“I understand.”
“I hope so. Because Rick Morgan is a damn fool, and if it wasn’t these guys it would be someone else. Eventually his luck is going to run out and I don’t want anyone I love anywhere near him when it happens.”
Chapter 22
As the evening wore on and the conversation moved away from topics of contention such as Angel’s training and Rick Morgan, the couple settled back into their comfort groove and ended the night with the season finale of Dancing with the Stars.
Dusty convinced Mikayla to stay the night. Not that it took much convincing—just a couple of properly placed kisses and the promise of more to come.
Later, as she lay curled in Dusty’s arms, listening to his steady breathing, Mikayla’s mind was still racing with her conflicting emotions and thoughts. For some reason, Dusty’s recent success with Angel did not bring her the satisfaction she had hoped for, and for the life of her she could not understand why not.
For years she’d searched for someone, anyone who could bring Angel into line. Giving her up had never been an option, so her only hope had been someone capable of training her. And now Dusty had found a way to connect with her pet, but instead of making her happy, she was feeling…the emotion she decided could only be described as fear.
“What are you thinking about?” Dusty’s seductive voice came out of the dark.
“I thought you were sleep,” she whispered.
“How can I sleep when your whole body is radiating with tension? What’s wrong?” He pulled her closer against her side.
She sighed. “Not sure.” She turned on her side, folding her arms on his chest, and looked for his face in the dark. Soon her eyes adjusted and she found him watching her with those compassionate eyes she found such peace in.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but…watching Angel today with the other dogs…I don’t know, it’s just…”
“You’re bothered she didn’t come to you right away?”
“I guess.” She frowned. “Is that silly? To be jealous about a dog?”
“No, not when a dog means as much to you as Angel does.”
She smiled remembering. “She rescued me, you know.”
“Yes, I know. Kandi told me.”
“And then even after the EMS took me away, she followed and stayed with me from the hospital to the hospice, just like a guardian, always there, always protecting, even at the risk of her own safety. That’s why I named her Angel. She’s my guardian Angel.”
He laughed. “I admit when I first met you and got a look at her, I couldn’t see anything angelic about her. But I understand how you feel.”
“I never understood why she was so determined to stay with me. I still don’t.”
“Dogs sense things about us, things we humans can’t see on the surface. They survive by instinct, so their instincts are much more connected to nature. She knew you needed her, and she needed you.”
“I did need her. When I woke up in the hospice, I was so weak. I could hear the nurses discussing my impending death, as if I were already dead. And I didn’t care. I think I would’ve died, if I hadn’t heard them talking about her and how she was hanging around. I was so scared she would end up in the pound and be put down all because she did not want to leave me. She gave me a reason to get well. So I could take care of her.”
There was a long silence, and then Dusty spoke. “Marry me, Mikayla.”
“What?” She sat up, not believing what she was hearing.
“I love you more than I ever loved anyone, and with every moment I just love you more. Marry me. Be my wife.”
“Where did this come from?”
Even in the dark, she could see his confused shrug. “Hell if I know, I just know I want you forever. Marry me.”
She patted his chest. “Tell you what. Close your eyes, and go to sleep and we’ll talk about this in the morning.”
“I’m as awake as you are. I know what I’m saying. Marry me.” He sat up in the bed. Mikayla watched the covers fall to his waist and her mind shifted to other thoughts.
He arched an eyebrow. “We’ll get to that later,” he said as if reading her thoughts. “Right now, I need an answer. I’m serious. I love you and I know you love me. So, say yes.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Why not? What’s standing in our way? I know your secrets, and you know mine. I know your faults and you know mine.”
She frowned. “What faults?”
He smiled. “Sweetheart, as much as I love you, you’re not perfect. Take this Angel thing for instance. I bet you still haven’t realized why it’s bothering you that I was successful in training her.”
She looked down so he would not see the truth in her eyes, but it didn’t matter. He continued as if she had spoken the words. “Okay, I’ll tell you. For the past five years, Angel has been your ally, your confidante, your protector. In fact, she’s been the perfect secret keeper.”
He huffed. “Her bad behavior was your assurance she would always be there to keep your secrets. After all, no one else wanted to deal with her. She rejected anyone and everyone who tried to get close to you, allowing you to keep your little bubble securely in place.” He leaned toward her and smiled. It was such a beautiful, seductive smile, Mikayla found her mind floating back to other things. But his next words broke the spell.
“But I’m getting close.”
She looked up at his eyes and saw some certain knowledge. An almost smug assurance.
“You can feel it, can’t you, baby?” He reached forward and pulled her to him. “For the first time, someone has managed to get past the security perimeter, past the guard dog, and you feel it. I’m coming for your heart, Mikayla, you know it, and it scares the mess out of you.”
He lay back, pulling her over his chest. “So, you might as well marry me. Because I’m not going to give up.”
