Without looking away from the kids, she said, “You ever think about having more?”
“Sometimes.” He watched her for a moment. “What about you?”
She didn’t answer right away. She gazed at the children for a long time, as if mulling over the question. “I wanted to a few years ago, but now…” She turned to him. “I’m not really sure. Maybe someday. Maybe being a stepmom to Tiffany will be enough. As far as having any of my own, I think I need to find my own way first. If by the time I figure myself out, it’s too late to have any of my own, then…” She shrugged. “Then I guess it is what it is. But I’m not in a position to be anyone’s mother right now.”
David wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Don’t push yourself. You’ve got a lot of years to sort through, and being someone’s mom isn’t mandatory.”
“No, but…” Joanna chewed her lip and searched his eyes. “We’ve talked about…eventually…” She paused. “The fact is, if you want children, I may not be able—”
He kissed her softly. “I have Tiffany. Regardless of whose DNA she has, she’s still my little girl.” He half shrugged. “I don’t really have a burning need for more.” David paused, regarding her silently for a moment. Then he touched her face and whispered, “What I do have a burning desire for is to see you be happy.”
Joanna smiled, wrapping her arms around him. “I guess we’re on the same page, aren’t we?”
He returned the smile as he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. “I guess we are.” He kissed her forehead. “What do you say we go home, kick back and binge watch some NCIS?”
She released her breath. “That sounds amazing.”
“It does. Let’s get out of here.” He kissed her lips once more. Then they let each other go and, hand in hand, continued down the sidewalk toward the parking lot. As they walked, he added, “You know, there’s always the place in Tillamook.”
She wrinkled her nose. “No. Too many bad memories tied up in that place.”
His wedding flickered through his mind, and he nodded. “Good point.”
“And it’s too far away from you.”
“There is that. Yeah, forget that place.”
She laughed softly. “I just can’t decide if I should sell it or leave it for Tiffany.”
“I’d sell it. There’s no need to hold on to something that’s got bad memories.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “And besides, Tiffany’s going to be able to buy that whole damned town if she wants to.”
Joanna laughed. “True. I’ll give it some thought, but…I’ll probably sell it.” She paused. “I suppose I should think about buying a place eventually.”
“There’s no rush. You’ve had a lot to sort out. Paying rent for a few months isn’t the end of the world.”
“No, but I…I don’t know. I kind of want a place that’s mine.” She met his eyes, and smiled. “Well, ours. You. Me. Tiffany. And whatever comes next.”
“I like the sound of that.” He brought her hand up and kissed the backs of her fingers. “Whenever you’re ready, just say the word, and we’ll find a place.”
Something playful twinkled in her eyes. “Is that your way of saying you want to move in together?”
“Actually, I’m agreeing with your way of saying you want to move in together.”
Joanna waved a hand. “Semantics.”
“Uh-huh.” He paused. “And yes, I do.”
“Me too.”
They exchanged grins.
David chuckled. “Guess I know what we’re doing when we get home.”
“Yeah?”
“Realtor websites.”
“Hmm, does this mean we need to start making decisions about where we want to live and—”
“Not right now, no.” He stopped and wrapped his arms around her again. “I don’t care where it is, or what it looks like, or how many rooms. As long as I’m living there with you.”
“Me too.” Joanna caressed his cheek. “I love you, David.”
“I love you too.”
He drew her into a kiss. It was only meant to be a brief one, just a little peck before they continued to the car, but she held him tighter, and he held her tighter, and…oh, what the hell? The realtor websites could wait.
They were both acutely aware of how precious life was, how quickly and unexpectedly the hourglass could run out of sand. At the same time, though, the future was wide open. They could go anywhere. Do anything.
And if that sand were to run out before its time, David knew they’d both be okay on the other side.
Because they’d found happiness.
Because they’d found love.
And because they’d found peace.
About the Author
Lauren Gallagher is an abnormal romance writer who has recently been exiled from the glittering utopia of Omaha, Nebraska, to an undisclosed location in South America. Along with her husband, a harem of concubines, and a phosphorescent porcupine, she remains, as always, in hiding from the Polynesian Mafia. For the moment, she seems to have eluded her nemesis, M/M romance author L.A. Witt, but figures L.A. will eventually become bored with the wilds of Spain and come looking for her. And when that time comes, Lauren will be ready. Assuming L.A. doesn’t have her hands full keeping track of Lori A. Witt and Ann Gallagher, which she probably will.
For info about Lauren and the rest of the Gallagher-Witt quad, check out www.gallagherwitt.com or @GallagherWitt on Twitter.
Look for these titles by Lauren Gallagher
Now Available:
Who’s Your Daddy?
