By the time he arrived, he felt calmer, but still sure of his decision. He noticed Danette’s car was not in the driveway. Good. They’d have a moment alone—except for the baby. And that’s the way it would be going forward, he told himself.
Kera opened the door, gave him a hug, and pulled him into the living room. Micah was sleeping in his playpen near the couch.
“Let’s sit,” she said. “We need to talk.” She eased down onto the couch.
Jackson dropped to his knees on the floor in front of her and took her hands. He wished he had a ring, but this was too important to wait. “Kera, I’ve been a fool. I love you, and I want to spend my life with you. Will you marry me?”
At first, she looked panicked, then his gorgeous girlfriend burst out laughing.
Jackson smiled, realizing he’d been holding his breath. “That’s not quite the reaction I expected.”
She stroked his hair. “I love you too, but we’re not getting married. At least not anytime soon.”
“You’re turning me down?” He didn’t know whether to feel rejected or relieved.
“Not exactly. I hope we do get married someday, and I’m glad you’re thinking in that direction, but we have too much family stuff to work through first.” Kera smiled and patted the couch beside her. “Please get off your knees. I know it’s painful for you.”
Jackson let out a mock sigh and clambered up to the couch. He gently touched her face. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I’m sorry I put us through that. I knew it was a mistake as soon as you walked out the door. I realize I had unreasonable expectations.” She kissed him passionately, and the pain he’d carried in his chest for days melted away. Kera pulled back. “I know I’m as busy as you are, and I don’t always put you first either. We both have to try harder to find time for each other.”
The tension was leaving his body in great waves. “We will. Let’s start with a vacation—a real vacation where we fly somewhere together and lay on a warm beach.”
“That sounds lovely.” Kera leaned in to kiss him again. The baby’s cry cut through the moment. Kera turned reflexively to look at her grandson, then gave Jackson a smile. “Just the two of us?”
“Absolutely.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photograph by Gwen Rhoads, 2011
L.J. Sellers is a native of Eugene, Oregon, the setting of her thrillers. She’s an award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist, as well as a cyclist, social networker, and thrill-seeking fanatic. A long-standing fan of police procedurals, she counts John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Ridley Pearson, and Lawrence Sanders among her favorites. Her own novels, featuring Detective Jackson, include The Sex Club, Secrets to Die For, Thrilled to Death, Passions of the Dead, Dying for Justice, Liars, Cheaters & Thieves, and Rules of Crime. In addition, she’s penned three standalone thrillers: The Baby Thief, The Gauntlet Assassin, and The Suicide Effect. When not plotting crime, she’s also been known to perform standup comedy and occasionally jump out of airplanes.
Liars, Cheaters, & Thieves (A Detective Jackson Mystery) Page 26
