by Karen Cote'
“Your point being…”
Lily shook her head. “I don’t understand. Are you saying you want this baby?”
“I’m developing a complex of being some sort of monster here,” he muttered.
“You were glad Celeste miscarried, how is my baby any different?”
He grimaced in comprehension. “Okay, I get it now.”
He rubbed a hand around the back of his neck and flinched. They’d been so engrossed Lily had forgotten about his injuries.
“Mind if we sit down?”
Once seated on the couch he took one of her hands in his.
“Will you keep an open mind for the next few moments while I try to explain my maniacal attitude around you and our child?”
Lily bit her lip against the thrill of hope his words ignited. She mutely nodded.
“I think I mentioned before that Celeste’s father was a major influence in my life, especially after mine and Cheryl’s mother died?”
“Cheryl told me a lot about him too,” Lily agreed.
“Yes, well he’d hoped Celeste and I would get married and even though we dated in high school we each went our separate ways after graduating.”
He settled back against the leather and pain crossed his face, but this time Lily got the impression the pain was mental and not related to his physical wound.
“After I’d been on the Kansas City Police Force for a few years Celeste showed up out of the blue. Hell we were both single and consenting adults so we spent the weekend reviving an old attraction. During one of those nights my condom broke.”
Lily gasped and a smile touched his lips.
“I can tell you see the similarity between you and I, but believe me it was much different. I didn’t know until later that Celeste had sabotaged one of the rubbers.”
“She got pregnant on purpose?” Lily was appalled.
“I wish that had been the case,” he said with distaste. “Accidental pregnancies happen and I was willing to accept responsibility for my actions. Celeste’s actions were more sinister than that. She’d gotten pregnant by a married man and was three weeks along by the time she knocked on my door.”
Lily slapped a hand to her mouth. “She wouldn’t,” Lily exclaimed in horror.
“She did.” Jet’s jaw muscles clenched over the words. “I married her thinking the child was mine and moved back to Windom Hills for a safer environment to raise a family. I didn’t find out until after Celeste miscarried that the baby was someone else’s.”
“Oh, Jet.” Lily felt sick as clarity of his attitude toward their situation emerged. “That’s why you were so callous about her miscarriage.”
“I wasn’t at first,” he said. “I was willing to stay in the marriage and try again.”
“Did Celeste fess up?”
A harsh laugh erupted. “No. Denie told me.”
Lily’s eyes widened. “That’s why you believed her about me.”
Although that part of it still hurt, Lily empathized with how crazy it must’ve been with a similar situation that almost devastated him. At the time, he hadn’t known Denie’s interest was anything other than that of a friend.
Lily searched her soul for the booby trap that would harness the fear and betrayal, but a more promising conclusion was developing. She sought answers to some other questions.
“How did you know about Fred’s parents and Dr. Wilkinson?”
“The college buddy I stayed with in Kansas City is an FBI agent who mentioned it.”
Her heart leaped. “You do have friends in high places.”
Jet grinned. “Puts a hole in that detective flaw you keep accusing me of.” The levity left his face. “You should’ve told me about your miscarriage.”
Her face blanched. “He told you that too?”
“Unfortunately a lot of personal information will be public knowledge soon. I wish I could get my hands on Bailer’s parents and that freak doctor. Luckily, they’re getting theirs, not to mention the class action lawsuit filed against them. I believe you’ll be asked to join the list of complainants.”
“But,” he continued as he rose from the couch and tugged on her hand. “They’ll have to drag you away from me first.”
“Jet,” she protested already knowing that glint in his eye.
“Come on,” he coaxed, hanging onto her when she tried to back away. “I took a bullet for you.”
A surprised laugh erupted. “She was your psychotic girlfriend.”
He continued to drag her until she found herself at the entrance to the master bedroom.
“Okay, someone’s being extremely presumptuous here.”
“Maybe,” he dropped his gaze to her mouth. “But what better way to put that sharp tongue of yours to better use.”
“Brave words from a man whose about to be dismembered,” she challenged, aroused in spite of the bantering.
A slow smile spread across his face.
“No one can claim life with you is going to be boring. But if I don’t get inside of you right now I’m going to explode.”
“Jet,” she warned, but he was shaking his head.
“Right now, Lily,” he murmured, but it was more of a plea as he unbuttoned her blouse before moving to the snap on her jeans. “I love you. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and I want to spend the rest of my life proving that to you and our child.”
His solemn vows were sobering and wonderful and Lily hardly noticed him stripping her naked. Reality seeped in as he removed his clothes and bore her down on the bed.
The white bandage around his torso accented his tanned skin and Jet moved to his back and positioned her to straddle his hips.
“We have a lot more to talk about,” she warned, being careful not to jar his injury.
