die a painful death.
The shark dove, its dorsal fin disappearing beneath the surface and leaving no trace. Marlee held her breath, expecting an ambush from below that would remove her legs and redden the water. Heart pounding and head throbbing, Marlee squeezed her eyes shut and prepared to meet her end.
Hope all but lost, the roar of an approaching motor renewed Marlee’s determination to fight back. The blond ponytail of a female driver flapped in the wind as a speeding watercraft seemed to come out of nowhere and bounce across the waves. Was it for real or was she hallucinating?
“Help! Over here!” Marlee waved her arms, trying to flag down the driver just as the triangle fin resurfaced and started swimming toward her.
“Back off! Leave me alone or I’ll kill you, you motherfucker!” Marlee tried to look as large as possible in the water. Appearing bigger was supposed to help with warding off enraged black bears in the bush, and she desperately hoped it would be the same for an attacking shark in the ocean. Large teeth threatened and Marlee stared into the darkness of its dilated pupils. She had nothing to defend herself with other than her neoprene boot-covered fist. She kept her wide eyes focused on the dark orbs until they dipped below again.
A sputtering water scooter stopped behind Marlee and a woman’s voice called out. “Give me your hand.”
Marlee reached behind, keeping her eyes glued to where the shark went under until she felt someone grasp her arm. She swung around and grabbed onto the seat as the watercraft began to pull her away. The engine gave one final roar then choked and died.
“Damn,” the woman said. “We’re out of bloody petrol. You’ll have to climb on behind me. Hurry!”
Marlee mustered all her remaining strength, but it wasn’t enough to pull up out of the water and onto the seat. “I can’t.”
“You’re a woman?” The words came out in a screech of shock as she whipped around and stretched out both arms. “Grab onto me. I’ll help pull you up.”
Marlee seized the outstretched hands, and felt herself being raised as she struggled to kick her legs to get onto the watercraft. She managed to get her stomach slung over the seat then felt grasping arms scooping her legs out of the water.
“Oh shit, it’s coming at us,” the woman said. “You have to get all the way on and sit up. Hurry. Now.”
“Holy fuck!” Marlee felt the woman clawing at the back of her wetsuit as she struggled to get upright on the seat. Luckily the shark stopped just short of ramming them and began to circle.
The woman tried starting the engine, but it was futile. The tank was dry. “Where the hell are you, Josh?” She looked around; hyperventilating whimpers escaping her throat.
Marlee collapsed against the woman’s back, arms wrapped around a firm waist and clinging for life as her cheek rested on the blond ponytail. When she noticed an approaching sailboat, she perked up and began to wave.
“Stay still.” The woman’s voice was stern. “He’ll be here in a minute, but we can’t let ourselves tip over before then. Be ready in case the shark rams us.”
Marlee lowered her arm and could have grabbed onto the triangle fin because the shark was so close. It brushed up against the side of the personal craft and the two women had to shuffle on the seat to keep from tipping.
“If it goes under, the bloody bastard could flip us,” the woman said. “Josh is almost here.”
“Who’s Josh?”
“He’s my fourteen-year-old son.” She shook her head. “I thought for sure you were a boy not much older than him.”
Marlee was used to being in control during dangerous situations and felt ashamed at having to rely on the help of strangers. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s no time to feel sorry,” the woman said. “Pull yourself together and work with me.”
“Tell me what you need me to do.”
“Stay still and hold on to me. What’s your name and where are you from?”
“Marlee Nevins from Canada.”
“A stupid Canadian tourist.” She spoke over her shoulder. “That explains it. Does anyone know you’re here?”
“Yes, and no.” Marlee sighed.
“Don’t give me ambiguous answers.” Her lips quivered as she watched the circling shark. “Is it yes or no?”
“Nobody knows I’m out here,” Marlee said. “They just know I’m visiting Australia.”
“Anyone with half a mind should realize you never go out on the water without a buddy.” The woman groaned.
“Okay, it was my fucking mistake.” Marlee didn’t need this. “I got us into this so if it attacks anyone, it’ll be me.” Marlee held on and used her body to shield her rescuer against the shark.
“Just keep staring it down and don’t break eye contact,” the woman said. A wave rocked the scooter, almost knocking them over, and the shark went under. A sailboat edged up to them.
“Toss me a line, Josh. Now.”
