Blush

by Nicola Marsh

  “I appreciate your honesty but nothing has changed for me. I love you. And I should’ve told you when I rocked up at your house today. That was the plan, to tell you I was leaving politics and would you give us a shot at a real relationship. But we got sidetracked…and I guessed about the baby…and you thought I was sticking around just for the baby’s sake…fuck,” he muttered, holding out his hands to her and compressing his lips until she took hold of them. “I’ve never had a committed relationship in my life. Politics consumed me. But it lost its appeal months ago and even if you hadn’t come along and bewitched me, I would’ve probably left.”

  Adele dared herself to hope. A hope that flared when he raised her left hand to his lips and kissed her ring finger.

  “I’m a selfish prick. I always get what I want. And right now I want a ring on this finger telling the world you’re mine. I want us to be a family. And to raise our child away from the spotlight.”

  Her heart soared as his lips grazed her knuckles. “I want to make a bucket list and do everything on it twice and cook exotic dinners for my fiancée when she comes home from the office.” He kissed his way along her fingers. “I want to work part-time at a job that doesn’t bust my balls and not have to wear a stuffy suit every frigging day and still have enough energy to come home to read bedtime stories to our kid.”

  His words painted such a tempting picture of domestic bliss that Adele forgot to breathe.

  It was what she’d always wanted, a family of her own. A family she’d never had growing up.

  But she’d never dared to dream it could really happen for her.

  Until now.

  Reid accepted her unconditionally. He knew her deepest, darkest secret and he wasn’t repulsed.

  Her baby was going to have one hell of a dad.

  “I never imagined I’d meet someone like you, let alone love you and have that love returned.” She gripped his hands so tight he winced and she laughed, easing back on the crush. “And I do love you. More than I can say. I’ve pushed you away because I didn’t want your reputation tainted by my past or your career damaged.”

  She eased a hand out of his to cup his cheek. “But to have you accept me totally? To have you love me and want me in your life forever?”

  Her thumb brushed his bottom lip. “How can I say no to that?”

  He let out an exalted whoop as he bundled her into his arms and hugged so tight she yelped.

  “Sorry,” he said, easing back to stare at her with a heady mix of adoration and anticipation and love. “So, I guess the only remaining question is, shall we head back on the jet tonight and get hitched or wait ’til the morning?”

  Indescribable joy filled Adele and tears welled again. Those damn hormones. “A quickie Vegas wedding? Seriously?”

  “It’s settled, tonight then.” He stood and tugged her to her feet, their mingling laughter the sweetest sound she’d ever heard. “Give me thirty minutes to get things organized.”

  “Still bossy and commanding, huh?”

  “Yeah, and don’t you forget it, wife-to-be.”

  She squealed as he wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up and twirled her. “Besides, think of the wedding night we’re going to have.”

  Adele blushed as he lowered her slowly, their bodies sliding against each other until her feet touched the floor.

  “I love how I can read your reactions,” he said, tracing her cheek where residual heat still lingered. “My blushing bride. Just perfect.”

  “No, you and I are perfect,” she said, kissing him to prove it.

  EPILOGUE

  “Have you seen the latest?” Chantal flipped her cell screen so Adele could read it. “You’re trending on every social media site across America.”

  “Who cares?” Adele shoved the cell away. “Nothing people can say will affect us now.”

  Chantal chuckled and grabbed her left hand. “And you’ve got the gold band to prove it.”

  Adele stared at her wedding ring, mesmerized by its shiny newness. “I still can’t believe any of this has happened.”

  “I was a witness to the ceremony, babe, so you better believe it.” Chantal pointed to the foyer of the wedding chapel where Reid was deep in conversation with the other witness, Zane. “Besides, if this isn’t real, it means that incredibly hot Aussie is a fantasy and I’ve hallucinated him to get me out of the longest man-drought in history.”

  Adele laughed. “What did you two get up to between picking him up at the airport and now?”

