by Kari Lemor
Jack ruffled his son’s hair, smiling. “It’s getting there, pal. I wanted to come and make sure your mom was getting better too.”
“How about you, me, and Auntie Heather go out and get some ice cream?” Scott suggested enthusiastically. “We’ll make sure we get those colored sprinkles you like.”
Jonathan looked between Jack and Scott anxiously. He obviously wanted his father but he also loved ice cream.
Jack narrowed his eyes at his cousin. “Ice cream? It’s January. That’s the best diversion you could think of.”
Diversion? Jack had asked Scott to get Jonathan’s attention somewhere else? Was she ready for being alone with him? Would Heather stay or bail on her too?
“Everybody loves ice cream. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is.”
Jack shook his head. “Hey, pal, why don’t you go with Uncle Scott for some ice cream so I can see your mom? But I promise I’ll be here when you get back. We can play with that building set you got for Christmas.”
Jonathan’s eyes darted from Jack over to her and Callie smiled at him. She wasn’t sure she could handle this discussion with Jack, but they had to have it.
“Give Mommy a hug then you can go.” Jonathan wiggled to get down, ran to Callie for a hug then back to the kitchen where Heather and Scott got his boots and coat then hustled him out the door.
Heather’s parting words were clear across the house. “We’ll take our time and won’t rush back.”
Callie smiled at her friend then looked up where Jack stood in the doorway, his jacket draped over his arm. His face was drawn and pale but he was no less handsome. He stared at her in a way that made her feel like the last morsel of food in front of a starving man.
“How are you feeling, Jack? I’ve been worried. The last time I saw you, you looked a little rough.”
He took his time crossing the room and his steps were hesitant. Caused from pain or did he not want to have this discussion either?
“I won’t lie. I’ve been better. But seeing that you’re okay makes everything good. I’ve been worried about you too. I’m sorry I couldn’t come see you before this. They wouldn’t let me out of the hospital for a while then the FBI needed to know every last detail of my three years on the run.” He lowered himself onto the couch next to her and grinned. “I didn’t tell them about our week in Vermont.”
Callie chuckled. “No, now why is that?”
He placed his jacket on the arm of the couch and reached out to take her hand. Shock raced up her arm as usual. Would that ever stop when he touched her? She hoped not. It made her feel alive.
His grin got bigger. “I said they wanted every detail. I think they might have been shocked with some of the things we did. I admit to being a little shocked myself.”
Heat rushed to her face so she lowered her eyes. But her need to see Jack outshone her embarrassment and she glanced at him again. “I hadn’t been with you in such a long time, hadn’t been with anyone. I guess I got carried away.”
Leaning in closer, his nose practically touched hers. “I like when you get carried away. You should do it more often.”
Hope expanded in her chest. “Will we have the chance to do that? What’s your situation now?”
“The Bureau’s reinstated me and gave me almost a year’s back salary. I didn’t ask for it, but they said it was the least they could do especially since I gave them everything to put Cabrini away and sacrificed so much. And cleaned up quite a bit of corruption in many government offices. I made sure they knew it was you who did it all.”
Callie heard the words and sighed. It was no surprise he’d be back with the Bureau so why did it upset her? It’s who he was. But could she accept that and how did she fit in with his plans?
“I’m glad everything worked out for you. Do you know if the price is still on your head?”
A grin split his face. “Talked to Pascucci myself. Said I didn’t have anything to worry about anymore. He made it known to all interested parties that the contract was null and void. And he offered me a job in one of the companies once he gets full control.”
Callie’s eyes grew wide. Would Jack working for Pascucci be any better than the Bureau? Regardless of what the man had done for them, she still didn’t trust him.
Jack pressed his lips to hers. “Don’t worry, I turned him down. Said I had better things to do right now. Lots of better things. Starting with this.”
Sliding off the couch, he knelt near her legs, a grimace escaping his lips. One hand squeezed hers as his other dug in his jacket pocket. He pulled out a velvet box and flipped it open. A gold antique ring covered in scattered stones with one larger center stone, sat in its depth. Her breath hitched.
“Callina Lansing, my beautiful Calico cat, I love you more than life itself. I’ve spent the last three years dreaming of a time when I could be with you always. A time when we could be a family, and raise our son together, and any other children that come along.”
He moved his hand to caress her flat stomach. “Heather assured me everything was good with the baby. It is, right?”
Moisture filled her eyes as she nodded. “The doctor said the gunshot wound didn’t affect the baby. I was worried about the blood loss and antibiotics but they did an internal ultrasound and said it all looks good. I got to see the heart beating.”
His head whipped up and his eyes were as shiny as hers. “Seriously? Oh, Calico, I want to be a part of your pregnancy this time around. It killed me that I missed it all when you carried Jonathan as well as missing his first two years. I know you kept me in the loop as much as possible but I hated not being here for him. And for you.”
He moved the ring closer. “Will you marry me, Callie? Will you be my wife, the mother of my children, allow me to love you and honor you and always be here to protect you and keep you safe even though I know you’re strong enough to do it yourself?”
