by Jane Cousins
“I love you, Berry.”
It was a huge moment in his life. Standing on a cliff top. Diving into the deepest ocean. Falling without a net… Big. The one reaction he wasn’t expecting was for Berry to decisively shake her head, a wry smile twisting up the corners of her mouth and state with absolute certainty.
“No, you don’t.”
He froze, analysing her response. She wasn’t rejecting him… not outright. She was categorically declaring that he didn’t love her…? As if she had some supreme insight into his inner feelings. “Berry.” He drained the last of his whiskey and placed the glass down carefully on the coffee table. “This is not a knee jerk declaration because of what happened tonight. It’s not the adrenalin or the massive relief talking. I’m stating for the record… I love you.”
Why did he have to sound so sincere? Berry pushed back hard on the tears that threatened to gather. Poor deluded fool. He was such a sweetheart, but he wouldn’t be the first guy to confuse great sex with love. Damn him… damn Great-Aunt Alma for getting her match making hooks into his gorgeous tight ass and dragging him here. “You’ll get over it.” She assured him, trying hard for a light, careless tone.
“Excuse me?” Ramsey reared back from her slightly in surprise. He really didn’t like that humourless little smile twisting up the edges of her mouth. As if she were in pain, or hurt, but determined to put on a brave front. Just what the hell was going on here?
“Trust me. You don’t love me. You’re just confused… mixing me up with the woman you saw across a court room two years ago. It’s my fault, I fouled up things further for you when I twisted your arm, insisting you agree to a no-strings, purely sex, fling.”
Ramsey chuffed a laugh. “Yeah, you so had to twist my arm. Berry, I don’t know where your head is right now. But I am not confused. I was attracted to the woman I saw across the court room two years ago but it’s you I fell in love with.”
“No.” Berry grit the words out between clenched teeth. “You don’t. And you need to stop saying it.”
Ramsey blew out a confused sigh. “How do you know that I don’t? Why do you sound so damn sure?”
“Because Great-Aunt Alma was wrong! She’s never wrong, but this time… you and me… she made a mistake.” Oh Goddess, Berry could feel the tears welling in her eyes.
“Berry.” Damn, he hated to see her cry. Wanted to wrap her up and hold her until he could fix whatever was wrong, but they needed to have this conversation… so much was on the line. “Wrong how?”
“Great-Aunt Alma is officially the family match maker. She tracked you down and bought you here with the express intention of bringing you and I together.”
Remind him to send Alma a dozen red roses. “You think something went wrong? Between us?” Where had he been? Okay, the path had been kind of convoluted and Berry had been almost killed three times… hmmm, maybe no roses for Alma then… but still, he had found Berry again and the last few weeks, he wouldn’t trade them for a nice staid boring courtship.
“You don’t love me.” Berry grabbed the lapels of her robe, pulling them in tight. Why wasn’t he listening? Why did he keep hammering her with those words? Words she would give anything to hear… if he meant them. “The Great-Greats proved it.”
Ramsey frowned. “The Great-Greats? You mean Adelaide, Daphne and Margot? What the hell do they have to do with all of this?”
Grrr, he was like a dog with a bone. Why wouldn’t he drop this? She was starting to get angry, heat firing through her veins. Leaning forward she let him have it. “You drank the coffee!” She stabbed him in the chest with the tip of her finger. “You wore the cuff-links!” Stab. “You ate the cookie!” Stab. “You don’t love me!” Stab.
“What the hell are you talking about?” He grabbed her hand, tired of being jabbed in the chest.
Berry tried to yank her hand free but he was having none of it, holding it close to his chest so she was forced to sit precariously on the edge of the sofa. “The Great-Greats each hit you with their best love whammy and according to them you just stood there… completely impervious, didn’t even blink an eye.” She tried to yank her hand back one more time.
Ramsey ignored her sad little attempts to free her hand, he was too busy being completely stunned… magic, he should have known. Bloody magic. He started to laugh, Berry sent him a startled look and then scowled fiercely at him, which only made him laugh harder.