  “I’d like to tell you I dragged him back to Burlesque Bombshell and had wild monkey sex with him on my desk, on the stage and in every other freaking room in the place.” Chantal sighed, her wistful stare lingering on Zane, who Adele had to admit, even as a newly married blissful bride, was super sexy: a strapping, dark blonde version of Hugh Jackman in a tux. “But the dufus said he was jetlagged and wanted to be dropped at his hotel.”

  “And?”

  “That’s it, nada.” Chantal shrugged. “Though he did take a rain check on my tour guide services.”

  Adele nudged her. “That sounds promising?”

  “Yeah, but I don’t like cocky guys and he seems like one of the best.”

  “Newsflash, sweetie. You’re pretty confident too. So you two?” Adele smashed her palms together in a mock explosion. “I predict fireworks.”

  “Shut up, the guys are heading this way,” Chantal hissed, straightening with a deliberate toss of her sleek blonde hair.

  “What are you two whispering about?” Reid said, slipping a possessive arm around Adele’s waist and she gladly snuggled in close.

  “Talking about the ceremony,” Adele said, as Chantal piped up and said, “Discussing the obsession men have with their balls.”

  Adele glared at her brash friend while Reid and Zane guffawed.

  “In that case, I’m whisking my beautiful bride away before she’s corrupted any further.” Reid nodded at Zane. “And I’ll leave you to handle the livewire.”

  “With pleasure.” As Zane locked gazes with Chantal, Adele could’ve sworn she saw sparks sizzle in the air.

  “Let’s go,” Reid said, lowering his head to whisper in her ear, “we’ve got a wedding night to celebrate.”

  Adele tingled at the thought.

  “Have fun, you two,” she said, waving at Zane and Chantal, who had finally broken their staring contest.

  “Same to you, hun.” Chantal winked. “Go jump his bones already.”

  Adele shook her head, her friend’s outrageous proclamations nothing new. Zane had his hands full with Chantal.

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” Reid said, shaking Zane’s hand and kissing Chantal on the cheek. “Wife? Shall we?”

  He held his hand out to her and Adele took it, knowing she’d never get tired of hearing that word…wife.

  After she kissed Chantal and Zane, Reid guided her outside to where their limo waited.

  “Ready to start our new life together?”

  Adele flung her arms around Reid’s neck. “You have no idea how much,” she said, a moment before she kissed him, with no intention of stopping any time soon.

  Jeez, she loved pregnancy hormones.

  Watch for Chantal and Zane’s story releasing in 2014.

  Curious to see how Jess and Jack got together?

  Read BRASH, out now from all e-retailers.

  Here’s a snippet:

  CHAPTER ONE

  Burlesque Bombshell Basics

  Sexy on the inside translates to sexy on the outside.

  Jess Harper was the first to admit, sex made her uncomfortable.

  Not the act itself, despite the lackluster efforts by her ex, but the paraphernalia that surrounded her every time she stepped into Burlesque Bombshell, her cousin’s Vegas dance venue.

  The nipple tassels and diamante thongs and shiny poles made her feel inadequate. Like all that overt sexiness screamed she was a failure in the boudoir. She wasn’t. It was the dorks she allowed in there tha
t needed lessons: Getting It On 101.

  She pushed through a phalanx of fuchsia feather fans and slipped into the main dressing room, only to be confronted by nudity.

  “Jeez, put some clothes on,” she said, unable to resist brushing against the vermillion velvet walls as she entered. The plushness of this room never failed to bring out her inner vixen.

  “Don’t like the view? You know where the door is.” Zazz, Burlesque Bombshell’s premier dancer, leaned closer to the gilt edged, beveled mirror and puckered up, before slicking vivid crimson across her lips.

  “Not a problem. But then who’d plan your gargantuan wedding, huh?” Jess picked up an armful of feather boas and draped them over a mannequin before slouching on a plush peacock blue suede daybed. “Wedding of the century, babe. Your quote, not mine.”

  “Whatever.” Zazz batted her eyelash extensions and pouted. “Table arrangements finalized?”

