by Marie Force
“You know,” David said, “there’re ways you could make his life miserable around here, all within the confines of the law, of course.”
Blaine’s small smile indicated he’d had similar thoughts. “Of course.” He stood to leave and reached out to shake David’s hand. “If you ever want to grab a beer sometime, let me know.”
“I’ll do that.” After years of feeling like a social pariah on the island, it was nice to know he had a few new friends. “You’ll keep me posted on the situation with Truck?”
“Sure. I’m on my way to talk to Daisy now, too.”
“I could save you a trip and update her for you.”
“As much as I’d appreciate that, I promised her I’d keep her in the loop. I don’t want to disappoint her.”
“I understand.” Since disappointing her was the last thing he wanted to do either, David could totally relate. “Tell her I’ll be there shortly.” David would cut short the paperwork he’d planned to do to make sure he was there for her when she needed him.
“Will do. Take it easy.”
“You, too. Good luck with the Sturgil situation. Call me if you need a partner in crime.”
“You got it,” Blaine said, laughing as he left with a wave.
For several minutes after Blaine left, David stared into space, his pen seesawing between his fingers as he contemplated whether or not he should go to her now or wait until after Blaine had a chance to talk to her.
Imagining her expressive face as she heard that Truck might be released from jail, David dropped the pen, grabbed his jacket and ran out of there, anxious to get to her before she heard the news.
On the way home from the hotel that afternoon, Daisy decided to take a detour into town to check out a store that she’d heard lots about but had never actually visited. After last night’s encounter in David’s bed, Daisy had decided it was up to her to show him that she was ready to take their relationship to the next level.
And to do that, she needed help. What kind of help she wasn’t entirely sure, but from what she’d heard, Naughty & Nice was the place to find out. The bells on the door jingled cheerfully when she stepped inside a room filled with sensual decadence. There was no other word for it.
Maddie’s sister Tiffany waved to her, but she was on the phone, so Daisy decided to look around on her own. In the small store, she couldn’t help but overhear Tiffany’s call, especially when her voice was raised.
“He cannot do this, Dan. We have to stop him. I won’t be forced into getting married sooner than I want to because Jim is being a bully.” She paused, listened. “I don’t care. He can take me to court. Blaine is moving in whether Jim likes it or not. I have a hundred people on this island who will testify to the fact that I put him through law school and then got dumped when he started making money and lost interest in me.” After another pause, she said, “That’s fine. If he wants a fight, he’s got one. Thanks, Dan. I appreciate it.”
Tiffany ended the call and came over to greet Daisy with a hug. “I’m so sorry about that. My damned ex-husband is acting up again.”
“Because Blaine is moving in?”
“Yes! Can you believe his gall? He dumps me and then has the nerve to protest when I fall in love with someone else and want to live with him?”
“That certainly does take nerve.”
“One thing Jim has an overabundance of. Anyway, you’re not here to talk about my troubles, and I’m sorry again you overheard that. Very unprofessional of me to be venting at work.”
“It’s just me. Don’t worry, and besides, I’m no fan of his after he took Truck’s case.”
“I’m glad it was a friend who overheard that call.” Tiffany stood back and took a closer look at Daisy.
“What?” Daisy asked, feeling self-conscious as she often did around Maddie’s stunning younger sister. With her silky dark hair and drop-dead-gorgeous body, Tiffany was the kind of woman Daisy wanted to be—fun, fearless, sexy, confident.
“You look…different. Your cheeks are rosy and your lips are sort of swollen.” She zeroed in for a closer look. “And is that whisker burn on your neck? Girl! Are you keeping secrets?”
Daisy raised her hand to her neck, wondering how she’d failed to notice razor burn on her own neck. “It’s not really a secret.”
“Who is he?”
“David Lawrence.”
Tiffany’s eyes got very big, and her lips pursed with what might’ve been concern.
“Don’t worry. I already know about his litany of sins.”
“How did you find out?”
“He told me.”
“Did he now? Well, props to him for coming clean.”
“He deeply regrets the way he hurt Janey.”
“That matters.”
“Yes, it does.”
“So what can I help you with?”
“Well, ever since the incident with Truck, David has been very kind and very sweet to me. We started out as friends, but now we’ve sort of started kind of dating and making out and stuff like that.”
“Mmm,” Tiffany said with a knowing smile. “I love stuff like that.”
Daisy couldn’t contain the laugh that escaped her lips. Tiffany was always incorrigible. “Anyway,” Daisy said, forcing herself to continue despite feeling somewhat embarrassed that she needed this kind of help. “He’s been very gentle with me and is moving very, very slowly. Too slowly, if you know what I mean.”
“Ah.” A light of understanding bloomed in Tiffany’s eyes. “You need a little help…moving things along. Am I right?”
“Yes,” Daisy said, relieved that Tiffany understood the problem. “I want him to know I’m not as fragile as he thinks I am.”
Tiffany bounced a fingertip on her lips. “Let me think.” She eyed Daisy shrewdly. “We need to get him so hot he can’t think. He can only act.”