It all clicked in to place… why Berry could always see him, no matter how still, how quiet he became. He would never be a shadow to Berry, no matter how adept he became at using his magic… she would always see him, because she loved him. Hmmm, now he just had to get his angry beauty to admit to it.
“Stop laughing.” Berry hissed, wishing she could shoot lightning bolts from her finger tips like Uncle Gunther. Nothing was amusing here, it was a train wreck. Her heart literally aching at the loss of Ramsey… even though he was sitting right in front of her.
“Sorry.” Ramsey managed to dial the laughter back to a smile that tugged constantly at the side of his mouth. “Sorry.” He apologised again, leaning in close, unafraid of the flashes of heated anger and high emotion simmering in Berry’s gorgeous dark chocolate eyes. “Now you listen to me Berry Malone. I love you. I don’t know when it happened… maybe when I walked in and found you naked, trapped by that window and you looked up at me, scowled and accused me of flirting with you. Or maybe it was that day in the court room when you tried to boss me around. Or here in this apartment, when you were outlining our no-strings attached agreement and insisting on all those hands-to-self, no fraternizing outside the bedroom rules and regulations. I love you, and no silly magic coffee, jewellery or hocus-pocus cookie is going to change that. You think I didn’t want to track you down after you cut the cord on us? If you remember, you were the one avoiding me. I had a job to do, and that was finding the bad guy and keeping you safe. A cookie won’t have me declaring my love for you… I was already in love with you! And you love me!” He finished triumphantly.
“I… I…” Berry was kind of flummoxed. His words finally beginning to sink in… he loved her. He hadn’t needed the Great-Greats magic trickery to tip him over the edge because he already loved her. Then his last four words penetrated her brain box, how dare he put words in her mouth. “I…”
Ramsey pulled her in even closer, his warm breath caressing her cheek. “I know you like a good argument Berry, it gets my blood pumping too, but I warn you now, if you try to deny you love me… there will be consequences.”
Berry’s eyebrow quirked up briefly, a soft little smile suddenly playing at the edges of her lips. “Consequences, Hotshot?”
“Berry.” His tone was low, gravelly, part warning, part pleading.
“Damn you Ramsey Hughes, you went and did it, didn’t you? You made me fall in love with you.” She opened her mouth to say more but was prevented as Ramsey’s lips descended on to hers. Umm, what had she been going to say again? Goddess, he was heat, fire and strength beneath her touch as her hands instinctively gripped his shoulders, pulling him even closer. He was hers. Goddess. And she was his… but… she still needed to set some guidelines… be firm. With that in mind she broke their kiss. “We are not… getting married.” She been there and done that, disastrously so.
“No ring.” Ramsey agreed readily.
Berry arched her neck as he trailed kisses down her throat. Hadn’t he agreed a little too readily?
“I want the band-aide.” Ramsey breathed against her ear.
“You what?” Berry immediately pushed him away, her hands trembling… meld? The two of them melded? Entwined, unbreakable, for life… for their very, very long lives when their blood intermingled. “You don’t even know what that means… being melded.”
“I know it’s permanent. I know it means more to you… to your family, than a ring. I want the band-aide Berry… I want you… I want it all.”
Berry gripped him tighter. “You won’t ever be able to walk away. We�
��ll fight.”
“I love fighting with you.”
“You’ll annoy me.” Berry groused, half teasing, half serious.
“I’ll distract you with kisses.”
“You promise to quit looming over me all the time?”
“Sure.” Ramsey agreed readily, dropping a butterfly soft kiss on to those kissable red lips of hers.
“And no more flirting with me, especially in public.”
“Your wish is my command.” Ramsey dropped another kiss on her lips.
“And that look you get in your eyes… no more of that.”
“You got it.” Ramsey bent forward for another quick kiss but Berry stopped him by planting one of her fingers over his warm soft lips.
“Are you just agreeing to everything I say so I’ll say yes to the band-aide?”
