by Helen Conrad
“This isn't fair, Rick,” she murmured, but she raised her arms and clasped her hands behind his head, arching her soft body against him.
Joy was surging through her. She could hardly believe that she could go so quickly from such misery to such happiness. For the first time, it seemed possible. Maybe he really did love her. Maybe it would work. Was she gambler enough to try it?
“What do you say, Terry?” he whispered between kisses. “Will you come with me?”
“I say yes,” she said breathlessly, going for broke. “Oh, yes, Rick, yes!”
He pulled her close and laughed with delight. “Good. I wouldn't have dared go home without you. The kids would have me strung up.”
“They know?”
“I told them I was going to bring you back and we'd all live at the ranch.”
“And they liked the idea? Even Erica?”
“Even Erica.”
She didn’t believe him. He was just using everything he could think of to convince her to say “yes”. But the way things were going, she really didn’t care.
Suddenly she remembered Anatole’s warning. “Butlers don’t get promoted to wife, you know”, and she laughed. Wrong again!
Rick sighed and nipped at her earlobe. “Aunt Julia called it from the day she met you, you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“She told me I'd be a fool to pass you up. And she was the one who suggested I get you jealous with Caren to speed things, along.”
Terry's jaw dropped. “She didn't!” A frown creased her brows. “What do you mean, to speed things along?”
He grinned down at her. “I wanted you to marry me the first time we made love. But I could see you weren't ready. You needed more time.”
She didn't believe him for a moment, but she loved him anyway. “You're crazy,” she said.
“That's right. Crazy about you.”
And he pulled her into an embrace that didn't allow for any more talking, an embrace that lasted so long, the spaghetti burned. But nothing, not even hunger, was going to tear them from Terry's apartment that night.
“I'll marry you on one condition,” Terry told him drowsily later that night, wrapped in his arms, sated with lovemaking. “Angelina has to go.”
He chuckled. “She's already left. Johnny took her with him when Grandfather kicked him out again. Johnny thought he might be able to find a more suitable home for her.”
“I'll bet.” She giggled and stretched in his arms. “Will you love me forever?” she murmured.
“Forever,” he murmured back, covering her body with his again. “And ever and ever.”
An hour later, they were eating burned spaghetti when the doorbell rang. They looked at each other, eyebrows raised, and then Terry went to the door and looked out the viewer.
“It’s Erica,” she whispered, turning and staring at Rick. “What is she doing here?”
He shook his head, as startled as she was.
“Go hide. Quick.” She motioned toward the bathroom.
He frowned. “Why?”
She looked at him sitting there in his underwear and grimaced. “Because…I don’t know. I think we should find out what she’s here for before we… .”
“Gotcha.” He jumped up and slipped into the bathroom without further ado.
She pulled her robe more tightly around herself and opened the door. “Erica,” she began, and then she saw Charles standing behind her. “What…?”
Erica’s usual cool reserve had melted away. “Terry!” she cried, tears in her eyes. “Please come back! You’ve got to come back.” She threw herself into Terry’s arms, sobbing loudly.
Terry held her close but looked questioningly at the chauffer. He came on in and shut the door behind himself, but shrugged grandly.
“She’s been like this all day,” he told her. “I finally grabbed her and threw her in the car and brought her down here to find you. It seemed the only way to stop the blubbering.”
Erica raised her tear-stained face. “Do you hate us? Do you hate my Dad? You have to come back. I don’t think we can be a real family without you there.”
“Oh darling.” Terry hugged her again. “I don’t hate anybody. I’ve loved living with you and…”
“You make it so much better,” Erica said between sobs. “I can’t stay if you don’t come back. We…we need you.”
There was a clumping sound coming from the stairs and then a banging on the door.
Terry felt stricken. What now? Putting Erica into Rick’s vacant chair at the table, she hurried to look out the peep hole and found Aunt Julia staring back at her. She turned to look at Charles.
“It’s Aunt Julia,” she whispered. “Did she come with you, too?”
Charles shook his head, his eyes wide. “No way. We came on our own. Nobody knew I took her. They all think she’s crying in her bed.” Now he looked stricken. “You can’t let her know I brought Erica down here. They’ll fire me for sure.”
Terry looked about wildly. Rick was already in the bathroom. “Go quickly,” she told them. “Stay in the bedroom until I get rid of her.”
They did as she told them and once they were out of the room, she turned to the front door again and opened it. It felt as though a small, furry animal had launched itself into her arms, but very quickly she realized it was Jeremy.
“What…?”
“Oh my dear,” Aunt Julia began, bustling in. “We hired a car and came racing down to get you. The house is in turmoil. Everyone wants you back. You must come back right away. We just don’t know what we’re doing without you. It’s no good pretending. Rick is a mess. Erica is hysterical. And Jeremy… .”
“But Aunt Julia, wait,” she said without realizing she was already acting like a part of the family by calling her that. She cuddled Jeremy close and kissed the top of his head, then looked up again. “How can I come back? I ruined everything. What did your brother have to say about the crazy things that happened at the ball?”
