by Taylor Hart
Like his life had meaning and purpose.
For a second, she felt like she could relax. Her father would be awake soon. He had agreed to stay with Sam’s parents while he recovered. Surprisingly, Sam’s father and Frank seemed to hit it off. They talked like they were old friends. Sam’s father was good for Frank. He needed someone he could really talk to. She’d noticed them chatting in the corner during the evening after dinner. She hoped her father could be healed from the trauma he endured in Colombia.
Guilt still paralyzed her at times. She’d think about how if she had only made other choices. If only she had told the truth seven years ago.
She’d certainly learned one important lesson—never lie to the man you love. She had made a personal vow to always be truthful with Sam, no matter what.
“Hey.” Sam walked in. Holding a rose, he came straight to her and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
Before he could put the rose on her lap and pull back, she put her arms around his neck and tugged him in for a real kiss.
“Oh.” He grinned and then pulled her closer, running his hand down her hair. “What’s that for? I mean, I like it, but you seem different.”
Releasing him, she grinned. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“I’m just…happy.”
He kept her hand in his and turned to face Frank’s bed. “How’s he doing?”
“Well, he woke a bit ago and cursed a couple of times before falling back to sleep. The doctor told me that was normal. At least, the waking and falling back asleep part is normal.”
A light chuckle escaped Sam. “That sounds about right for the old man.”
Emotion surged inside her chest. “He loves you, ya know?”
The side of Sam’s lip tugged up. Something he and her father had in common was the fact that neither of them liked to talk about their feelings. He shrugged. “Ah, he’s not too bad, either.” Taking a chair, he pulled it over next to her.
“So how are things going at the FBI?”
The look on Sam’s face turned to concern. “Fine.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“What?” she pressed. It was comforting to know someone as well as she knew Sam. He knew her well too, but she thought it was harder for Sam to get used to her being able to read the emotions on his face.
He sighed and dropped her hand, running his fingers through his hair and leaning forward. He propped his elbows onto his knees and said, “Well, they haven’t been able to sift out if anyone else is in cahoots with the cartels.”
Alexa nodded. He’d been giving her up to date reports. They’d pulled in lie detectors and formed a team to investigate to no avail. She knew this severely frustrated Sam.
“And…” he broke off.
“And?” She probed.
“I got offered the director position today.”
She saw the way he let out a slow breath and, for a second, thought it was kind of funny that she had the power to make Sam nervous. This man could keep his cool when his life, her life, and her father’s life were in danger, yet he was so agitated when he felt like he was confessing something to her.
“But I told them no.” He sat back and took her hand again. “So don’t worry.”
Alexa knew that Sam had decided to be done with the FBI. After all, he’d decided that for her because she’d insisted they couldn’t have a life together with him always in danger of being shot. She couldn’t sleep at night knowing he was chasing drug cartels and dealing with people like Marco all the time. But…
He smiled. “Has Mary reported in today?”
Stoically, she nodded. “Yep, doing better than ever. She landed a huge client today.”
“Good,” he said a little too fast.
“I don’t know.”
“Hmm?” His eyebrows creased in question.
“I don’t know if I want to run my business anymore.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“I just…I just feel different now, ya know?”
Hesitating for a second, he studied her face. Slowly he lifted his hand and put the back of it against her cheek. “I know. I don’t think either of us are the same anymore. I think that’s natural after—”
“Being on vacation,” she filled in for him.
He smiled and brushed his lips over hers. “Yes, a good beach vacation changes people.” He kissed her again. “I feel different, too.” He played with the finger that held his grandmother’s engagement ring.
She relished his touch.
“Did I tell you that I really love your ring?” He kept his face close to hers, and she smelled the soft fragrance of his cologne. She pushed closer to his neck, inhaling deeper. He smelled so good.
“I need a date, Lex.”
“What?” She pulled back, knowing exactly what he was talking about.