All The King’s Horses
The Princess and the Porn Star
I’ll Show You Mine
Coming Soon:
Kneel, Mr. President
Writing as L. A. Witt
Nine-tenths of the Law
Out of Focus
Conduct Unbecoming
General Misconduct
The Walls of Troy
The Distance Between Us/Wilde’s Series
The Distance Between Us
A.J.’s Angel
The Closer You Get
Meet Me in the Middle
No Distance Left to Run (with Aleksandr Voinov)
No Place That Far (with Aleksandr Voinov)
Tooth & Claw
The Given & the Taken
The Healing & the Dying
The United & The Divided
The Only One
The Only One Who Knows (with Cat Grant)
The Only One Who Matters (with Cat Grant)
They could be each other’s second chance…unless their mistakes are too big to overlook.
I’ll Show You Mine
© 2014 Lauren Gallagher
When Alyssa Warren meets Shane McNeill at a wedding, sparks fly. Despite a litany of mistakes no one will let her forget, she can’t resist indulging in one hot night…one that leaves her hungry for more.
Alyssa’s not ready to let her past scare Shane off, though, so she proposes a casual arrangement—live in the moment, no discussing ancient history.
Shane’s on board with that. No-strings, kinky sex with a beautiful woman who has no interest in his past—and with a libido that matches his own? Hell yeah. If she knew about the monster mistakes he’s made, she’d run for the hills, so he’s all for enjoying this wild ride for as long as it lasts.
As they delve deeper into each other’s kinks, though, it’s only a matter of time before trust and intimacy start entangling their hearts. But before a future can take shape, they’ll have to come clean…and hope their confessions don’t drive them apart.
Warning: Contains a woman who knows what she wants in bed and isn’t afraid to demand it, and a man who’s more than happy to give—or take—anything
her body desires. In between making deliciously dirty demands of his own, that is.
Enjoy the following excerpt for I’ll Show You Mine:
Alyssa threw a wary glance over her shoulder, inspecting the empty deck for anyone who’d followed her out to give her a disapproving look. Hell, let them look.
Small wonder she always seriously considered blowing off social engagements when they included anyone she hadn’t met within the last few years. She’d lost enough sleep over mistakes she’d made—the last thing she needed was self-righteous assholes insisting she wear a scarlet goddamned letter any time she breathed the same air as a man.
She glanced back at the party going on inside, at the people dancing and laughing, and her heart sank. It had been three and a half years since the truth had come out. Three and a half long, lonely years. How many more before people who knew didn’t feel the need to warn men away from her?
Grumbling to herself, she pushed herself away from the railing.
Restlessness took over, so she started wandering. There had to be somewhere on this damned boat where she could move around and get some air and just escape for a little while.
She followed the walkway from the deck to the side of the cabin, where it narrowed and continued toward the other end of the boat.
And she stopped dead.
There he was.
She stopped so abruptly, she almost stumbled again, and stared at him. And for the second time today, she was genuinely surprised to see him without a cigarette between his lips. Instead, he rested both hands on the railing, eyes closed as the wind played with his hair.
Get out of here. Back to the party. Go. Go now!
But her legs wouldn’t obey.
And then he turned his head.
His posture straightened as if she’d startled him. “Oh. Hey.”
“Hey.” Her legs were apparently still good for something—moving toward him. “You’re missing the party.”
He chuckled, turning toward her and resting his elbow on the railing. “So are you.”
Oh, I’m not missing anything important right now.
She shrugged. “You’ve been to one wedding, you’ve been to them all.”
Shane threw his head back and laughed. “Isn’t that the truth.” He gestured at her hand. “Gave up on the suicide heels?”
She glanced down at the strappy shoes dangling from her fingers. “Are you kidding? I can wear them, but not on a boat.”
He grimaced. “I don’t know how anyone walks in them in the first place. Out here?” He gestured at the water and shook his head. “Seems like pain waiting to happen.”
“You have no idea. And I got tired of stumbling all over the place every time the boat rocked. I swear, I still have my sea legs.” She held up her high heels. “Damned shoes were trying to kill me.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Your sea legs?”
“Yeah. You know, being able to—”
“Yes, I know what they are,” he said, chuckling. “I’m assuming you’ve spent a fair amount of time out on the water, then?”
Alyssa nodded. “Eight years in the Navy.”
“Really?” He rested his elbow on the railing. “That must have been an interesting career.”
“Wasn’t interesting enough to keep me past the eight-year mark, but it gave me a chance to grow up before I had to get out on my own and be an adult.”
Shane laughed dryly, shifting his gaze out to the water. “There’d be a lot fewer problems in this world if more kids went that route.”
“I don’t know. You didn’t see some of the guys on my last ship.”
“No.” He turned toward her again, an odd expression—somewhere between amused, sad and secretive—tightening his features. “But I’ve seen plenty of the idiots who never even made it that far.”
“Good point.” She leaned on the railing and let her shoulders slouch just a little. As soon as she’d relaxed, one of the straps on her dress made a quick escape down her arm. She reached for it, but Shane was faster.
