Dancing With Danger (Danger Incorporated Book 10)

by Olivia Jaymes

  Her smile fell. "They were following me. That's what she said. I wasn't seeing things. They were following me around just waiting for the right moment."

  There were sirens in the distance. The cavalry had arrived but Liz hadn't needed them.

  "You're weren't a victim again. You did what you said you were going to do."

  "I thought this would feel different. I thought I would feel..."

  "Triumphant?"

  "Maybe," she nodded, snuggling close, her cheek on his chest. "Or maybe I thought it would solve all my problems. That everything would go back to the way it was before the bank robbery."

  "I don't think it works that way." Noah threw a quick glance over his shoulder at his family, giving them a scowl that told them to scatter. He had things to say to this woman and he didn't want them to listen in. Jason and West had already vacated the area with the groggy but belligerent Mrs. McGuire. "When I heard the gunshot...fuck, Liz...I thought I might have lost you, and if that had happened...I don't know what I would do. You've become everything to me. I guess what I'm trying to say it that I love you. I love you so much."

  Those tears that Liz had been holding back streamed down her cheeks. "I love you, too. So very much. I can't believe I've found you again, and I can't believe that you love me."

  Cupping her damp cheeks in his hands, Noah pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Gazing into her amber-colored eyes, his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. This was love. The real thing and he'd waited so damn long to find it.

  She'd been worth waiting for.

  "Believe it. The universe has spoken. You're stuck with me."

  "I can live with that."

  He'd be happy to as well.

  27

  Liz kept her gaze locked on Noah as she walked slowly up the aisle. He looked incredibly handsome in his tuxedo, his hair tamed, and his jaw freshly shaved. He was standing with his brothers, all in a row, every one of them happy and smiling. But Noah's smile...it was just for her.

  It wouldn't be half bad to see that smile every day for the rest of her life. She might be jumping the gun but she knew that she loved Noah Anderson. He loved her, too. Now it was up to them to make it work. It wouldn't be easy, of course. She still had some issues to work on, but Noah seemed to understand that while he could be there for her and help, he couldn't completely solve the problems that had plagued her since the bank robbery. However, yesterday had gone a long way to push her over a big hurdle.

  She'd always said she wouldn't be a victim again and she'd kept that promise. She'd stood up to the McGuires and used the skills she'd learned to survive. She wasn't sure what had happened inside of herself but now she wasn't as scared as before. Her worst nightmare had come true and she'd faced her demons. Fear wasn't hanging over her head anymore.

  Liz was...better...stronger...more confident. She'd never be able to go back to who she had been before but she could be someone different, someone not afraid of every dark corner or noise. It wasn't all resolved and it might never be, to be honest. She could take steps backward in the future but now she was sure she could take the steps forward as well. She wouldn't be a burden to Noah, she could be his partner.

  The rest of the wedding went off without a hitch, just as they'd all rehearsed. Food was consumed, toasts made, and the multi-tiered wedding cake cut. Mallory was dancing cheek to cheek with Carter along with most of the other couples. The lights in the tent were low and the atmosphere one of pure romance.

  "Look at them," Dani sighed as the three women stood on the edge of the dance floor watching the newlyweds. "They're so much in love."

  Celia, who was the softie of the group, sniffled into a tissue. "It sort of renews your faith in humanity seeing them look at each other like that, doesn't it?"

  "It certainly does," Liz agreed. "In fact, I think this entire trip to Tremont has restored my faith."

  "Not many people go to a wedding and leave with the love of their life," Dani declared with a grin. "Not to mention that you helped capture a couple of criminals. Speaking of, way to go."

  Liz's cheeks warmed. "You said that last night."

  "We meant it," Celia laughed. "And we mean it now. You're one badass chick. Next time I'm in a dark alley, I want you by my side."

  "I had a little help from Noah and everyone else."

  "I have a feeling you would have been fine on your own," Dani said with a knowing wink. "Those two McGuires never stood a chance. You're like...Dirty Harriet. Or Liz Claude Van Damme."

  "I don't think I qualify but thanks for the ego boost. I didn't take on a dozen ninjas or anything." Liz's throat grew tight. "I couldn't have survived this week without all three of you. You're my best friends and I can't imagine my world without you."

  Dani threw her arm around Liz's shoulders. "Aww, honey, we feel the same. We're not just friends. We're family and you know you can't get away from family."

  "You'll never get away from us," Celia said. "Ever. We were meant to meet that first day at school. It was fate. Or the universe. Whatever it was, it sure wasn't finished with you. Looks like your man wants to dance."