  “Yep. Ruby linen tablecloths. Matching chairs tied with black bows. Elongated glass vases filled with ebony crystals and long feathers. Silverware. Black candles. And bling name holders—”

  “Whoa. Detail overload.” Zazz held up her hands. “As long as it matches the pics of that swank London Goth wedding you showed me in a bridal mag, I’m happy.”

  “Easy to please.” Jess used her hand as a fake notebook and jotted with an imaginary pen. “Not.”

  “You’re snooty because I haven’t told you the venue yet.” Zazz sniggered. “Trust me, you’re going to love it.”

  Jess didn’t have to love it. In fact, she couldn’t give a flying fig if the venue had rope swings hanging from the roof and chains from the chandeliers. The faster she was done doing this favor for her mom, who’d coerced her into planning this wedding from her sickbed, the faster she could figure out what she’d do with the rest of her life.

  One thing Jess knew for sure; it wouldn’t be helping Pam, her flamboyant mom, plan any more crazy weddings.

  “And wait ‘til you hear about the food.” Zazz shrugged into an emerald satin kimono embroidered with topaz crystals. “Michelin starred. Exotic. To die for.”

  “Good. Faster I know about the cake, faster I can get onto the cake table decorations.”

  Zazz cinched the sash at her waist, accentuating her knockout hourglass figure. “The chef should be here shortly so you can sit down together and go over boring deets like which canapés go with which wines.”

  “Goody.” Jess clapped her hands in fake excitement. Last thing she felt like doing today was collaborating with some temperamental, egotistical chef. Visiting her mom first thing had been bad enough. “Getting back to the venue. You know I can’t finalize everything ‘til I see the room, get a feel for the layout—”

  “Relax. We’re flying you and the chef out to the island end of the week.”

  “Island?” Jess’s jaded soul couldn’t help but perk up at the idea of a free trip to some exotic island. “Where?”

  “Prince Island.”

  “Never heard of it.” Not that Jess cared. Any place with island in the title? She was there with flip-flops on.

  Zazz smirked. “That’s because my darling fiancé owns the island. Six star resort and private villas. Totally exclusive. Invitation only.”

  Jess clutched her heart in mock shock. “Serious?”

  Zazz laughed. “Yeah, who would’ve thought Dorian would be a romantic?”

  Nothing the doting groom did would surprise Jess. Dorian Gibbs owned most of Nevada and ruled Vegas but held his coveted bachelorhood as the biggest prize. Until he’d attended a Bombshell soiree, taken one glimpse at Zazz and fallen head over heels.

  Jess didn’t believe in clichés but there was something undeniably electric when Dorian and Zazz were in the same room. Pity the odd lightning bolt or two couldn’t strike her. She could do with a good jumpstart. Her love life was on par with her career—down the toilet.

  “Dorian would gift you the world on a silver platter if he could.”

  “I’m worth it.” Zazz wriggled her fingers into a white satin glove and rolled it up to her elbow, smoothing it before repeating the elegant action on the other arm. “You are too, hun, and you’d know it if you’d ever let me fix you up with one of his friends.”

  “I prefer my guy to be in the same decade.”

  “Bitch.” Zazz laughed. “Trust me, there’s something to be said for an older man.” She shimmied her hips, complete with a few crude pelvic thrusts. “They have the moves and know how to use them.”

  Jess winced. “If that’s an indication of Dorian’s moves, you can keep them.”

  “And relish them twice a day.” Zazz propped on the end of her dresser and folded her arms. “Seriously, when’s the last time you had a date?”

  Jess opened her mouth to respond and Zazz rushed on, “One that didn’t involve battery operated apparatus.”

  “I get out.”

  Zazz harrumphed. “Taking your mom to rehab doesn’t count.”

  “She needs my help.”

  “She’s had a stroke and is taking full advantage of the fact to have you at her beck and call.” Zazz shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate you stepping in to take over as my wedding planner. But Pam’s milking this for all she’s worth.”

  Didn’t Jess know it. Sure, she felt sorry for her vibrant mom suffering a stroke that rendered her left side immobilized. And she didn’t begrudge helping her. What she couldn’t stand was the constant interference in her life when she’d escaped Pam’s smothering years earlier.

