Naughty Stranger

by Stacey Kennedy

  When Rhett had told them what happened, Peyton fell apart, throwing up and then sobbing. Boone made a promise in his mind at that moment. She’d never cry like that again, not on his watch. And he held her, hoping she saw that he was there, and that she was no longer alone.

  Another twenty minutes down the road, and they stopped in front of an old stone church with a red front door and a tall black steeple. She entered first, and he followed, in awe of the soaring ceiling and stained-glass windows.

  Up ahead of them, there were a few other people, obviously praying. Peyton slid into the last pew. Boone sat next to her and rested his arm across the back of the pew, caressing his thumb against her nape. “So why this place now?”

  “Because I want you to know me,” she said, glancing sideways at him.

  The emotion filling her eyes had him bracing his hand around her neck. “I do know you,” he told her seriously.

  “But I want you to know all of me, including the parts I wanted to stay hidden.” She looked toward the front of the church. “Remember when I told you that I moved to Stoney Creek because I had that one magical weekend there?” she asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “It hadn’t been the happiest day of my life up until that point, though,” she said softly, eyes watery. “That happened here. The day I married Adam.”

  Boone’s heart reached out to her, and he drew her in closer, maybe needing that even more than her. “It’s a beautiful church for a wedding.”

  “Isn’t it?” She stared up at the cathedral ceiling. “My wedding was a fairy tale. I couldn’t have imagined a day that could ever compare to it.” When she looked back at him, his chest expanded fully as he became lost in the sweetness of her eyes. “After Adam passed away,” she continued, “I didn’t think I could possibly be happy again. To see anything beyond my pain. But then everything changed.” Her voice broke. “And you’re one of the reasons for that.”

  “Me?” he asked, a little taken aback.

  She turned to take his hand, her fingers his lifeline now. “I think I had convinced myself that being with Adam was all I got,” she said. “That when he died, my dreams died too.” A tear slid down her cheek, but she quickly brushed it away. “I moved to Stoney Creek because I felt the happiest there, and I was so desperate to be happy again, but the happiness I found there wasn’t what I expected. I found a new happiness, and I see now that the world is full of wonderful surprises, and you’re maybe the best surprise of all.”

  Boone sat there speechless, listening to her pour her heart out, feeling like he should say something but unable to find the right words.

  She gave him a smile and then examined the church around her. “The love Adam and I had was sweet, young love.” Her gaze returned to Boone. “And then there’s you…and what we have.”

  “What do we have?” Boone managed, staring deeply into the depths of her eyes.

  “I love you, Boone,” she said softly. “And this, between us, is a brand-new kind of love. Something bigger than I could have ever imagined.”

  Boone’s chest cracked open and warmth sunk into places he thought were dead. He cupped her face, bringing his mouth close to hers. “And it’s our love, something that belongs only to us.” She smiled gently and leaned into his touch, offering him so much with a single expression, and he added, “Adam was lucky to have you. And so I am. I love you, Peyton.”

  He dropped his mouth to hers, wanting nothing more than her kissing him back until she went soft against him. He’d questioned a lot in his life, many things, especially the type of man he wanted to be. He blamed himself for Chelsea, for his mistakes there. He didn’t want to blame anyone anymore.

  Peyton, that’s all he wanted.

  When he tangled his fingers into her hair, deepening the kiss, she moaned softly before she leaned away with a chuckle. “We’re in a church.”

  “I don’t care,” he told her softly.

  “Well, I do.” She slid out of the pew, then took his hand, tugging on him. “Besides, I have one more place I need to show you.”

  “Your high school?” he asked when they reached outside.

  “Somewhere better.” She pulled him along until he was walking at a speed where she finally settled into a fast walk.

  Ten minutes went by, and he liked those ten minutes. Walking hand in hand, being a couple was a sweet, sweet thing. Maybe he forgot what this felt like. How nice it was to have a woman there he was proud to have walking beside him. Someone who knew him, more than anyone else knew him.

  She took a few right turns, then she stopped in front of a white-sided two-story house, with a dark green front door and shutters. The lawns were perfectly manicured. The neighborhood was full of BMWs and Ferraris, telling Boone some of the people who owned these houses made more money than the entire town of Stoney Creek.

  Leaving him at the bottom of the front landing, she knocked on the door. When a man appeared, wearing navy-blue slacks and white button-up, his bright hazel eyes widened. “Peyton.” He thrust the door open, wrapping her in a tight hug. “What are you doing here?”