  It did look like that. Noah was standing a few feet away, beckoning her to come join him. He'd shed his tuxedo jacket earlier along with the vest and tie. He wasn't the type to dress up, and frankly, he was far too sexy in his white shirt with a few buttons undone, his hair slightly askew.

  Dani gave her a nudge. "Go on, girl. Go get 'em."

  Liz didn't need any more urging. She hurried into his arms, letting Noah swing her around before pulling her close. Every inch of her was pressed close to his warm body and she buried her nose into his open shirt and breathed deeply, letting his yummy scent surround her. When she was in his arms like this, it was as if they were the only two people left in the world.

  They swayed to the music for awhile, oblivious to anyone around them until he eventually pulled away and gently began leading her toward the door. The exited the tent and walked the short distance to the gazebo.

  "Look at the stars," Noah whispered in her ear as she leaned back against him. "We didn't have stars like this that night in Chicago."

  "No, but we had something else."

  Liz kept her voice low as well, although there wasn't anyone around to hear them. It just made it seem more intimate and special.

  "We did? What's that?"

  "Magic, and it was so powerful it brought us back together again."

  His lips were right next to her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. "If I ask you to marry me sometime in the future, will you say yes? I know that it's too early now but I want you to know what I'm hoping for."

  It was too soon. Right? Funny, it didn't feel too quick.

  They'd come too far together for her to play coy.

  "I'll say yes."

  His arms tightened around her and he turned her so they were looking into each other's eyes. "I love you. As you are. You don't have to do or be anything different. In my eyes, you're perfect."

  She'd already cried during the ceremony but he had her doing it again. A few fat tears slid down her cheeks but she paid them no mind. She had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time this man had her crying tears of joy.

  "I love you too, Noah Anderson. From the moment I met you, you were in my heart."

  It was fate that brought them together the first and second time, but it was love that would keep them together now and into the future.

  One year later...

  Dizzy's mother Tami was dancing around the hospital room playing a tambourine, while her husband Louis slapped at a set of bongos. Easton sat next to Dizzy on the bed and held her hand through each contraction and the rest of them held lit candles and cringed. Her contractions were getting stronger and more painful but Liz and everyone else were aware that Dizzy wanted to do this without an epidural. She'd been talking about it since she'd announced her pregnancy.

  She'd wanted to have a home birth but with carrying twins, her doctor had strongly urged her to deliver her
babies in a hospital in case anything went south. Dizzy, of course, had agreed but had wanted the atmosphere to be as homelike as possible with family around her, laughing, making jokes, singing, and the women telling their own birth stories.

  And that's the way it had gone for the first twenty hours or so but now at hour thirty things were beginning to get dicey...

  "You're doing great, honey," Easton encouraged, mopping at Dizzy's damp forehead. "I'm so proud of you."

  Curling her lip in disgust, Dizzy only turned away, this time to speak to her father.

  "Louis, for the love of the Goddess, stop that infernal racket," she yelled, her cheeks going even redder than they already were. "And Tami, you too. I agreed to the candles but I didn't agree to this."

  Tami paused, her expression puzzled. "You said that music would be nice while you were in labor."

  "Music, yes," Dizzy snapped. "That's not music. That's a one-way ticket to a migraine. Everyone just shut up. No one talks. Not one word. Got it?"

  Dizzy's pointed stare ran around the room and everyone one of them did as she asked, not wanting to upset her any more than she already was. Noah grabbed Liz's hand and even took a step closer to the door. Shane, his wife Arden, Carter and Mallory, and both sets of parents instantly fell silent.

  "Sweetheart," Easton said in his most soothing tone. "How about some ice chips? That might make you feel better."

  Easton held up a paper cup filled with ice chips and tried to smile encouragingly but Dizzy didn't appear to appreciate his helpfulness. Her eyes went round and she grabbed at the front of Easton's button down shirt.

  "I don't want ice chips," she snarled. "I need–"

  That's when another contraction started, right on top of the last one with hardly any respite for Dizzy. Tami was instantly at her daughter's side, hopping from one foot to the other.

  "That's it, let it take you. Let it push the babies into our world. If it gets too much, just scream. Scream, Dizzy, scream. You'll feel better. That's what I did when I was having you."

  Louis opened his mouth to add something to his wife's memories of childbirth but he didn't get a chance to get anything out. Instead, Dizzy opened her mouth as well and let out a scream that sounded like something out of horror movie and she was being chased by a crazed axe murderer. Liz had to wonder if she might now be bleeding from her ears. Noah's hand tightened painfully on Liz's and he'd turned a peculiar shade of white.

