by Meg Ripley
“I see.” In the chaos surrounding the party, Blane had practically forgotten there was another investigation going on. “Come into the living room. Courtney will want to hear this, too.” She may still plan to leave him and go back to school, but at least for the time being, she was Amanda’s caretaker. He led the men into the next room.
Courtney had taken Amanda from her bassinet, holding the baby in her left arm so as not to disturb her stitches too much. She lifted one eyebrow in curiosity. “What’s this all about?”
Detective Berkeley looked uncomfortable. “As you know, we’ve been working to track down the mother of the child that was left on your doorstep a couple weeks ago. We’ve been gathering surveillance footage and hospital records and interviewing anyone who might possibly been linked to the case. Abandoning a baby is a serious offense, as I’m sure you know, even if the child is left with his or her father.”
Blane swallowed and glanced at Courtney. Her face was a neutral mask, but he knew how much she cared for Amanda. This could turn their lives upside down once again, and he wasn’t sure either one of them was ready for that. “Go on.”
“It turns out the mother was named Sarah Porter. Does the name ring a bell?”
Blane remembered her instantly. “Yeah, it does.” They had met at a party, and she had been a wardrobe assistant on the new Star Trek movie. They’d hit it off and slipped away together for a good time, but that had been the last time he saw her. “Wait. Was?”
Berkeley nodded. “I’m afraid so. It turns out she had some complications with the birth, and she died shortly thereafter. She left the child with her best friend, confessing that you were the father and asked her to bring the baby to you. We found the friend, and she claimed she was too upset to confront you about it. She’s the one who left Amanda on the doorstep, and she watched from across the street to make sure she was taken inside.”
Blane sat down heavily. He hadn’t had a real attachment to Sarah, but it was still shocking to know the mother of his child was dead. He hadn’t been ready for a family, but he would have done his best to make it right if he had known about the pregnancy. “I don’t know why she didn’t tell me.”
The detective shrugged. “I can’t say for sure, but her friend claimed she didn’t want Amanda to grow up in the spotlight as the child of a celebrity. I checked with the lab, and the paternity test you did came back positive. You’re definitely Amanda’s father.”
“I already knew that.” Blane hadn’t needed a test to know that Amanda was his. As soon as he had held her, he had known. And even if the test had somehow claimed that she was someone else’s child, he already knew that he could never give her up. She was his, and that was final. “Is there anything else?”
“Not much. It turns out Miss Porter didn’t have any living family, so I don’t think you’ll have anyone coming forward to challenge you on custody rights. But if there’s anything else you need, just let us know.”
“Of course. Thank you, Detective.” Blane showed them out, his mind reeling. He was stunned, but he also felt an inexplicable bubble of happiness rising in his chest. It was as though his life had suddenly been laid out for him, and he liked the way the path looked.
Courtney was talking to Amanda when he returned to the living room. “Did you hear that, sweetheart? You get to stay here with your daddy, right where you belong. Isn’t that wonderful?” She looked up at Blane. “What’s wrong?”
She was beautiful, but there was so much more to it than that. Blane knew for sure what was happening now, and his excitement was making him grin like an idiot. “It looks like I get to keep her.”
“So I heard,” she replied, bemused.
His entire world was right there in one corner of the living room, and he wanted it to stay that way forever. And now was the time to tell her.
“Courtney, for the last two years you’ve been my personal assistant. But you’ve been a lot more than that. You’ve been my agent, my manager, my bodyguard, and now, even my nanny. You’re my everything. And there’s no way I can do this without you.”
She shook her head. “If this is about what I said about going back to school, it’s not happening anytime soon. I know we talked about hiring a new nanny, but I’m more than happy to stay on in both positions.”
“No.” He reached out and touched her hair as he slid to the floor, getting on his knees and taking her hand. “I don’t want you as my personal assistant anymore, nor as my nanny. I want you to be so much more than that. Courtney, I want you to be my wife.”
Chapter Ten
Courtney stared at Blane, trying to understand what was happening. She was sure they made quite the tableau, with her sitting on the couch and Amanda in her arms, and Blane standing over them with that loving look in his eyes. But it just didn’t seem real.
“I don’t understand,” she stammered. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he insisted, softly stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. “Courtney, you’ve done so much for me, more than I could ever repay you for. And I don’t just mean as my personal assistant. You’ve completely changed my life.”
“It was Amanda who did that.” Courtney couldn’t deny that she had seen a massive change in this man. He had gone from a selfish, immature playboy to someone who cared far more about his daughter than anything else in the world. But even that didn’t mean he had changed completely.
Blane nodded. “She was a big part of it; you’re right. But I never could have really fallen into this role as a new father without all your help; not the kind of father I need to be. I see how much you care about Amanda, and it only makes me want to dig deeper and strive to become a better person. No one has ever made me feel this way before.”