  “Peyton!” a feminine voice screeched from inside.

  A short dark-haired woman appeared in the doorway, wearing a yellow dress with a white apron, storming past the man, tears on her face. She stole Peyton from his arms. “You didn’t tell us you were coming.”

  “I didn’t want to explain on the phone,” she said, hugging the woman back tightly. “There’s something I need to tell you, and”—she turned to Boone and gave him a sweet smile—“Mom and Dad, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Boone Knight.”

  Boone felt the ripple of happiness spread over him. The warmth that Peyton brought to his life when he closed the distance and offered his hand to her father. “Boone Knight, the boyfriend.”

  Her father’s brows rose; he exchanged a long look with his wife, then returned the handshake. “All right then, son, best you come in and we can have a chat.” He patted Boone’s back.

  Peyton’s mother still hugged Peyton tightly, talking too fast to make any sense…“You said you weren’t serious? You look so good! What’s happened?” The rambling was endless.

  Slowly, Peyton glanced at Boone and smiled. Yeah, that smile was where things stopped for him. Boone had gotten a lot of shit wrong in his life. Peyton, though, she was something that he’d ensure he’d always get right.

  * * *

  Late in the night, in Peyton’s childhood bedroom, she lay on her side staring at a sleeping Boone. Dinner with her parents had been delicious, and they seemed to like Boone, asking him questions the entire time. Truth was, they seemed as taken by him as she was, and that really didn’t come as much of a surprise. He impressed her father and charmed the heck out of her mother. It also wasn’t a shock that her mother refused that they sleep at the hotel again, instead staying in Peyton’s bedroom with a double bed.

  Tonight, there had been laughter in her house, and Peyton couldn’t quite remember the last time she’d heard so much laughter there. Sure, her mom tried to joke during the past year, but Peyton never felt like laughing after Adam died. Not like she had tonight, anyway. And there wouldn’t be a day that went by that she wouldn’t look at Boone and be grateful to him for that.

  After a couple drinks, and more snacks than they could eat, Boone crashed almost the moment they hit the bed. She knew that she’d been the reason. The last week had been exhausting and scary and everything in between. She should probably be sleeping too, but she couldn’t; all she could do was think and stare at the man who brought life back into her soul. The light from the post out on the street gave off enough of a glow to admire the masculine lines of his face and stare at his kissable lips.

  “You’re supposed to be sleeping,” Boone murmured into the silent dark night.

  “Seriously?” she muttered, her hands beneath her cheek on the pillow. “Your cop instincts can tell if I’m sleeping or not?”

  He peeked open an eye. “It’s got nothing to do with co
p instincts. When you look at me, I notice.”

  She wormed her way closer and smiled. “Maybe I should keep looking at you, then.”

  Both his eyes opened now. “Go on.” His hand began to slide up her thigh then, inching her nightgown up higher.

  She laughed, but she jumped out of bed and tugged on his hand. “Come with me somewhere.”

  “Now?” He frowned.

  She nodded and pulled on his hand. “Please. Come.”

  He grumbled something incoherent, then slid out of bed in only his boxer briefs. He grabbed his jeans from the floor, quickly stepping into them and zipping them up. Wearing just her thin nightgown she’d grabbed from the drawer of clothes she’d left at the house, she smiled, then hurried to the window and opened it. The screen had been gone since she accidentally pushed it out as a teenager, and it had never been replaced.

  “Should I be concerned here?” Boone asked behind her.

  Peyton laughed, reached for Boone’s hand again, and tugged him forward. “Come on, Mr. Big Tough Guy.” She carefully climbed out the window, hearing Boone curse behind her. Out on the roof she climbed along the ledge moving up the slight incline.

  “Peyton,” Boone said tightly.

  “Just follow me.” She reached the top of the roof, waiting there while Boone had moved out onto the ledge.

  “I am not nearly awake enough for this,” he grumbled.

  She laughed, when suddenly she heard a crack and that laugh faded when Boone suddenly cursed and charged up the side of the roof. The ledge splintered, half of it staying in place, the other half falling to the ground.

  A breathless Boone frowned up at her.

  “Okay, when I used to do that, that never happened.” She gave him a tight smile, staring down at the broken pieces of wood on the ground below.

  “That might be because you’re slim and not a man.”

  “Maybe.” She grinned, then took his hand again and turned. “Okay, come on, we’re almost there.” She climbed over the roof’s top, then slid down a little to the flat part on the back of the roof. “See. Look.”