He hooked his finger under the strap and drew it back up, letting the backs of his fingers trail across her skin. As the strap settled onto her shoulder and he pulled his hand back, a shiver went through her, all the way down to her toes.
“Uh.” She swallowed, resting her arms on the railing again now that his brief, soft touch had messed up her equilibrium. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
She looked up at him and realized just how much taller he was without her high heels to make up the difference.
He craned his neck and furrowed his brow. “That’s an interesting tattoo.”
She self-consciously reached back. “I totally forgot it was showing.”
“I like it.” He smiled. “It’s nice.”
“Thanks.” She returned the smile. “Some people aren’t big on girls with ink.”
He shrugged. “I’m not some people.” He gestured at her tattoo. “Is that your only one?”
“No, I have more.”
“I have a few myself.” His smile turned to a mouthwatering grin. “Show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”
“I’ve already shown you one of mine. I think you owe me one.”
Disbelief flickered across his expression, as if he wasn’t used to women who could keep up with him. “I suppose I do, don’t I?” He glanced toward the glow coming from the party they’d left behind, and then undid his bowtie. His long fingers mesmerized her as he opened the first few buttons of his shirt, and the glimpse of skin underneath sped up her pulse.
He tugged his partially opened shirt aside, along with the collar of the white T-shirt beneath, and revealed a somewhat faded wolf etched into his left pec. As she stared at it, Alyssa almost convinced herself it was the tattoo she wanted to reach out and touch. Somehow she doubted he’d believe that excuse.
“Very nice,” she said.
“Thank you.” He fixed his bowtie and collar.
A cool breeze rushed past them, and she folded her arms tightly across her almost-exposed chest.
He raised his eyebrows. “Want a jacket?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” She hugged herself a little tighter. “I’m okay.”
Shane smirked, then unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off. Holding it out, he said, “Here. No sense freezing to death.”
“So you’ll freeze for me?”
He laughed. “I have a shirt on.” His gaze slid down her mostly exposed chest, then rose to meet her eyes again. “You, on the other hand…”
Trying not to laugh, Alyssa reached out and took the jacket. She pretended the soft fabric—cool from being out here in the wind, but still holding some of his body heat—didn’t remind her of their walk down the aisle earlier.
Pulling it around her shoulders, she shivered again, this time because of the warmth. No, no, it did not feel like his skin against hers. It didn’t make her wonder at all what it would be like to have his arms around her instead of his jacket. It didn’t.
“Hmm,” Shane said, thumbing his chin, “this does mean I have a more obscured view now, doesn’t it?”
She laughed in spite of her burning cheeks.
“I mean, Hannah does have damned good taste in bridesmaid’s dresses,” he said. “Color aside.”
“Oh, so it’s the dress you want to look at?”
“Well, yeah.” He batted his eyes. “What did you think I meant?”
Alyssa clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Let me guess. This is the part where you tell me my dress would look better in a rumpled heap on your bedroom floor?”
“Nope.” He gave her another down-up glance, then met her gaze. “This is the part where I tell you that dress would look a hell of a lot better with the skirt shoved up over your hips.”
Her lips parted.
; He grinned. “I like to have something to hold on to.”
Alyssa gulped. “You’re very direct.”
“When I see something I want, yes.” He paused. “You don’t strike me as particularly shy yourself.”
“I can be.”
“Can you?”
“When I see something I want and I’m not sure if I should go for it.”
“And if you think you should go for it?”
“Then it just depends on the situation.”
“Hmm. Sounds like way too much thought.”
“So you don’t give it any thought, then? You just go for it?”
He shrugged. “Oh, I give it some thought. I run through a few scenarios in my head, a few possible outcomes, and decide if it’s worth the risk.”
“And if it is worth the risk?”
“Then I can be pretty aggressive.”
“Is that right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Me too.” She grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed him.
She’s got the moves. He’s got the heat. Will their hearts catch the rhythm?
The Princess and the Porn Star
© 2013 Lauren Gallagher
Rachel Taylor’s manager has to be kidding. A porn star dancing beside her in her next music video? She didn’t claw her way back from near obscurity in the pop music world only to become a laughingstock all over again.
Yet the moment she meets Lee, a.k.a. the infamous Buck Harder, their chemistry sizzles. There’s much more to the man behind the stage name than the obvious attributes that make him so successful, and soon she’s fantasizing about sharing more than just a stage.
In only a few steps, they find a perfect, dance-floor groove hot enough to melt the camera lens. But when the video’s release blows up in their faces, her record label exercises an obscure but ironclad clause—stay away from each other. Or else.
Meeting in secret seems the most delicious solution. But they can’t hide this kind of heat for long…and when the paparazzi sniff them out, she realizes choosing to stay with the man she’s fallen for could cause her to fall off the pop music map—permanently.
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