“For the wedding. Later this afternoon. Tomorrow. Okay, I guess I can wait until Saturday.” He twirled her hair into a fist behind her head. “I need to be with you. On a…more permanent basis, somewhere other than my parent’s house.” He winked at her. “But I guess they are good chaperones…”
A laugh escaped her. In the middle of a make out session last night, his father had come into the living room and cleared his throat. He hadn’t said anything, but she couldn’t help feeling like a teenager.
“I mean it.” He kissed her again. This time he deepened the kiss, and the sound of his chair legs scraped as he tugged his chair closer to hers.
She laughed again at his persistence. She was feeling rather persistent herself. She touched his chest. Through his t-shirt, she felt his rock hard abs and thought of that night in Papa Cruz’s house. “Okay, how about later this afternoon?”
Pulling back, she felt energy surge into him as he kissed her neck in quick flashes. “Really?”
She giggled. “We’ll have your dad do it right here in the hospital. He still has his minister’s license.”
Unbelief washed over his features. “Are you serious?”
She searched his face hardly able to believe they were sitting here. Together. Unscathed. Her father was alive. “I want to be with you. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
He gave a few quick nods, and she smiled, thinking that he was cute when he was processing. “We’ll spend a few days here, then pack our stuff and go to San Francisco as soon as possible.”
“No,” she answered quickly.
His eyebrows pulled together. “Of course we’ll go on a honeymoon first.”
Even though his excitement was invigorating, she wasn’t feeling it.
He studied her. “Tell me what’s wrong with the business and San Francisco?”
Inhaling a deep breath, she searched for the right words. “I guess after going through all this. I just…I realize that I want more.”
He waited.
“What I did then… The way I lived… My business was all about making something look a certain way.” She looked down, not wanting to say this to him, but needing to say it. Needing to admit this to herself. “It wasn’t real. You were right. I was…I was running from the only real thing I’d ever had in my life.” She looked back at him, blinking. She would not get emotional.
His face turned serious, and he took both of her hands into his. “You…have always been the only real thing in my life. I love you, Alexa.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered, convincing herself that she wouldn’t be a blubbering mess if she didn’t have to speak at full volume.
He leaned in for a kiss, but she stopped him with a finger to his lips. “One more thing.”
He pulled back. “Okay.”
“I want you to take the Director position.”
“But—”
“The more I think about it, the more I realize that your job makes a difference. Your job is everything you are. You…are everything the FBI needs. You would make a fabulous director.” She gave him a little smile. “Plus, if you’re the director, you’re n
ot chasing people around in the field, correct?”
He hesitated, before nodding. “Correct, but I promised you.”
“Uh, you have to learn that being married will give me the right to change my mind as many times as I want. You’ll just have to deal with it, Dubois,” she commanded.
He laughed then grew serious, taking back her hands. “What will you do here?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out.”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “Oh, I shouldn’t tell you this.”
Of course that made her want to know even more what he shouldn’t tell her. “What?”
He sighed. “I still need someone to help with making my FBI guys over. A cover specialist.”
Her heart rate spiked, and a million possibilities for different personas went through her mind. “You’re serious?” She pushed her lips against his. “No way!”
He laughed and almost fell out of the chair. He steadied them both by pulling her onto his lap and focused on kissing her. “It’s real Lex. It’s always been real with us,” he whispered, and a tear fell down his cheek. “You don’t know how great this feels.”
Searching his face, she smiled. Everything in her life felt more perfect and wonderful and right than she could ever remember it feeling. “The Real Thing.” She grinned. “Man, it sounds like some cheesy book.”
Kissing her, he let out a laugh. “Yeah, it kinda does, doesn’t it? I bet it’d be a good one.”
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Other Works by Taylor Hart
Roman Young, quarterback for the Dallas Destroyers, doesn’t expect to get a gun shoved in his face by the beautiful red head, Katie Winters, when he arrives to sell the Inn he inherited from his uncle in Wolfe Creek, Utah. But, he’s not surprised, either. It’s the way his life has been lately. Just ask the tabloids that have happily reported his shattered knee, his wife's affair, and the car accident.