“Hurry up, Mum. The shark’s still there.” He threw the rope.
The woman caught it and tugged to pull the water scooter to the small step at the rear of the craft. The wide blue eyes of a teen boy stared down at them as Marlee struggled to get on the vessel, her legs rubbery and feet numb. She wobbled onboard before collapsing into one of the seats in the cockpit.
Marlee watched her rescuer climb aboard and pull Josh into a firm hug “Thank you, darling. You saved our lives. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” he said. “Holy shit, did you see the size of its teeth?”
Marlee sat stone-faced as she tried to get her bearings. It appeared no else was on the boat and land beckoned in the distance.
“I’ll get us some towels.” The woman wrung water out of her ponytail as she looked at Marlee. “Are you all right? Do you need any medical attention?”
“No.” Marlee leaned back and flopped her head against the seat. “I’m okay.”
“Good. We’ll take you in.” She disappeared into the cabin.
“Who are you?” Josh’s baby blue eyes examined Marlee.
“Hi.” She offered a jittery hand. “I’m Marlee from Canada.”
“Hey.” He shook her hand.
“I’m so glad to meet you and your mom.” Marlee’s teeth were chattering and her body felt numb. “How did you find me?”
“I spotted you on the water with my drone.” He picked up the control and showed it to Marlee. “You were on your surfboard, then disappeared, and Mum noticed the shark. She freaked.”
“I bet.” Marlee shivered in the warm sun as her cold, wet body craved heat. “What’s your mother’s name?”
“Abigail. You should have seen her when she saw there was a shark about to attack you. She jumped on the water scooter even though it wasn’t safe.”
“She’s my hero,” Marlee said. “And so are you.”
Abigail returned and handed Marlee a towel. “We’ll head back in now.” She stood at the controls. “I’ll take us from here, Josh.”
“Sure.” He went into the cabin.
Marlee watched Abigail ensure the water scooter was properly tethered at the back of the boat then braced for an awkward ride back to shore. She struggled to lower the zipper on her wetsuit, hands shaking and teeth chattering as she stared at her feet.
“I lost one of my booties.” Marlee raised her naked foot. “I lost my new board too. I guess it’s a sign because I sure won’t be doing that again.”
“I hope not,” Abigail said.
“Thank you, Abigail. Your son told me your name. You saved my life.” Marlee studied the attractive blonde at the controls. The bikini hugged Abigail in all the right places, highlighting firm round breasts and a tight bottom.
“You need to drink something.” Abigail leaned toward the cabin opening. “Josh, could you please toss me up a couple bottles of water and some fruit?”
Marlee accepted water and a banana for sustenance as her body trembled durin
g the silent ride back. A relaxing respite from her stressful position as a sergeant with the Ottawa Police Service had turned into a nightmare. She had chosen Australia for her three-month personal leave because their summer was her winter and she’d always dreamed of visiting the land down under.
Marlee had planned to master surfing while in Australia. Learn how to ride the waves and find balance to become a stronger person. After a few lessons, she bought a surfboard and had been practicing on her own away from others so she could feel comfortable making mistakes.
Her number one rule on the job was to never let her guard down because an error in judgment could mean death. Dying was something Marlee had prepared herself for, as she took many calculated risks in her work. For her, dying young meant being a hero, risking her life to save someone else’s. Dying over some stupid stunt hadn’t been in the plans and she was ashamed. Especially since she’d also put this beautiful stranger in danger.
Marlee gulped three bottles of water, devoured two bananas, some cheese, and a slice of pizza on the cruise back into shore. She was parched and starving after over six hours adrift in the ocean. And she was impressed with Abigail, still looking out for her after the rescue.
Marlee looked for that type of behavior in a partner—someone who would risk dying for her and make sure she was okay. Her dangerous work required it. This had been dangerous play, however, and the parameters were totally different. Marlee owed this woman her life.
Chapter Two
“We should probably take you to the hospital to get checked,” Abigail said as they lingered at the edge of the parking lot back at the marina.
Marlee stood on wobbly legs in bare feet, having removed her only bootie, and just wanted to get back to her place. “I’m okay so there’s no need to bother.” She looked around. “Is there a taxi stand nearby? I have to get back to my car.”
“We’ll give you a ride.” Abigail approached her vehicle, a dark brown Toyota Prado with blackened windows. Josh was already in the backseat.
