Crimes of Passion

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Crimes of Passion Page 153

by Toni Anderson


  Chrissy whistled. “This is some place. Are you sure you’ve been given the right address, and it’s not a wind up?”

  Fear struck her insides and tied them into knots—surely Josh wouldn’t mess her around like that, would he?

  Just then the large double front doors opened, and Josh stepped out. He saw the car outside the gates and urged Nicole to drive through them.

  “That’s…” her mother began before her jaw dropped open.

  “Yes, Mum. It’s Josh Holland,” Chrissy announced, amusement running through her voice.

  Nicole drove through the gates, wondering if the crunching gravel would cause damage to her worn-out tyres.

  Josh opened the rear door on her mother’s side and shook hands with her shocked mother. Nicole jumped out of the car and opened the back door so her daughter could get out. Sammy Jo was in awe of their surroundings.

  Nicole said to her, “Come on, darling, look on it as an adventure. Don’t be shy. I want you to meet Josh. He’s very special to me.” And to you.

  “How come you’ve never spoken about him before, Mummy?”

  “I’m not really sure, sweetheart. You’ll think he’s great though, I’m sure. Come on.”

  Nicole shut the door behind Sammy Jo. Josh kissed Chrissy on the cheek before moving towards Nicole. He bent down to shake Sammy Jo’s hand and introduced himself, not as her father, just by name.

  Sammy Jo half hid behind Nicole until they walked through the magnificent house and ended up on the patio at the rear of the property. Her little face lit up when she saw the infinity pool. Open-mouthed, she glanced up at Nicole. “Mummy, it’s beautiful. Can I have a swim?”

  “Maybe another day, sweetie. Mummy forgot to bring your costume. Go and dangle your feet in…is that okay, Josh?”

  “Of course it is. Go to that end, okay? It’s the shallow end. We’ll keep an eye on you. Anything special you want me to throw on the barbecue for you?”

  Sammy Jo’s brow furrowed as she thought about his question. “Sausages and a burger would be nice.”

  “Your wish is my command.” Josh swept down into a theatrical bow, and Sammy Jo laughed.

  The happy girl skipped over to the pool, and under their watchful gaze, she took off her trainers and her ankle socks and sat on the edge of the pool. Once or twice, she glanced at them and smiled a toothless grin, accompanied by a little wave of her fingers.

  In between sneaky kisses, Nicole and Josh turned the food on the grill and prepared the salads as more people turned up.

  Nicole nudged Josh. “Hmm…look over there. I think your Kyle seems pretty keen on Chrissy.”

  “You’re not kidding. He’s almost drooling in his beer. Are you happy?”

  She openly kissed him, feeling more and more comfortable in her surroundings. When they broke apart, Nicole surveyed the crowd and spotted her mother grinning broadly and heading their way.

  “I’m so glad to see you happy for a change, Nicole.”

  “I’m always happy, Mum. I hardly walk around with a glum face all the time, do I?”

  Her mother pecked her on the cheek. “I know. But I really can’t remember the last time I saw you this happy, it suits you. Josh, I’m glad you came back. Now, when are you going to make an honest woman of my daughter?”

  “Mum!” Nicole was shocked at her mom’s comment.

  Josh was not.

  He got down on one knee and produced a red velvet box. “Damn, my secret is out. Nicci…er, sorry…Nicole, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

  “What? Are you serious? You hardly know me.”

  “Nonsense. I’ve loved you my whole life and regret ever leaving the way I did. Hey, and don’t forget my new hero status. If you refuse to marry me, I’m sure I can attract the attention of another girl in need of having a real-life hero in her life.”

  “You’re incorrigible.” She bent down and placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him. His hand reached up and captured her left hand in his, and he slipped the two- carat diamond on her wedding finger.

  “Mummy, mummy!” Sammy Jo ran across the grass and rested her head against Nicole’s stomach. “Are we getting married, Mummy?”

  The crowd roared with laughter. She knelt alongside Josh. “Sammy Jo, I want to introduce you to your father.”

  Her daughter’s eyes lit up, and her mouth dropped open. She turned and hooked her arms around Josh’s neck and said, “Really? You’re my long-lost Daddy?”

  Josh stood up and pulled his daughter into his arms. “Yes, darling, I’ve come home to my family.”

  “Neat. Can we live here?”

  Nicole laughed. “A girl after my own heart.”

  Josh smiled, the proudest, broadest smile Nicole had ever witnessed adorning a man’s face.

  “Yes, this will be our new home. Together forever.”

  Thank you for reading the first book in the Temptation series; Book Two, Lost Temptation, is also available now. Books Three and Four will be released in July and August 2014.

  Keep in touch with M A Comley at:

  Facebook:

  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mel-Comley/264745836884860

  Websites:

  http://melcomley.blogspot.com

  http://melcomleyromances.blogspot.com

  Subscribe to newsletter

  OTHER BOOKS BY M A COMLEY

  A Time To Heal (A Sweet Romance)

  A Time For Change (A Sweet Romance)

  The Temptation Series

  (Romantic Suspense/New Adult Novellas)

  Past Temptation

  Lost Temptation

  True Temptation (coming July 2014)

  Just Temptation (coming August 2014)

  If you’re in the market for a gritty thriller you might also like the following:

  The Justice Series

  Cruel Justice

  Impeding Justice

  Final Justice

  Foul Justice

  Guaranteed Justice

  Ultimate Justice

  Virtual Justice

  Hostile Justice

  Hero Series

  Torn Apart (Hero Series #1)

  End Result (Hero Series #2)

  Intention Series

  Sole Intention (Intention Series #1)

  Grave Intention (Intention Series #2)

  Find M A Comley’s books on Amazon

  Table of Contents

  BODY OF EVIDENCE ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  FORTY-THREE

  FORTY-FOUR

  FORTY-FIVE

  FORTY-SIX

  FORTY-SEVEN

  FORTY-EIGHT

  EPILOGUE

  AUTHOR’S NOTE

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  HER SANCTUARY ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

&nbs
p; ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  EPILOGUE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  LOOSE ENDS PROLOGUE

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  TWENTY-NINE

  THIRTY

  THIRTY-ONE

  THIRTY-TWO

  THIRTY-THREE

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THIRTY-FIVE

  THIRTY-SIX

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  THIRTY-NINE

  FORTY

  FORTY-ONE

  FORTY-TWO

  FORTY-THREE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  LOVE AND SMOKE ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  PAST TEMPTATION ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  EPILOGUE

 

 

 


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