“I know,” he soothed and reached into a drawer on the dresser beside the bed. He pulled out a jar of Vaseline.
She raised her brows and he winked at her.
“You appear a little distracted and from what I can remember we might need a little help here.”
He reached into the jar and excitement tingled in Lily as she watched him fist the thick jelly over his bulbous head. Then the familiar pressure of penetration joined them together and with it, the strong bond Lily had longed for. When she was fully impaled, he gripped the outside of her thighs to hold her there.
“I do love you,” he reiterated, dark blue eyes shining up with a desire and tenderness Lily could only marvel at as he rocked her back and forth.
Her eyes rolled back in her head. “You want to talk now?” she asked, exasperated. “Really?”
The dream caused Lilly to teeter between crying and coming. Finally she threw back her head and did both.
* * * *
Much later, lying naked beside Jet, Lily rubbed a loving hand over the soft curls on chest.
“Cheryl told you I was leaving didn’t she?” Lily asked.
“Mmm,” Jet mumbled.
Lily ran her fingers over the white bandage. “And I would bet the hospital didn’t give you permission to leave early, did they?”
He brushed his lips over the top of her head. “I don’t need permission. But since I’ve noticed you like talking after sex isn’t there something useful you want to say to me?”
A slow smile spread over Lily’s face. “Oh baby, you were so hot and hard I couldn’t—”
She squealed when his grip tightened in warning. “Those aren’t the words I was asking for. Now out with it.”
Instead of giving into his request, she glared at him. “You gave me a summons and had my car towed.”
He chuckled. “It stopped you from leaving didn’t it?”
She scowled. “You’re paying the charges on the tow and I’m fighting the summons. If you were too soft to charge me in the beginning don’t even think it’ll hold up in court now.”
Jet wiggled his brows. “I’m sure I can get a conviction.”
She tilted her chin. “What’s the penalty for injuring an officer of
the law?”
“Life,” he smiled.
“If that’s a proposal you’ll have to do better than that.”
Her tone had him looking down with suspicion. “What? You want me to get down on one knee?”
“Yes,” she responded. “A diamond wouldn’t be amiss either.” Jet laughed and she said in mock reprimand. “Hey I want this time to be perfect with all the trimmings.”
“The trappings you mean.” Jet said with a fake scowl.
She punched him playfully in the shoulder before grabbing the sheet to cover her nakedness and sat up. She raised her brows expectantly. With a resigned, but distinct glint in his eye, Jet rose.
Naked, he walked over to the chair and returned with something in his hand.
His hair tousled he knelt beside the bed on one knee and took her hand. Cold metal settled around her wrist and a kinky shot of arousal ensued when he attached the other handcuff to his own.
Her muffled laughter faded as the sweetest, sexiest, and hottest marriage proposal a woman could ask for, followed.
“Stay connected to me forever Dr. Lily Delaney and let’s make lots of babies together.”
“Babies?” she breathed.
“We’ve got a lot of making up to do and the way I love coming inside of you the population of Windom Hills is sure to explode.”
Lily’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I love you, Jet Alan Walker.”
“Finally,” he growled and climbed back into bed.
Epilogue
One month later…
Lily was putting the touches on a Beef Wellington when Jet came home.
“I’m taking an on-line cooking course,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Oh no,” he groaned good-naturedly. “Will it be done in the middle this time?”
She grinned at him. “This one doesn’t have to be.”
He shook his head and grabbed her hand. “Come in here and sit down. There’s something I want to show you.”
Confusion and curiosity made her follow him and she sat down on the edge of the couch. Jet sat down beside her and held out what looked like a faxed sheet of paper.
Lily looked blankly at it. “What’s this?”
“Read it,” he prompted.
She blinked to focus on the words and swallowed as the contents sank in.
“This is about Jerry.”
“Yes,” Jet affirmed. “It’s a statement issued by the FBI and will reach all the Kansas City media tomorrow. Your brother’s suicide has been ruled a homicide compliments of one crooked and soundly dead District Attorney.”
Angelic hope budded. “B-But how?”
“Do you remember the contact I mentioned in Kansas City when you first told me about your brother’s murder?” Lily nodded. “He’s that old college buddy I also mentioned, Deke Sarnecky, who works for the FBI there. I asked him to look into your accusations and he began interviews with the kids enrolled in your brother’s rehab center. At first, the kids were too scared to go on record because of the threat of reprisal from Capriccio. That kid who called you that night was correct. Capriccio had blackmailed them into drug activity and threatened a return to prison if they didn’t cooperate. Capriccio’s death was a game changer and after the kids were granted immunity, they testified against him.”
For the first time since Jerry’s death, the promise of clearing his name finally became plausible. Huge tears blocked her vision.
“They told how Anthony forced Jerry’s overdose?”