This was the moment of truth. The moment she had to make a decision. Could she live with Jack and his dangerous lifestyle? Could she let him wander in and out on cases, knowing he could be hurt or killed at any time? Knowing she could be deserted and left all alone? Could she let herself go through that again?
She touched Jack’s face, his beautiful face that was filled with anxiety and fear. Fear she would say no? He was aware of her past and how scared she was of being left alone. He knew what was at stake for her. Her heart balked at saying no but her mind did the same at saying yes. The stubble on his cheeks scraped over her fingers, sending tingles through her.
How did she make this decision? His eyes sent her messages of love and devotion. She loved him too. Mindlessly, endlessly, and without reason. His absence for three years had not lessened her feelings for him. Having him live apart from her wouldn’t either.
He would always be a part of Jonathan’s life, now more than ever, regardless of whether she married him or not. And if something happened to him, she would feel the same pain. So why shouldn’t she allow herself every second with him that she could have? The answer suddenly seemed clear.
“Yes, yes, I’ll marry you, Jack.”
His breath left him in a rush, like he’d been holding it in. Maybe he had.
Pulling her head in close, he kissed her lips then kept his forehead touching hers. “You scared me there, Callie. You took so long to answer I thought for a second you might say no. Not that I would blame you, for everything I’ve put you through in the last few years. But I swear to you, I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy for the rest of your life.”
“Your being here makes me happy, Jack. I want you in my life and Jonathan’s and this new child’s and I want you here always. I know your job might take you away occasionally but we’ll have to make sure we make the best of the time we do have.”
Grunting, he pulled himself back up to sit next to her. He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed h
er hand. “We’ll have lots of time together, Callie, lots. I guess I forgot to tell you my big decision. I was in such a hurry to ask you to marry me.”
What was he talking about? Big decision?
Sliding his arm around her, he guided her to rest her head on his shoulder. He encircled his other arm around her, holding her tight. Nothing had ever felt so wonderful.
“After everything that’s happened, I decided not to go back to the Bureau. The big boss even offered me a promotion but I told him to forget it. I quit.”
She twisted in his arms to see his face. He was serious. “You quit the FBI? Why? You loved that job.”
“I used to. Before I had a family to think of. Before they left me dangling in the wind for so long. And when I saw you shot by Victor, and remembered how much it hurt when Jonathan was sick, that clinched it for me. I don’t ever want my family hurt again because of me. If I stayed, there would always be the chance that some case would come back to haunt me and possibly get you or the kids hurt or killed. I won’t do that. I worked too hard to swim my way back upstream to go there again.”
“You quit? Seriously?” Her heart burst with relief but would it be enough for him? “What will you do then? You could be a stay-at-home dad. I’d be more than willing to take care of the finances. I certainly make enough.”
“Be a kept man, huh?” His eyes twinkled as he nipped at her lips. “Sounds tempting. But I had a discussion with Scott. The company’s half mine. Always has been even though I told him I wanted nothing to do with it. But after spending a few years in the construction business, I don’t hate it like I thought I would. I resented it because it took my dad away while he was trying to build it up. But in our case, it will keep me closer to home. The new contract Scott has with the college system will take more than a few years to finish. And it’s in state so I can be home for supper every night.”
“Are you sure, Jack? This is what you want?”
His arms tightened around her as he skimmed his lips down her cheek. “What I want is to be with my family every single day and sleep next to my wife every single night. The job allows me to work both my muscles and my mind. It’s ideal. Are you sure you don’t mind being married to a construction worker?”
Lifting her arms she ran her fingers through his hair. “I don’t care what you do for a living as long as you can be here for me and our children.”
He slid his mouth down her face to her lips, assaulting them. She joined in the fray, her hands running down his back, his own finding her curves. In seconds they were horizontal, still exploring their desire. A grunt caused her to ease back. Jack’s face was stiff.
“Are you in pain? Is your back still sore?”
He attempted a smile. “Yeah, a little when I twist the wrong way. I imagine your leg isn’t up to par right now either.”
“Not really but I don’t want to let you go. I’m afraid I’ll wake up and you’ll have disappeared.”
Relaxing against the throw pillows, he settled her on his chest, his hands on her back. “I’m not going anywhere, Calico. I promise you. But I know how you feel. I woke up so many times in the last three years with the feeling of you in my arms only to realize it was a dream. I’m not letting this dream end. And as much as I’d like nothing better than to carry you off into your bedroom for a repeat of our Vermont adventures, I’m not sure I could manage it right now. Can we settle for holding each other here on the couch?”
Snuggling her head against him, she placed her hand on his chest, his heartbeat strong against her palm. “I wouldn’t call that settling at all. I would call it perfect.”
Be sure not to miss Kari Lemor’s sequel to Wildcard Undercover and Running Target:
Fatal Evidence
Read on for a special sneak peek of the next book in the Love on the Line series!