Unfortunately, Katie is wearing a wedding ring. Not that he noticed. He doesn’t know why he doesn’t tell her about the fact he’s selling the Inn, even after she shoves a list of supply demands into his chest and rambles on and on about all the projects they have to do.
When he discovers her husband passed away a year ago, and her seven-year-old son asks him to come to dinner and movie night, things start to change. Or did they start to change when Katie took him sledding? Or when all he could think about was kissing her? Now he has to make a choice—keep ignoring the truth—or try one Last Play.
Purchase it HERE!
Janet Snow didn’t understand why getting caught in a full-blown make out session with the first boy she’d ever kissed meant anything. It didn't. And it really didn't matter that her heart pounded and adrenaline spiked through every part of her. In fact, the only thing she did understand was that Michael Hamilton wasn’t staying for long. Which suited her just fine. Too bad he looked even hotter than he had in high school. But that didn't matter, either!
Michael Hamilton only knew one thing…coming back to Snow Valley to see Janet had been the best decision he’d made in a very, very long time. Too bad his business was back in LA and the relationship between he and his father would never be suitable for close quarters. Good thing he didn’t plan on staying for very long.
When Michael finds out Janet hid the fact that she’d almost died of cancer and when Janet discovers Michael wanted to marry her, they both have to make a decision—learn to trust again or miss out on the first love that could be their last.
Purchase it HERE.
When high school football star and ex-marine, Ryan Hardman, comes back to Hidden Falls, he doesn’t care that his company wants to buy the ranch he’s always loved. He doesn’t care that he hasn’t seen his two brothers in seven years. And why would it be any of his business that Charlotte Love isn’t married anymore. It’s not.
Charlotte Love doesn’t believe in fairytale endings or happily ever after. She doesn’t want it, either. To say that she’s not the least bit concerned Ryan Hardman is back in town—would be saying she even cares that much. All she wants is to raise her son and run her bookstore.
After Charlotte discovers the ranch Ryan wants to buy—is hers…and a news story releases information surrounding the mystery of why Ryan hasn’t been back, they are left with a choice—run or fight.
Purchase it HERE.
Molly O’Hare gets the utterly ridiculous prediction that she will kiss her true love on Christmas Eve. But when she returns to Snow Valley and comes face to face with Kevin Snow, suddenly the kiss thing seems…a lot less ridiculous. Too bad the reason she left still has the power to make her deny her real feelings. Now Molly is left with a choice—forget the home town and the boy that she never quit loving or let Christmas work out a miracle all on its own.
Purchase it HERE
Young Adult
After getting court ordered to live with her grandparents in Sugar Valley, Colorado, seventeen-year-old, Maddie Haven doesn't expect to tick off the hot student body president, have a faceoff with a horrendously grumpy girl in a wheel chair, and get blamed for a school fire—all on the first day of school.
Good thing she plans to leave. And don't even ask why Maddie volunteers to help out after her grandpa has a heart attack. Staying in Sugar Valley is not possible! After an unexpected friendship with a girl named Grace leads them both on a journey that will change their lives, the only thing Maddie knows for sure is the truth never comes easy. And helping someone else just might change her in ways she never thought possible.
When the people that share her secret threaten the people she loves, Maddie is left with a choice: run away or let it all go up in smoke.
Purchase it HERE.
Sixteen-year-old Lacy O’Donnell discovers her best friend has cast a spell, putting everyone in a time loop, forcing them to relive the same four days before prom over and over. The good thing—Lacy doesn’t remember the loop. The bad thing—Drake Davis, the guy she’s been stalking, does. Only true love’s kiss can break the spell, but true love’s kiss has to happen at a precise moment. It’s not exact science…it’s exact magic.
Purchase HERE.
Seventeen-year-old Delanie Hart has a past she wants to keep hidden. Moving to a new state and attending a new high school seems to be just the thing — until she accidentally sees a mark exactly like her own. When the people she is running from come after her, Lanie is left with a choice — give up what she wants or save her friends.
Purchase HERE.