“I’m a tiny bit afraid of you right now.”
Tiffany laughed and took Daisy by the hand. “Stick with me, kid. We’ll have that man on his knees begging you.”
While Daisy wasn’t at all sure she wanted him to beg, she put her trust in Tiffany and let her lead her into a changing room.
She left the store thirty minutes later wearing a sexy new dress over positively scandalous underwear. As she walked home, the thong Tiffany had talked her into abraded her most sensitive region, forcing her to walk slowly or risk making a scene on the sidewalk.
The trip to the store had taken longer than planned, and David was due anytime. Her shopping outing had also cost more than she could comfortably afford to spend, but she’d yet to do anything to celebrate her new job, and the new clothes were a worthwhile investment toward a good cause.
She wanted so badly for David to think of her as healthy and whole rather than fragile and timid. She wanted him to see strength when he looked at her and not fear. Those days were over. The time she’d spent with him had shown her what a healthy relationship should be like, and now that she’d found him, she wanted to move forward the way any other woman would when she met a man she couldn’t resist.
Thus the underwear that had her on the verge of orgasmic meltdown just from thinking about him as she walked. If they had that effect on her, she couldn’t wait to find out what they did for him. She turned the corner to her street and stopped short when she saw Blaine’s SUV parked at the curb. He leaned against it and talked to David, who was sitting on her top step.
Since David wasn’t due for another twenty minutes, she concluded that something had happened. Daisy wanted to turn and run from whatever they’d come to tell her. But because she’d left fear behind, she forced herself to walk slowly down the sidewalk so they wouldn’t know how fast her heart was beating or how tightly the anxiety gripped her.
David saw her coming and jumped up, his eyes traveling over her body in a hungry stare that indicated his approval of the new dress. He held out a hand to her, and Daisy stepped forward to take it. “What’s wrong? Why are you both here?”
“Let’s go inside, honey,” David said. “Blaine wants to talk to you.”
“Did he get out of jail?” Daisy asked, unable to move until that question was answered.
“No,” Blaine said.
The flood of relief made her knees go weak. David’s arm around her waist helped her to remain standing as he led her into the house.
When she and David were seated on the ragged sofa she’d found by the side of a road two summers ago and Blaine in a rocking chair she had sanded and stained after rescuing it from a yard sale, Daisy braced herself for what she was about to hear. She was grateful for David’s arm around her as well as the unwavering support he’d shown her throughout the ordeal.
Slowly and gently, Blaine told her what the assistant attorney general had said about the attempted sexual assault charges that were pending against Truck. She’d feared something like this—a technicality that would get him off the hook.
“Without evidence to tie him specifically to the attempted rape,” Blaine concluded, “those charges could be dropped. If that happens, the judge may approve bail while he awaits trial on the assault charges.”
As she thought of Truck going free and coming back to find the woman he blamed for putting him in jail in the first place, Daisy began to tremble. And here she’d thought she was past the fear. Apparently not, if the possibility of Truck’s release made her shake like a frightened doe.
“It’s okay,” David whispered as he tightened his hold on her. “He won’t get anywhere near you. Not while I’m around.”
“We’ll do our very best to protect you, Daisy,” Blaine assured her. “And I’ll keep you posted on anything I hear pertaining to the case.”
“Thank you. I appreciate you coming here to talk to me in person.”
“If you need anything, anything at all, I want you to call me,” Blaine said. “Day or night, I’m available. Don’t hesitate. All right?”
Daisy nodded.
Blaine stood to leave.
“Tiffany is upset about Jim,” Daisy said, apparently taking Blaine by surprise as every muscle in his face turned to stone. “I was with her just now. She was talking to Dan, and she sounded upset. I thought you’d like to know that she might need you.”
“I definitely want to know. Thanks, Daisy. I’ll let myself out.”
When the door clicked closed behind Blaine, David sat back on the sofa and brought her with him so her head was on his chest. “Talk to me. Tell me how you’re feeling.”
“I’m scared, and I don’t want to be.”
“I know it’s really hard, but try not to be. He’s still locked up where he belongs, but if that changes, you’ve got a whole lot of people on this island who care about you. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I’m tired of being afraid all the time. It gets so exhausting.”
“You don’t have to be afraid. I’m here, Daisy. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. You’re not alone in this. Not anymore.”
His kind words broke the dam that had been holding her emotions in check. A sob escaped her lips and tears streamed down her cheeks. She’d never had a man in her life who she could truly count on, and here he was, this amazing, sexy doctor offering to be that person for her.
“I don’t want to drag you into my mess.”
“I’m already there, baby, and you didn’t drag me. I came willingly.” He wiped the tears off her face with the gentle brush of his fingers, and then he tipped her chin up to compel her to meet his gaze. “I’m here, and I’m going to be here no matter what happens. I promise.”
Daisy threw her arms around him and held on to the comfort and security he offered so willingly. Did he have any idea how much both those things meant to her? Or that she’d never felt entirely comfortable or secure with a man?
“Can we talk about this dress and how I nearly swallowed my tongue when I saw you coming down the street looking so sexy?”