Learn more about Kari Lemor
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31828
Chapter 1
“What the hell is she doing here?” Scott Holland muttered as his gaze took in the stunning blonde sauntering across the Connecticut Auction House like she owned the place.
Considering her daddy’s money, maybe she did.
“Hey, isn’t that the heiress to that fancy clothes fortune?” Pete, another contractor here for the auction, was looking for cheap houses to flip. Not him. Scott had his eye on a nice mill building he could renovate into condos and sell for big money.
“Her name’s Heather Silva. Her father owns Silvaggio’s.”
“Yeah, that’s it. I’ve seen her picture in the paper. She looks damn good in those fancy clothes.”
Eyeing her slim skirt and fashionable blouse, Scott agreed, but in his opinion, she looked even better without them. Not that he’d share such information with Pete. It had been one night, but the memory played through his mind of her long, slender limbs tangled with his as he explored all her lush curves and secrets. Why was she here? She sold real estate. She didn’t buy it. Representing a client maybe.
Pushing back a strand of wheat-colored hair that had escaped from the twisted bun at her nape, she scanned the room, freezing when she saw him. He lifted an eyebrow then grinned before she could turn away. Nope, not today, princess. Your snub isn’t going to work this time.
“Think I’ll go say hi,” he told Pete and pushed away from the wall he’d been holding up.
“How do you know her?” Pete’s eyes widened. “She doesn’t exactly run in your circles.”
“No, but her best friend is married to my cousin, Jack. We’ve known each other for years.”
Years that they’d pretended to be together so he could keep an eye on Callie and her son, Jonathan, while Jack was on the run. But Victor Cabrini, the mob boss who’d put a hit out on Jack, was now dead. He couldn’t hurt them anymore. And there was no reason for Scott and Heather to pretend any longer. They still saw each other because of Jack and Callie, but she’d been avoiding him lately. She must have been slumming it the night they’d been together.
But, hey, sex was sex and he sure wouldn’t complain about having that time with her. As he strolled up behind, her floral perfume filled his nostrils causing more memories to stir, and he had to tamp down his desires. Yeah, keep convincing yourself it was only sex and that it didn’t affect you in any way.
“Princess, this is a little far from the castle, isn’t it?”
Her lips twisted at his gibe, but then the two of them had always been a little heavy on the sarcasm. It was part of their pretense for several years.
“Scott.” Her prim tone wafted toward him and a hint of a smile found its way to her pretty face. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“It’s not like we chat on a regular basis anymore, so no, you wouldn’t.”
“Are you in the market to buy? Don’t people usually hire Holland Construction to work for them?”
“Typically, but I know a good deal when I see one. There’s an old mill I want to purchase and renovate.”
“A mill?” Her eyes narrowed. “Please tell me it’s not the one on Prescott Street in Menatuck by the river?”
Shit. What was her interest?
She trailed a finger down the list of buildings for auction and her tight smile disappeared. “There’s only one mill building on the block today.”
“And I plan to get it,” Scott said, pissed at the thought she might also be bidding. Heather was tenacious when she wanted something. Of course, she’d grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Crossing her arms over her nicely endowed chest, she raised one eyebrow at him. “Can you really afford it?”
He focused his eyes on her face to avoid the memories of her body and what he’d done to it. “Don’t think you can scare me off. I want that building.”
“So do I. And I’m guessing I have more funding than you.”
She might be right, but no
way in hell would he admit it to her. He’d fight her tooth and nail until the end.
“What could you possibly want with an old run-down mill building?”
She cocked her head. “Maybe the same thing you do. To renovate it into something better. That neighborhood hasn’t been great in the past, but a few blocks over they totally rejuvenated some of the old buildings and this one has perfect placement.”
“Isn’t your office in Waterbury?”
“Yes, and it’s only a half hour from the building. Not a long drive.”
“You’re a real estate agent, not a contractor. What do you know about renovating buildings?”
A tinge of doubt entered Heather’s eyes and Scott pounced on it. This woman was too freaking confident in most areas.
“You have no experience with structures like this and what they need. Take my word, this won’t be the cakewalk you think it is. I’ve been inside and the work is extensive. Leave this to the people who know what they’re doing. If you’re real nice to me, maybe I’ll list the property with you when I finish with it.”
“What are your plans? You’ve been redoing mostly college dorms and office buildings.”
Scott slid his hands into his front pockets, trying to move away from her tantalizing scent. It was playing havoc with his thought process. “Which still makes me more qualified than you to take on the renovation. I plan to make it into high-end condos.”
“That’s great, but not the most feasible plan for the area.” Shuffling the file in her hands, she peeked inside then shut it again. “Be nice to me and maybe I’ll contract your company to do the renovations into upscale shops and offices.”
Conversation halted in the room as several people stepped up on the podium to begin the auction. When Heather moved to sit in a row near the back, he followed, dropping into a chair next to her. Maybe not the smartest thing if he wanted to focus on the proceedings. His common sense always took a hit when she was near.
“It’s not exactly the typical location for Silvaggio’s.”