She waved that away. “Calvin is so happy to be back, he hardly mentioned it. And he’s got your father there, his old pal. The two of them are sipping drinks on the veranda and reminiscing like the oldsters they are.” She tugged on Terry’s arm. “Now hurry, dear. Grab something to wear. We’ll take you back and surprise Rick.”
“Too late,” Rick said, bursting out of the bathroom like a dancer emerging from a birthday cake. “I was here first. I get the credit for talking her into coming back. The rest of you are johnny-come-latelys.”
Terry was glad to see he’d put on his jeans at least, and was shrugging into his shirt.
“Daddy!” Jeremy cried, releasing Terry and running to his father. Rick swung him up in his arms as though it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do.
“Daddy!” Erica cried, coming out of the bedroom with Charles behind her. “What are you doing here?”
He looked at them all and grinned. “I came down to ask Terry to marry me, of course,” he said. “What are you doing here?”
Erica laughed, suddenly dancing on her tiptoes. “Me too,” she said.
“Me too,” Jeremy chimed in, jumping up and down beside his sister.
“You might as well count me in as well,” Julia said, laughing. “Come on Charles. What do you think?”
“I think there must be a streak of insanity in the Carrington family,” he said, pretending to scowl. “But what the heck. I’m probably crazy too.”
They all looked at each other and laughed. All except for Terry. Her eyes were swimming with tears—the sweetest tears she’d ever had. The kind you got when family love reached out and took you in its arms. She was going home.
Looking at Rick over the heads of his children, she smiled, realizing she was about to get the chance to play the best role of her life.
EPILOGUE~ Johnny’s Final Birthday Present
“I know it's around here somewhere. I'd just like to find it before we go to bed and it pounces on us in the dark.”
They'd been married a little over six months, but it felt like forever. When she thought about it Terry couldn't imagine what she'd ever done when she'd been alone.
Today was her birthday and they'd had the whole family, Calvin and Julia and Johnny and her own father included, to a barbecue. Everyone had gone home now, and the children were in bed. But they hadn't found Johnny's birthday present.
“What do you mean 'pounce on us?' Do you think it's some kind of cat?” Terry asked skeptically.
He threw up his hands. “I don't have any idea what it is. All I know is, he said he'd left your present somewhere you were sure to find it. And I don't trust him.”
She chuckled, remembering how they'd first met in his
closet. “What would a birthday be without Johnny and his tricks?” she said.
“A damn sight less worrying,” he grumbled, taking her in his arms. “If he's given you an inflatable male doll, I'll kill him.”
She laughed, snuggling into an embrace that still excited her as much as ever it had. “In a way,” she said softly, “he gave me you. No other present could ever come close to that.”
He buried his face in her hair. “Terry,” he murmured huskily, and she could feel desire stirring in him, as it did so easily. “Let's get to bed.”
She smiled, returning his kiss. “What about Johnny's present?” she teased.
“We'll worry about that later.” His arms slid under her knees and he lifted her in his arms. “Right now I've got more important things on my mind.”
He placed her on the bedspread and smiled down at her. The best thing he'd ever done in his life was marry her. She'd destroyed his cynicism and made him look at the world with hope again. Every time they made love he tried to show her what words couldn't—how much she meant to him. And every time he never quite made it clear enough. Which only meant he had to try that much harder next time,
“I love you,” he said, his heart in his eyes.
“I love you too,” she whispered.
He undressed her quickly, and she did the same for him. Naked, they lay together on the bed, slowly building the renewal of the bond between them.
“Terry, Terry,” Rick groaned, coming down on top of her softness. “I can never get enough of you.”
Closing her eyes, she smiled drowsily and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she opened her eyes-and stared at the ceiling,
“What's the matter?” He felt the change in her mood immediately.
“I think I found Johnny's present,” she said in a choked voice.
He looked up. On the ceiling just above their beds was a small box. Encrusted in hearts and flowers, it read, “The truly loved don't need jokes.”
“Oh,” Terry said, laughing softly. “Isn't that sweet?”
“Sweet,” Rick agreed, frowning. “And not like Johnny at all.”
“I think it's nice,” she said. “After all, he couldn't very well give me the risque sort of things he always gives you.” She quickly amended that. “Used to give you.”
“Maybe not,” he admitted. “Are we going to leave the thing up there?”
She shrugged, sitting beside him and staring up. “I guess so. At least for tonight.”
They stared at it for a few more moments.
“Let's get it down,” Rick said at last. “It makes me feel funny seeing it up there. There's a string hanging from it. Maybe if you just pull it...”
Terry bounced to her feet and pulled the string. A buzzer loud enough to do a job in a fire station went off, and at the same time a streamer unfurled and golden glitter began to fly around the room, getting all over everything.
Terry slid back down to sit by Rick, laughing as glitter fell all around them, covering their bodies with gold. The streamer read, “The truly loved may not need jokes, but that doesn't mean they don't want them! Happy Birthday, Terry. Glad to have you in the family.”