“Yes.” He mumbled softly, from behind the pressure of her finger.
Berry studied him closely for a moment, his rugged handsome face, the intriguing scars, his slate grey eyes lit with dark desire. “So tomorrow you’re going to go back to looming, flirting, staring at me and being annoying?”
Ramsey kissed her finger and smiled. “Count on it.”
Berry found herself smiling as well, withdrawing her finger. “Then yes to the band-aide.” This time she kissed him.
* * *
Much later, Berry snuggled against Ramsey’s large, solid, very naked chest. “If you want, we could go over to Hidden Cove tomorrow to meet your relatives. Maybe tell them we’re getting melded.”
Ramsey reached over to stroke away a few of Berry’s dark glossy curls. “Maybe in a few days when Sinclair gets back.”
“Gets back from where?” Berry levered herself up onto her elbows so she could see his face.
“I sent him on a little errand.”
“Errand?” Berry had felt him tense, there was definitely more to this than Ramsey was letting on. “Tell me.”
“So demanding and we’re not even melded yet.” He grinned as she sent him a glare. “Okay, as soon as I heard they had Granger in custody and were transporting him back to New South Wales, I sent Sinclair down to talk to him.”
“About what?” Berry was confused.
“Let’s just say that the shadows are going to be haunting Granger until he gives up the details on those hidden bank accounts of his.”
“Oh, Ramsey.” Berry couldn’t believe it. “That’s wonderful. All those poor people and Joanne! They can have their money back.”
“And you Berry. I know he stole from you as well.”
Berry nodded, squeezing him tight in a hug. “Thank you.” Oh Heavens, she would have money. She could buy a new car. She could afford nice clothes again. And a big ass - cat-proof - lock on her closet door. Though she didn’t think she could part with Great-Great-Aunt Etta’s cast offs.
“You’re very welcome.” Ramsey ran his hands down over her soft silky flesh.
“How can I ever repay you?” Berry asked in the huskiest, sexiest voice she had in her repertoire, rubbing her body against his. A thousand and one naughty options open to her.
“Well as the new permanent Southern Sanctuary Chief of Police, I believe I can come up with an idea or two.”
“Really? Permanent?” Berry bought a hand up to cup his cheek. “When did that happen?”
“Yesterday… well technically, Monday.”
“But we weren’t even speaking then. I’d cut the cord on us.”
“And I was bound and determined that I’d talk you around.”
“Confident there Hotshot?” She leant down and kissed him.
“Even if it took the rest of my life to convince you that we were meant to be together Berry, I would have kept on trying.”
“So…” Berry hovered over him, a smile on her lips. “You know my magic and how it works right?”
Ramsey smiled, hauling her up so she was straddling him. If she still had doubts then he wanted them dealt with here and now. “Bring it.” Meeting her gaze in the dim light, prepared for whatever she had to ask him.
“How can I make you happy?”
Ramsey chuffed a laugh. That was Berry, full of surprises. Damn, he was one lucky man. Slate grey eyes met sparkling dark chocolate. “Just be you Berry… just be you.”
Berry’s magic kicked in, she blinked once… then twice, instead of laughing and having her wicked way with him, there was suddenly a worried frown on her face. “Hold on, why did I just picture me gifting you with a cat in way too many possible futures?”
Ramsey shifted slightly. “About that… I was thinking maybe you and I could get a cat.”
“Seriously?” She reared back. “A cat.” Shuddering at the very idea.
Ramsey rested two large hands on her waist in case she was thinking of making a run for it. Why did everyone react so badly to the cats? Limbo and his buddies had been awesome tonight. “Come on, just think about it… an attack cat of our very own.” He cajoled.
“No.” Berry shook her head. “No… no…absolutely not… no.” She held her palm up. “No.”
Ramsey couldn’t help but laugh, pulling her down to kiss him. “I know where this conversation leads. Okay, the question of us getting a cat together can go on the back burner, for now.”