Courtney pulled in a deep breath, knowing the rest of her life was being decided at this very moment, and it was such a huge decision to make. “You know, the night we made love, I saw a different side of you. It only continued to grow the more time you spent with Amanda, but that night? That was when I finally began to understand the real you. It was an amazing thing to behold, but in the morning, I couldn’t help but question if I had understood it all correctly. I thought maybe I’d just been caught up in the moment and was fooling myself into believing that the two of us could become something more, so I pulled back. I didn’t want to get hurt, and I thought it would be easier if we kept our relationship professional.”
Blane reached out to touch her face, his eyes soft. “Courtney, I could never hurt you. I can’t promise you that I won’t say something stupid or that I won’t be a grump in the morning, but you and Amanda mean the world to me. I can’t imagine things ever going back to the way they used to be.”
Courtney felt a surge of electricity in her chest at his words. She had spent so much of her life alone, and hearing she was the center of someone’s universe sounded too good to be true. “Do you really mean that?”
“I’ve never been so serious in my life.” He looked down at Amanda, who was watching them both with a serious look in her eyes, as though she understood the importance of the discussion. He smiled at Courtney. “The two of us know each other better than anyone else I’ve known, and even when we’re in the same room together, I can’t stop thinking about you. I love you, Courtney, and I think I have for a long time.”
A tear glistened in the corner of her eye, and Courtney wiped it away. After a lifetime of loss and loneliness, she was not only getting a partner, but a family. It felt so good to be loved that it hurt, but it was something she knew she could get used to. “I love you, too.”
“Does that mean you’ll marry me? Even though I’m a pain in your ass?”
She laughed at that, which squeezed a few more tears from her eyes. Her inner dragon soared at the realization that she was going to get to spend the rest of her life with this beautiful, charming man.
“Yes, Blane. Absolutely.”
Chapter Eleven
Blane pulled her close, circling h
is arms around his little family as he kissed his bride-to-be. He closed his eyes, wanting the moment to last forever as he concentrated on the way her lips felt against his. When he pulled back, he noticed that Amanda’s eyelids were growing heavy.
“I think it’s time for someone to take a nap. I’ll be right back.” He scooped the sleeping child into his arms, relishing the way she felt, and a tear slid down his cheek. He had his family. He finally had his family.
When he closed Amanda’s bedroom door, Courtney was waiting for him in the hallway. “I was hoping we might get to spend a little time together.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice. Blane picked her up and carried her to the other end of the hall. He resisted throwing her on the bed, not wanting to hurt her, but he made quick work of her clothes. “Are you really all mine?” he asked as he kissed her breasts and worked his way down to her stomach.
“You’re damn right I am,” she said with a smile.
She sighed as he trailed lower, kissing the delicate folds between her legs. She was delicious, and he wanted to claim every square inch of her. He teased her bud, thrilled at the way her muscles twitched with every move he made. Blane moved his tongue faster, his member hardening more by the second. Her back arched as he slipped his finger into the deep warmth of her, and a shiver of pleasure made its way through his body.
“Come here,” she said softly, trying to coax him on top of her.
But Blane was enjoying himself, and he wanted this to last as long as possible. “No way. I like you like this.”
She put her foot against his shoulder and gently pushed him back. “But it’s my turn. Stand up.”
He didn’t want to argue with her, and he was glad he didn’t when she got on her knees in front of him. Her dark eyes lifted to his as she took him into her mouth, and Blane balled his hands into fists at the sensation. It felt amazing, sending bolts of electricity sparking through his body, but he didn’t want her to do anything she wasn’t ready for. “You don’t have to do that. You’re still healing.”
“But I want to,” she argued before running her tongue down his shaft.
Blane gasped. “I had no idea you were so talented.” He ran his hands through her hair, wondering how long he could control himself.
“I couldn’t exactly put this on my resume,” she giggled.
“Come here.” He pulled her to her feet so he could look her in the eyes. They would have the rest of their lives to make love and experiment. Right now, though, he just wanted to know that this was all real. He ran one hand down her spine and then out to her hip, lifting one leg so that it wrapped around his waist. “I need you.”
Courtney moaned as he pierced her, and her other leg gave out beneath her. Blane easily caught her weight, keeping her pressed close as he moved his hips. She felt so good, and he knew he was the luckiest man alive if he would get the exclusive privilege of being inside her. His own knees were growing weak with the indulgence, and he moved to the bed. He didn’t want to aggravate her stiches, so he turned and sat on the edge of the mattress.
The seated position put him at a pleasurable angle inside her, and it had the added benefit of putting her breasts right in his face. She braced her knees on the bed on either side of him as she worked her hips, riding his length for all she was worth.
Her breath quickened, and he could feel her core having the same reaction. It had been too long since they had first done this, and she felt so good. Blane felt his core tighten as her inner walls massaged his manhood, and he held on a little tighter to her hips. He closed his eyes, letting the sensation take over him. It had been enough that she was hot and wet as she glided on him, but feeling her come was the last straw. He buried his face in her hair as he came, feeling every bit of his strength drain into her body.