That drew a watery laugh from her as she pulled back from him and dried her eyes. “I wanted to surprise you with something new.”
“You surprised me all right. You surprise me all the time.” He cupped her cheek and ran his thumb over her face. “You look gorgeous. Even more so than usual.”
“Thank you.”
“I was able to get new reservations at Domenic’s, but if you don’t feel like going out, I totally understand.”
Determined not to let the threat of Truck’s release get in the way of another lovely evening with David, Daisy took his hand. “I feel like going.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very sure.”
“First things first,” he said, drawing her into a kiss. “I’ve been thinking about that all day.”
“So have I, along with a few other things.”
Groaning from her suggestive words, he kissed her again, longer and deeper this time, until they were both breathless and clinging to each other.
As she stared into his eyes, it became clear to her that she’d never known true desire until she knew him.
“We should go so I don’t ruin all chances of ever getting another reservation at Domenic’s.”
“Right,” she said, shaking off the stupor that accompanied the desire.
He helped her up and drew her into his embrace. “Everything’s going to be okay, Daisy. We’ll see to it, okay?”
She nodded and held on tight to him—and his assurances.
Chapter 9
Blaine left Daisy’s house and went straight to Tiffany’s store, anxious to hear the latest in the ongoing saga with Jim the douchebag. What he really wanted was to pay a visit to her ex-husband and teach him a thing or two about how you treat the mother of your child. But all that would accomplish was getting Blaine into trouble with the mayor that he didn’t need on top of everything else he and Tiffany were dealing with.
The thing that really burned his ass was she was finally happy. They both were. He’d never been so happy, never knew this level of happy even existed. When someone threatened those he loved, Blaine’s first impulse was to come out swinging. But that wouldn’t help Tiffany, and his entire focus was on whatever she needed. While bashing in the pretty-boy face of her sanctimonious ex-husband might make him feel a hell of a lot better, it would probably only increase Jim’s resolve to go after custody of Ashleigh—a thought that struck fear in Blaine’s heart. He’d become awfully attached to Tiffany’s adorable little girl and would do anything he could to keep her with them.
Outside the store, Blaine parked at the curb and went inside, the bells that had become so familiar to him announcing his arrival. And there she was, his love, his life, his woman. His entire body reacted to the sight of her as it had from the first time he laid eyes on her in her sister’s room at the clinic almost two years ago now.
“Hey, baby,” he said as he walked toward her, pleased by the delight he saw in her eyes. She was always so damned happy to see him. No one had ever been so glad to see him. “I saw Daisy and heard the dickhead is giving you grief again. What happened?”
“Come hug me good and hard, and then I’ll tell you.”
“You know I love it good and hard. Always happy to oblige.”
Her dirty laugh went straight to his heart. He loved her so goddamned much that sometimes it scared the hell out of him to think about all the ways it was possible to screw up the most perfect thing in his life.
He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in the scent of strawberries that clung to her hair and skin. That scent had positively bewitched him from the very first moment he spent in her presence. “What now?”
“He’s not backing down. If you move in, he’s taking me back to court to get full custody of Ashleigh.”
“Then I won’t move in.”
Her arms tightened around him, squeezing the air out of his lungs. “Yes, you will. We’re not going to let him bully us. If he takes me back to court, I’ll march everyone I know in there to tell the judge how he let me work two jobs to put him t
hrough law school and then dumped me as soon as the money started rolling in.”
“Thank God he dumped you. Best thing to ever happen to me.”
She framed his face with her hands and brought him down for a kiss. “Best thing to ever happen to me, too. He’s jealous because we have each other, and he has no one. If we let him push us around now, the next fifteen years until Ashleigh turns eighteen are going to be hell on earth.” Her hands fell to his chest as she took a long, perusing look at him, making his skin burn with desire.
“What?”
“I love you in your uniform.” She fanned her face. “So hot.”
“I love you in absolutely nothing.” He nuzzled her neck and made her giggle when he hit one of her ticklish spots. “Are you done here?”
“Since I own the place, I suppose I could close up a little early. What do you have in mind, Chief?”
“Where’s Ashleigh?”
“Having a sleepover with my mom, Ned and Thomas.”
“A night all to ourselves?” He wanted to sing hallelujah.
“Looks that way.”
“Christ, I’m already hard as a rock just thinking about a full night alone with you.”
Smiling, she said, “Are you off duty as you sport this hard-as-a-rock erection?”
“As of twenty minutes ago.”
Damn if she didn’t cup and squeeze him until his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “We can’t let something that fine go to waste.” With one last, emphatic squeeze, she released him and went to turn the Open sign to Closed and lock the door.
When she returned to him, he took her hand and led her directly to the storeroom.
“Have I ever told you this is my favorite part of your store?” he asked when he had her in the relatively private back room.
“But this is the part no one ever sees.”
“Exactly,” he said as he captured her mouth in a searing kiss that nearly blew the top right off his head. Cupping her ass, he lifted her and pressed her against the wall. “Have I ever told you,” he asked as his lips went to work on her neck, “how insanely hot you make me?”