“But you already have my heart,” she whispered.
He shook his head. “No, that’s a decoy. A small portion of you that you give to everyone. I want that part of you no one gets to see. I’m greedy.” He kissed her neck. “I want Mikayla and Tangie.”
She pushed up off his chest as a spark of anger shot through her. Just as quickly he slid her hands to her sides, bringing her back down on top of him. “You heard me. I want the whole woman. I want your passion, Mikayla. I want your pain, your pleasure, I want to share it all.”
She pushed to get up, but he countered her every move. “I told you there is no Tangie anymore—let me go, you son-of-a-bitch!” she snapped.
His eyes widened. “Are you sure? Because I’ve never heard ultrapolite Mikayla use that kind of language.”
Her eyes narrowed and she stopped struggling. “Let. Me. Go,” she bit out.
He shook his head, watching her with solemn eyes.
“Never.” With one quick motion, he flipped and they had switched positions. “I want all of you. Marry me.”
“No!”
He smiled at the pouty expression on her face. He leaned forward and placed gentle kisses along her jaw line. “Say yes.”
“No.”
His smile widened as he realized the “no” was less emphatic. He pushed his growing erection against her soft inner thigh. “Marry me, beautiful. I promise you’ll never regret it.”
This time all she could do was shake her head in response, even as her thighs parted, giving him access to what they both desired. Dusty continued to place gentle kisses along her neck, behind her ear, savoring every ounce of her delicate skin.
She moaned and tugged at her arms. He released his hold on her so she could wrap them around him. With the freedom of motion given, Mikayla wrapped her whole body around him, pushing herself up against him, trying to pull him inside her.
It took every ounce of his strength, but Dusty held himself away from her. “Say yes.”
Mikayla wrapped her legs around his hips and the action opened her body to him. Dusty could feel the heat of her center tempti
ng him, calling for him, but still he held himself away.
“Say yes, baby. That’s all you have to do. Say yes.”
Mikayla looked up into his eyes, her own filled with love and lust, and Dusty knew no matter what was said this night, he would never let this woman go, not in this lifetime.
“Yes,” she whispered, “now, make love to me.”
That was all the encouragement Dusty needed. He pushed against her center, feeling her hot wetness pull him in. He stopped and, reaching into the nightstand, donned a condom.
Dusty covered her body once more, pulling her legs over his hips, and drove himself deep inside her body. The tight opening sucked him inside and he could feel her body convulsing even before he’d reached his destination.
She shook and shivered as the climax took hold of her. Dusty was helpless to fight it as he was swept up in the current and his body jerked once, twice then his seed was spilling inside her.
He collapsed on top of her, his heart pounding against his chest. Her sweet smell filled his nostrils with renewed need. This was as close to paradise as any man could find on earth, he decided.
Dusty wrapped her in his arms and when he found the strength, he rolled onto his side. “I hope you know I’m holding you to that yes.”
She smiled against his chest, then as if to torment him, her warm tongue dashed across his nipple. “I know.”
Dusty kissed the top of her head and moments later he fell asleep, imagining what a life with Mikayla would be like. Never dull, he thought, and soon he was sound asleep.
Mikayla lay awake for some time after. She was going to marry Dusty. Her mind needed time to accept she had found him. The man she was meant to be with. She’d never imagined he even existed, and now she lay with him.
If she were honest, Mikayla knew Dusty was right. The unexplained fear she’d been feeling almost from the moment she met him was the knowledge this man could get past her barriers, and he had. More important, he’d seen beneath the surface, the darkness, the pain, and he still wanted her. Up until now the only people she’d had to share her soul with were her agent and her dog. But Kandi was right, it was not enough.
She needed a partner, she needed a lover, a friend, and Dusty was all of those things. She hoped she could be whatever he needed, as well.
The next morning the pair glided around Dusty’s kitchen in a silent state of perpetual happiness. Neither spoke of the night before, but they both thought about it and shared knowing looks.
As Dusty was buttering an English muffin, he heard a muffled thump against the front door. “The paper—I’ll be right back.”
Mikayla, who was carefully scrambling the eggs so not to burn them, nodded as he left the kitchen.
A few minutes later Dusty walked back into the kitchen, but the smile on his face was gone, and his caramel skin had faded as if some of the blood had been drained from his face.
Mikayla turned the stove off. “What is it?” She walked over to him and then he looked at her and the sorrow in his eyes warned her she did not want to know whatever he’d just found out.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t believe he would do it.”
She frowned, but took the paper from his hands. Below the fold was a special-interest story about her. She took the paper and sat down. Dusty came to stand beside her and instead of reading the paper, he watched her expression.
After a while she shook her head. “No, it wasn’t Rick. See?” She held up the paper and Dusty forced himself to look at the paper.
It didn’t take long to realize the article was written by a reporter who’d been onto the story for some time. Long before the blackmail note.