  Do I need to get him out of here?

  "That's it," Tami said, her smile beaming. She clapped her hands together as if applauding a soprano at the Met. "Keep doing that. It will help with the pain."

  Needing no other prodding, Dizzy screamed again, the sound echoing off the walls and tile floors. Liz was sure they could hear her down the hall and in the parking garage.

  Still having a grip on Easton's shirt, Dizzy yanked him closer. "Find a doctor. Any doctor. Get me something for this pain."

  "Now, Dizzy, you said you wanted to do this naturally," Tami began but snapped her mouth shut when her daughter gave her the look of death.

  Dizzy tried to sit up in the bed but fell back against the pillows, drained of energy. "Naturally? Are you kidding? I'm about to push two human beings out of me, Tami. You only did one. You lied to me. You said it didn't hurt that bad. You lied. I need something and I want it now. I don't care what I said before."

  Easton hit the door running. Presumably to find a doctor, nurse, anesthesiologist, or even someone who played a doctor on television but had no real medical training. Another contraction hit Dizzy, and her mother and Easton's mom Kathy each held one of her hands as she screamed. They kept talking about how beautiful her babies were going to be and how well she was doing. They were all holding their collective breath when Easton returned with two doctors who immediately shooed them out of the room so they could give Dizzy an epidural.

  Not one person argued as they were pushed into the hallway and waiting room. The last few hours had been tense, to say the least, and Liz was exhausted and she hadn't been the one birthing two new Andersons.

  Noah sagged against the wall. "Whew, that was intense. Poor Dizzy is having a hell of time in there."

  "Easton, too," Liz replied. "I feel for them both. This baby stuff isn't like in the movies."

  Flicking a glance over his shoulder, Noah sneakily laid a hand on Liz's tummy, and she placed her own on top. He was doing this more and more lately and she loved it. "This didn't scare you? Because it scared the shit out of me. I don't want you in any pain when you go into labor."

  Liz was eight weeks pregnant as of yesterday. They hadn't told anyone yet because they didn't want to steal Dizzy and Easton's thunder, plus they weren't out of the first trimester.

  They also hadn't mentioned that they'd snuck off to Las Vegas a few weekends ago and quietly married in a lovely little chapel. Only the two of them, and just the way they'd wanted it. They were planning on telling their entire families but it was kind of fun to have secrets just for a few weeks.

  "There's scared and then there's scared," Liz laughed. "All that meditation that Dizzy has had me doing paid off. I'm almost as laid back and mellow as you are."

  "I don't know how Easton is doing this. I couldn't imagine seeing you in that much pain and being helpless to do anything about it."

  Liz gazed up into her worried husband's eyes. They were dark with emotion but she could see the love there as clearly as if he'd screamed it as loud as Dizzy had. There had been ups and down in the last year - and there would be in the future - but they'd been determined from the very beginning that they were going to work as a team when they came to obstacles. So far, they'd been adulting like experts.

  "You'll be fine," Liz assured him, lifting a hand to cup his stubbled jaw. He was so handsome. All the Anderson men were, but with Noah it was more than just classical good looks. It was...integrity. Love. Care. Compassion. Strength. He was more than she'd ever hoped for and he was all hers. "We'll do it together."

  The world might be a scary place but with Noah by her side, she could face it all.

  It was only two hours later when Easton burst out of the room to tell gathered family that Dizzy had just given birth to their two sons - Camden Alexander and Nathan Christopher - both healthy. Mother doing fine. Easton, however, looked a trifle worse for wear but he was also wearing the most breathtakingly happy smile Liz had ever seen.

  "They're a family," she whispered, cuddling closer to Noah. "We're a family, too."

  Noah nodded toward the assembled Andersons - the others would soon be there to greet the latest arrivals into the clan. "We were always a family. No one circles the wagons more tightly than the Andersons. We'll love and protect you forever."

  Forever with this man? She'd take it. The universe had spoken.

  I hope you enjoyed Dancing With Danger. There will be more stories in the Cowboy Justice Association/Danger Incorporated series. Coming soon.

  Thank you again for reading.

  About the Author

  Olivia Jaymes is a wife, mother, lover of sexy romance and cozy mysteries, and caffeine addict. She lives with her husband, son, and two spoiled dogs in central Florida and spends her days typing on her computer with a canine on her lap.

  She is currently working on a new cozy mystery series – A Ravenmist Whodunit - in addition to her other ongoing romance series.

  Visit Olivia Jaymes at

  www.OliviaJaymes.com