Afterwards, they lay together under the covers, their naked bodies pressed against each other, and Blane kissed the top of her head. It was the middle of the day, and there were things they needed to do. But for once, Courtney was satisfied to simply lay there with him.
Chapter Twelve
Courtney looked in the mirror, trying to take it all in at once. The faux corset bodice of her wedding dress hugged her curves tightly, the illusion neckline tracing delicate beads around her neck and dropping to her cleavage. The long, puffed sleeves each had a vee of silk that covered the backs of her hands, a detail she had fallen in love with. Turning slightly, she admired the massive train that erupted from the bow at the back, just below a long line of tiny buttons.
“I think we’re ready for the final touch.” Cathy reached up to place a pearled tiara in Courtney’s hair, the veil reaching all the way to the floor. She stood back to admire her work. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more fabulous bride.”
Courtney smiled at her in earnest. The two women had become much closer over the last few months. Ever since that first day when Cathy had come over to help with Amanda, they had begun getting together frequently to talk about their children. Brianna, Damien’s wife, had joined them as well, and Courtney had never imagined that she could be part of such a lovely group. “Thank you so much. Both of you.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Brianna assured her as she knelt in front of her own daughter and adjusted the flower girl’s dress. She had already made sure that Amanda was decked out for the occasion, even though she was too young to take part in the ceremony. “I live for this stuff.”
“Same here,” Cathy agreed as she fluffed Courtney’s skirt. “And I don’t think Blane could have found a better mate.”
“Really?” Courtney knew she was crazy for Blane. But there had been no mistaking the way he looked at her when he’d asked for her hand in marriage. She wanted him to keep looking at her that way for the rest of their lives.
“Absolutely! Blane never would have settled down if he hadn’t found the perfect woman, and we all agree that you’re her.” Cathy laughed as she rearranged a tendril of Courtney’s hair. “Do you know how hard it’s been to keep him out of here while we’ve been getting things ready? He doesn’t want to be away from you for a second.”
Courtney couldn’t help but smile at this news. She felt the same way, and even with the frenzy of planning a wedding, the two dragons hadn’t gotten tired of being around each other. “I just hope we can pull this off the way we’d like to.”
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about,” Brianna assured her. “Damien booked this place in his cousin’s name, so there’s no connection to the two of you at all. We have the entire inn to ourselves, and the beach is a private one. I haven’t seen any indication of the paparazzi. I don’t think it hurts that the two of you did such a good job of keeping your relationship under wraps this entire time.”
“It hasn’t been easy.” When in the privacy of their home, Blane and Courtney could share their love with each other every night. But as soon as they stepped out, they knew they had to keep things extremely professional. Numerous times, she had been tempted to take his hand or steal a kiss, but she knew better. It would all come out eventually, and then the media could eat their hearts out about missing the big day.
When she was finally ready, Courtney waited at the door of the inn while her bridesmaids promenaded down the beach in front of her. While they had spared no expense on the opulent ceremony, they had invited only their closest friends instead of making it a celebrity spectacle. Her heart lifted when it was her turn and she saw Blane waiting for her on the sand, the tide threatening to dampen his shoes. As she walked toward him, she knew that she had finally found her dragon. Nothing could have made her happier. Their vows came instantly and easily, and the whole ceremony flashed by like a dream.
“So, what’s next for the happy couple?” Damien asked on the back deck of the inn as the sun set in the background. “Don’t tell me you’re going to dive right into another movie.”
“That would make me happy,” Cameron interjected, “but I have a feeling you have something else in mind.”
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br /> Blane looked to Courtney and smiled. He looked so handsome in his white tux, and she couldn’t wait to tear it off of him later. “I’m glad you brought that up, because it’s time for me to give Courtney her wedding present.”
“Oh?” They hadn’t talked about any such thing, and she hadn’t known it was coming. Her friends squealed with excitement next to her.
Blane raised his glass of champagne. “I thought about this a lot. There’s plenty to be said for huge rings and flashy cars, but I wanted to give Courtney something that she could treasure for the rest of her life. I wanted it to be something that would truly let her know how much I love her. Which is why I’ll be taking more time off of work to stay at home with the baby, and Courtney will be going to law school.”
“What?” Her eyes widened. As soon as she had known she would be a wife, she had shoved the thought of becoming an attorney to the back of her mind and imagined it would never be anything more than a dream. “Are you sure?”
He pressed his lips to hers. “I’m absolutely sure. You deserve it, love.”
Courtney didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so she simply kissed him. She had always been alone, but now she had everything she needed.
* * *
Cameron’s Nanny
Beverly Hills Dragons
Chapter One
BEVERLY HILLS, 1987
Cameron Collins stretched his wings and floated through the night sky, closing his eyes for a moment as he relished the feeling of the wind over his scales. There was nothing like a long, peaceful flight at the end of the day.