Jet reached up a finger and a tear rolled onto it. “Yes,” he responded, locking his focus on her. He lifted the salty moisture to his lips.
“This doesn’t seem real.”
“It’s real,” he assured.
Lily’s eyes closed and more tears seeped through her lashes. “How can I possibly thank you?”
He perked up and a slow smile slid across his face.
A little after midnight Jet nibbled on Lily’s ear.
“Go away,” she mumbled to the pillow. “I’m out of service for the rest of the night.”
“There was something else I was going to tell you earlier, but I got distracted,” he whispered against her lobe.
She pushed against the hard muscle prodding her behind and the obvious cause for the earlier distraction.
“You’re impotent,” she teased.
“Smartass,” he grumbled, his penis jerking to prove its obvious addiction to her.
“Seriously though,” he spoke through a kiss on her shoulder,” another friend of mine who owns a couple of businesses in Kansas City asked for permission to reopen your brother’s rehab center.”
“What?” Stunned, Lily sat up and turned to see how serious he was.
“The publicity has drawn a lot of attention so he set up a webpage for anyone interested.”
“And?” she asked anxiously.
“He’s got a decent list going,” Jet smiled indulgently at her eager expression. “He told me the number of registrants is up to thirty-seven now.”
Thirty-seven? Goosebumps skirted across her skin. Not thirty-eight. Not thirty-six. A mystical wink floated down from the heavens and Lily smiled up in wonder as she sank back against Jet.
In the early morning just before sunrise, Lily absently fingered her diamond ring.
She really wasn’t superstitious about numbers. The roster of kids had probably already changed. Her belief was in something more. Much more.
Like the warm fairytale breathing lightly in slumber against her neck and the little tiny miracle of life growing inside of her.
For Lily, happily-ever-after wasn’t the cliché most cynics convicted it of being.
Happily-ever-after was a unique honor bestowed on the hearts of every woman fortunate enough to live it.
About the Author
Hello, I’m Karen Cote´ and I live in a Southern California Castle with Prince Charming and a Magnificent Black Stallion.
Okay, it’s a bungalow, my husband works in a corporate environment and my horse is a small black pug with a sense of humor and a lot of attitude. Of course, there’s also my daughters who inspire me every day with their support and the amazing women they’ve grown up to be.
I haven’t always lived in California. I grew up in a small town in Missouri sharing years of romance novels with my mother. We laughed together, cried together, and thoroughly enjoyed our favorite authors. My mother has since passed but her gift of memories will always remain through the pages of each novel I write.
I am grateful to you, dear reader, for the precious time you will use in journeying with my hero and heroine. I sincerely hope you enjoy them. May the echo of their laughter and tears create special memories within you and for a brief moment in time, share this story of love I wish to share with you.
Dedication
In humble gratitude to the Good Lord above, I’d like to dedicate this book to my real life hero…Todd Cote´. My lover, my best-friend, my soul-mate, my husband. Thank you, God for this great gift I do not deserve but You’ve given in such generosity. I love you, Cote´. You are my happily ever after I never knew to be possible.
Acknowledgements
So many to thank…such a small page. Lea Schizas, my publisher… this would not have happened had God not put you in my life. Carrie Ro and Antonia Tiranth, my dear and wonderful editors who graciously guided me through the process…thank you. Suzannah Safi, my cover artist. For all the dreams I had looking at other covers as a child, you fulfilled my dream through my own. My Muse-Family…you all ROCK! My family back in Missouri and all their wonderful support. My indescribably beautiful daughters who are so precious and finally, my little black pug who has sat for hours giving me such a soul-puppy support. From her jealousy of my wireless keyboard on my lap to her snores as she loyally snuggles next to me, she inspires me with her championship snorts, sense of humour and encouragement in each word I type.
Also Available at MuseItUp Publishing
Shadows Steal the Light
A Romance Suspense Novel by Christine London
eBook ISBN: 978-1-926931-34-0
Colin Dunlow is caught in a web of alcoholism precipitated by his skyrocketing fame as lead singer of the world’s hottest hard rock group, Dumbarton. When he bumps into legal activist and sultry jazz singer, Jenna Lindstrom, he’s no idea what’s in store. How can he maintain his newfound sobriety whilst navigating a comeback and investigate who might want him dead? All of this and he has an AA sponsor who won’t allow him any serious relationship, not if he wants to live. What’s a rocker to do? Especially when the woman of his dreams hates rock and roll.
Erotic Deception© 2011 by Karen Cote´
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, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
A MuseItHOT Publication
MuseItUp Publishing
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Cover Art © 2011 by Suzannah Safi
Edited by Carrie RO
Copyedited by Antonia Tiranth
Layout and Book Production by Lea Schizas
eBook ISBN: 978-1-927085-82-0
First eBook Edition *October 2011
Production by MuseItUp Publishing
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