“I guess you were right.” She took Dusty’s hand, which was resting on her shoulder, and rubbed it against her cheek. “The truth can’t stay buried forever.”
Meanwhile, in downtown Miami, Rick was sitting in the bus station reading the same article. He balled the paper in his hands, trying to hide his rage. Some jackass reporter had stolen his insurance policy right out from under him. His ace had been played and now he had nothing to bargain with. He’d hid out on the ranch as long as he could once the deadline had passed, hoping Leo’s henchmen would stop looking for him long enough for him to escape.
He glanced at the clock on the wall. His bus would be leaving in thirty minutes, but every minute he was in town was one too many. He tossed the paper on the seat next to him and noticed a nice pair of shoes come into his line of vision.
He swallowed as his eyes went up and he found himself staring into the face of one of Leo’s goons. Soon another came to stand beside him and Rick felt his whole body shaking.
“Hey, Rick,” The first goon, smiled at him. “Leo’s been looking for you.”
Chapter 23
Later that week, Dusty and Mikayla stood together, waving goodbye as the circus caravan of trailers and trucks rolled through the gates of the Warren ranch.
Kyle drove up alongside them in his beat-up Impala. “Late August of next year, right?”
Dusty was tempted to ask his father to stay, but he knew the old man would never be happy sitting in one place for too long. Instead, Dusty nodded, pulling Mikayla closer against his side. “That’s the time frame. We’ll send an invitation when we have the details worked out.”
Kyle smiled at Mikayla. “It has been an absolute pleasure to meet you, my dear.”
She returned the smile and said, “You, as well.” She walked over to the car and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Thank you for allowing me to see my first circus.”
Kyle laughed. “The first of many, I hope. Who knows, maybe one day you can travel with us for a while—maybe write a book on us.”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
Dusty took her hand and pulled her back against his side. “Um, I don’t think so.”
Kyle shrugged. “Just a suggestion. Think about it.” He winked at Mikayla and rolled on through the gate.
Mikayla looked at Dusty. “You’re probably happy to see them go so everything can return to normal.”
Dusty frowned. “Not as happy as I would’ve thought. Having them here reminded me of all the good times we had. Somehow I’d forgotten all that and just focused on the bad parts of it.”
Her smile faded. “I know what you mean.”
Dusty looked into her eyes, and he knew she did.
He glanced back and saw the hospital staff standing outside, watching the group as they disappeared down the narrow dirt road leading away from the ranch. He clapped his hands. “Back to work, everyone.”
Taking Mikayla by the hand, he started walking back toward his house. Mikayla looked up at the large house, thinking about the first time she’d seen it.
“Think you can get used to living here?” Dusty asked, following the direction of her eyes.
“I think so.” She smiled at him.
The pair walked on in silence a little longer before Dusty said, “Thank you.”
She looked up at him with a confused expression. “For what?”
“For helping me to accept my family.” He lifted their entwined fingers and kissed the back of her hand.
“You did that all by yourself.”
They walked in silence a little longer. “Are you going to be all right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Now that the truth is out.”
She looked off into the distance, where four dogs were racing toward the stables, and smiled.
Dusty followed her eyes, but there was no smile to be found on his lips. “Aww, hell.” He pulled out his cell phone and punched in a contact. “Hey, Sam, the fantastic four are heading to the stables to harass the horses. Can you—thanks, man.” He hung up the phone.
He tucked the phone back into his pocket, having never let go of Mikayla’s hand. “Have I told you what a bad influence she is on my dogs?”
She laughed. “No, but you really didn’t have to. It’s kinda obvious.” She leaned over and kissed him. “And sinc
e we’re handing out thank-yous, I have one for you.”
“Really? And what would that be for?”
“That.” She nodded in the direction of the stable. “In many ways, Angel and I are alike, you know. I think maybe that is why we ended up together.”
He frowned. “I take offense at you comparing my beautiful fiancée to that mangy mutt.”
“Seriously. The night we met in that alley was a turning point in both our lives. A chance to give up a hurtful past and start over. I thought once the scars healed I would be fine, but there were deeper wounds I’d never dealt with.” She stopped and turned to face him. “You helped me to face the demons of my past and exorcise them once and for all.”
He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “It was no less than what you did for me.” As they continued to walk, he slowly turned their bodies, heading in a new direction.
She looked up at him. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a little pond over here I’ve been dying to show you. The water temperature is almost always perfect for swimming.”
She pointed over her shoulder toward the house. “But I don’t have a bathing suit.”
His pace picked up to a light run and, looking back over his shoulder at her, he winked. “Trust me. You won’t need one.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5226-8
MIAMI ATTRACTION
Copyright © 2010 by Elaine Overton
All rights reserved. The reproduction, transmission or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without written permission. For permission please contact Kimani Press, Editorial Office, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
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