  They may live in Craye Canyon, an hour out of Vegas, but that’s where the similarities between her life and her mom’s ended.

  Pam went through boyfriends like coffee filters. She pranced around town in mini skirts and tube tops, had her hair blow-waved daily and cleaned out the town’s cosmetic supply on a regular basis. She planned weddings with panache and style, at odds with her loud, brash self.

  Little wonder Jess had chosen an occupation far removed from her mom’s flamboyance. Town librarian was staid, unassuming and quiet. It suited Jess just fine. Until she’d heard rumors the local council considered Craye Canyon Library a dead loss and would downsize soon, so she saved them the trouble and quit, leaving her jobless and directionless.

  In a way, planning Zazz’s wedding had given her breathing space to decide where she went from here. One thing Jess knew, she was tired of her boring life. Sick to death of it. Zazz was right. She needed to shake things up a little.

  “You need an island fling.” Zazz snapped her fingers, her grin positively evil. “Hot stud. Sun, surf, sex.”

  Sounded pretty damn perfect. “And here I was, thinking you were flying me to some island to plan your wedding.”

  Zazz waved away her concern. “It’ll happen, I have full confidence in you.”

  “The wedding or the sex?”

  “Both.” Zazz’s eyes narrowed as she smirked. “How do you like your eggs in the morning?”

  “Huh?”

  “The chef?” Zazz fanned her face. “Unbe-freaking-lievable. Sex on legs.”

  “Yeah, right.” Jess rolled her eyes. “Those black and white checkered pants do it for me every time.”

  Zazz laughed. “Trust me, once you get a look at this guy, those ugly pants won’t be staying on for long.”

  “Chefs aren’t my type.”

  The moment the lie tumbled from Jess’s lips, memories long suppressed flashed before her eyes.

  An outback holiday in Australia. A cattle station cook. A kiss that defied belief. And a refusal that burned, real bad.

  Jack McVeigh graced TV screens the world over these days, a constant reminder of what she’d once wanted and couldn’t have. With that bad boy stubble, murky green eyes and lazy smile, no great surprise he’d won the hearts of viewers glued to his gourmet cooking show with the same ease he’d won hers.

  Pity the celebrity chef preferred to break hearts along with eggs.

  “Trust me, babe. If this chef can’t get in
to your panties, no one will.”

  Unease rippled down Jess’s spine like a premonition. “Who’s this mystery guy?”

  Zazz glanced at her watch. “You’ll see for yourself in five minutes. I asked him to meet us here.”

  Jess ignored the persistent tingle that maybe, just maybe, Zazz’s chef could be Jack.

  Impossible, considering Jack was based in Sydney and had enough gigs to keep him busy into the next century. Yeah, she Googled him, so what?

  Besides, Zazz had said the chef catering the wedding was an old friend of Dorian’s so the guy had to be the same vintage.

  She didn’t know what bothered her more: the sliver of disappointment she wouldn’t see Jack face to face after a decade or the inhuman leap of her libido at the thought of a little one-on-one island time with the sexy chef.

  “I need to check my final show times with Chantal.” Zazz slipped her dainty feet into a pair of marabou feather mules and tightened the sash on her robe. “I’ll be back in time for our meeting.”

  “What’s his name—” Jess called out to Zazz’s retreating back, wishing she had half the hip wiggle the sassy dancer had.

  When Jess walked, men didn’t stumble or gawk. She didn’t warrant second glances or come-ons. She achieved exactly what she wanted to—anonymity and serenity, two qualities far removed from her boisterous, cringe-worthy mom.

  With a sigh, she stood and wandered around the room, her fingertips stroking the satins and silks, savoring the lush fabrics she could never wear in a million years.

  Her fingers snagged on a set of gold spangled pasties complete with sparkly-fringed tassels and she picked them up, held them over her nipples, and grimaced.

  So not her.

  “Hey Jess.”

  Shock ripped through the carefully constructed poise Jess had honed to a fine art over the years as her hands fell to her sides.

  She’d envisaged her first meeting with Jack over the years. Kinda inevitable, with her brother Reid being his best mate.