“I think I'm beginning to appreciate inflatable dolls,” Rick said as the scream from the buzzer died away.
Terry grinned up at him. “Now I've had my present from everyone but you,” she told him.
“I gave you a new car,” he grumbled. “What more do you want?”
“You,” she said simply. “I want to make love with you.” Her eyes darkened. “Tonight is special. I can feel it.”
He put his large hand on her stomach. “Do you think... ?”
She nodded happily. “Tonight,” she whispered. “Tonight we'll not only make love. We'll make our future together.”
And, wrapping her arms around him, she got ready to do just that.
Not the Marrying Kind
Not the Marrying Kind
Destiny Bay Book 6
By Helen Conrad
Will she risk her heart to catch a thief?
Shelley turns Michael in for stealing from the jewelry counter but she ends up letting the handsome conman get away with stealing her heart.
Destiny Bay-Forever Yours
Book 1-My Little Runaway
Book 2-Wife For a Night
Book 3-Too Scared to Breathe
Book 4-Make Believe Wife
Book 5-Promoted to Wife
Book 6-Not the Marrying Kind
NOT THE MARRYING KIND
The three children of Dr. Stephen Carrington, wealthy local patriarch.
His wife is Grace Carrington, an internationally known poet.
Kathy Carrington~oldest daughter of Dr. Stephen, Kathy was a disappointment to her father, but she’s definitely a treasure to her husband:
Jason Harper~known as Jace, he’s a former Olympic swimmer and Kathy’s idol from the days when she was winning.
Rick Carrington~ a widower with two young children and finally, a mother for them in Terry.
Terry Yardley~no longer a butler, she’s ready to play the part of wife and mother so well, she gets the job for life.
Shelley Carrington~the baby of the family developing a career in clinical psychology. She falls under the spell of Michael Hudson, undercover agent and all around special guy. You’d think, as a psychologist, she’d know better!
Michael Hudson~he lives for danger, only to come face to face with the look of love and realize there are some things even more terrifying than death and injury.
The three sons of Richard Carrington, wealthy attorney
and Martha Grover Carrington.
Reid Carrington~ambitious attorney determined to restore the reputation of his family after his father’s scandal almost ruined them. Now he’s married to:
Jennifer Thornton who grew up next door to the Carringtons, but left in order to save her parents from heartbreak. Now she hopes to bring her family new joy with the twins she’s about to give birth to.
Matt Carrington~has been gone for years after a rift with his father sent him into undercover work in Los Angeles. He owns hotels in Destiny Bay and Hawaii and is now married to:
Janet Cardona~a lovely young woman he met while running a major con on a swindler. She almost ruined his operation but ended up changing his life instead. The baby she’s carrying will bring them even more changes.
Grant Carrington~always a rebel, Grant went against his father’s plans for him and became a race car driver whose championship career was recently in jeopardy over serious injuries—physical and emotional-- suffered in a crash.
Carrie Harlow~Mickey’s cousin, a young physical therapist who has recently returned home to Destiny Bay. Now married to Grant, she’s carrying Carrington baby number three.
A Few Others
Robin~Shelley’s roommate, whose husband has taken off for South America.
Tag Carrington~a Carrington cousin, younger and more adrift, he lives mostly on his boat and avoids all risk of becoming a responsible adult. But he is deeply in love with Mickey—and Meggie-- and may be about to take decisive action.
&nbs
p; Missy Carrington~ Missy and her brother Tag spent too many years being hauled around the countryside as children by their hippy mother and now pay the price.
Mickey Adams~owner and proprietor of Mickey’s on the Bay, a local café where the Carringtons tend to hang out. She’s hopelessly in love with the much younger Tag and torn between him and the wealthy man who could make the future so much brighter for her and her child:
Meggie Adams~Mickey’s adorable three year old
Robert Harding~wealthy financier who wants to make Mickey his own but turns out to have a darker side than anyone guessed.
Sam Gladstone~detective working with Michael.
CHAPTER ONE:
To Catch a Thief
Okay, that did it. She couldn’t ignore this guy any longer. Something had to be done. Call the cops? Or the department store manager?
Shelley Carrington stared at the handsome man in the unseasonable trench coat who had just picked up a very expensive watch and dropped it into his pocket. Despite the tray of shiny gold chains flashing on the rack between them, she'd seen him do it. And when her dark eyes, wide with shock, met his across the long glass counter, he winked at her.
What?
She pushed back a heavy curtain of thick blond hair and glared at him, her hands clenched into fists. She couldn't let him get away with it. He was stealing—and from her favorite department store! The store, in fact, where her cousin was manager. She had to stop him.
Drawing breath deep into her lungs, she raised her head with pure determination and began to march toward where the man still stood eyeing the watch display. It looked like he might pocket another if it caught his fancy.
She'd seen him earlier in other parts of the store. In fact, she'd begun to wonder if he was following her. He seemed to turn up everywhere she went.