Berry sank into his kiss. A small part of her already looking forward to the many, many arguments she and Ramsey had ahead of them. Being melded was only going to up the stakes. She knew how much Ramsey liked riling her, prodding her, making her react. The man would bedevil her at every turn and to be truthful, she was more than looking forward to it. Their arguments promised to be frequent, fiery and fun… and the make-up sex to follow… even more so.
Oh Goddess, she loved this man. Bring on the fighting.
The End
About the Author
Jane Cousins is a not so mild mannered IT Project Manager by day. Her greatest working achievement has been to perfect ‘the silent glare of promised retribution’ that encourages her team to meet their promised deadlines. Over the years her job has taken her all around the world, requiring she live in the UK, China and Singapore. Now settled in Melbourne, Australia, she has adopted the night time persona of author. Which generally involves donning a silk mask, hunching over a computer and fighting in the name of alpha males and their more than a match female counterparts everywhere.
A huge fan of witty banter and smoking hot instant attraction, Jane has never let the facts or inconvenient reality interfere with the telling of a great story. Currently she is hard at work on book 6 of the Southern Sanctuary Series – To Date A Disaster – to be released April 2015. Prior to that, be on the lookout for Book 3 in the By The Numbers Series – Three for the Bank Job – Beauty queen & brainiac - Eme’s story. Coming your way January 2015.
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Books by Jane Cousins;
Southern Sanctuary series:
To Woo a Warrior
To Trap a Temptress
To Wrangle a Witch
To Seduce A Siren
To Bedevil A Beauty
To Date A Disaster (coming April 2015)
By the Numbers series:
One For The Wedding
Two For The Show
Three For The Bank Job (Coming Jan 2015)
To Woo a Warrior
(Book One – Southern Sanctuary)
It was common knowledge that Hadleigh Valhalla was a complete failure when it came to men. Too blood thirsty. Too tall at 6.6ft and without a coy bone in her too voluptuous body. If there had been a ‘fun, flirty and feminine’ test she would have failed it hands down.
Thankfully she was much more suited to her role as an Enforcer, protecting her magically enhanced eccentric extended family on a daily basis from all kinds of n
asties. It was a job she loved, much preferring to be out there beheading the baddies than dating any day of the week … much less stressful.
Except now there’s a new threat in town. Great Aunt Alma, the family match maker has returned to the fold and set her sights squarely on all the singletons. Hadleigh will do anything she has to in order to avoid Alma’s matchmaking manoeuvres, even if that means signing on as the newest member of the hit reality TV show ‘Paranormal Exterminators.’
Vaughn, Captain of the Goddess Maat’s elite warriors has a mission, to find and annihilate any and all magical beings that threaten to tilt the scales of justice into chaos.
A paranormal reality TV show provides the perfect cover. But there’s trouble on set. Their only female cast member has gone missing and they need a replacement fast. Enter Hadleigh Valhalla, the most luscious thing on two legs he’s seen in a century. From the moment he sets eyes on her he’s determined to make her his.
There’s only one problem, Hadleigh insists she has a strict no dating policy. Claiming she’d rather be fighting than flirting.
A series of mishaps means it’s a race against time for Vaughn and Hadleigh to discover just who is targeting the show and stop them before someone gets seriously hurt or dead. While doing so Vaughn intends to teach Hadleigh to break all the rules and prove to her she is just as much woman as she is warrior.
His warrior. His woman.
To Trap a Temptress
(Book Two - Southern Sanctuary)
What Nell needs is a man - a completely shocking, ridiculously inappropriate, insanely unsuitable, ludicrously improper man.
Considered too vanilla in a world full of flavours Doctor Nell Montgomery’s dating life is a barren waste land with few prospects on the horizon. Tired of being labelled the nice girl, she’s decided she needs a life make-over stat. With that in mind she instigates a bold plan to shatter her nice girl image irretrievably. All she needs is one shockingly inappropriate man. When she does find him she intends to seduce the heck out of him and bury her goody two shoes reputation once and for all.