  Boone glanced out. Over the houses’ roofs and the trees was a most spectacular view of Seattle. “All right,” he said, taking a seat next to her, “this is worth the splinter in my foot.”

  “I’ll help with that later.” She pointed at herself. “Nurse, remember.”

  Boone gave her a soft smile, then glanced out at the perfect view of Seattle’s downtown skyline, including the Space Needle.

  “I’ve never taken anyone out here,” she said, staring out at all the sparkling lights. “It was always my spot. To think. To dream. All that stuff.”

  He wrapped an arm around her, and she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “I’m honored to be in your favorite spot, then.”

  She smiled, thinking that the last time she’d been there was the day before she left for Stoney Creek. God, she felt so different than she did then. Almost like two different people, and yet kind of exactly the same.

  Boone eventually broke the silence. “Speaking of nursing, do you ever think you’ll go back?”

  She pondered that, then found her answer. “No. Nursing was the past. I can’t go back there anymore, you know?”

  His arm tightened around her. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Besides,” she said, bringing her feet up, wrapping her arms around her legs, leaning into him. “I love my shop. I’d never give it up now.”

  “It’s a good shop. I especially like what’s in it.” He winked.

  She laughed softly.

  He gazed out at the sparkling lights in the night and sighed heavily. “I used to think after New York City that I’d hate cities forever, but it’s actually kinda beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Gorgeous,” she agreed. “But there is something to be said about cute small towns too.” She nudged her shoulder into him playfully. “Especially ones with sexy detectives.”

  He chuckled, then switched the subject. “Did your parents know you came out here?”

  “Are you kidding me?” She laughed, straightening up and resting her chin on her knees. “My mother would have had a heart attack.”

  He leaned back on his hands and his smile was warm when he looked at her. “And what did your teenage self think about while you were out here?”

  “Oh, what a teenage girl always thinks about: all her secret crushes.”

  He gave her a measured look. “Teenage boys are far different creatures.”

  “You didn’t think about your crush?”

  “I thought about getting to second base with my crush.”

  She barked a laugh, then covered her mouth, trying not to be too loud.

  Boone was smiling with her, and yet, something suddenly changed in his expression. A softer emotion reached his eyes. “I love hearing that laugh.” He grabbed her hand, taking it in his. “Don’t hide it.”

  She leaned into him. “I love that you can make me laugh like that,” she admitted, knowing there was a time she thought she’d never laugh again.

  Boone stared at her intently for a beat, then he leaned away to reach into the little pocket in his jeans, shoving his fingers in there.

  She blinked.

  Then she discovered he’d placed a ring on the top of her knee where her chin had been. “This is my grandmother’s ring,” he said. “My grandfather left it to me when he passed away. I never considered giving it to anyone”—his voice went velvety soft—“until you.”

  Emotion clogged up her throat. “Boone,” she whispered, barely able to breathe, glancing between the ring on her knee and his intense gaze.

  “I’ve been carrying the ring with me for two days now, wondering when I would do this, considering all you’ve been through.” His voice thickened with emotion. “While I do like hearing you call me your boyfriend, I’d much rather hear you call me your husband.” He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “Will you marry me, Peyton?”

  “Yes.” The answer easily fell from her lips as she stared into the strength of his expression promising her forever. She was one of the lucky ones. She didn’t just get one happy life. She got two. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  His smile took her breath away when he slid the ring on her finger, and then that smile grew as he pulled her onto his lap and took her in his arms. His mouth met hers, and she felt her tears dampen his cheeks with every swipe of his lips across hers. He held her tight, and she realized then that they’d both come together broken, and somewhere in all this danger and fear, they came out of this better, stronger. Together, they mended the shattered parts of their souls.

  When he broke the kiss and wiped her damp face, she reveled in the happiness shining in his gaze. Happiness that she put there. That she’d always protect. “While I would be perfectly happy staying right here in your arms all night, I just want to point out that we have a problem,” she told him.

  “What’s that?”

  She smiled. “I have no idea how we’re going to get off this roof and back down into the bedroom.”

  Boone’s laughter spilled over and he brought her in close, kissing her again. “Damn, am I happy that is the only problem we’ve got.”

  Epilogue

  One week later…

  “I hope Mrs. Miller enjoys your gift,” Peyton said to the white-haired, well-kept man with the checkered shirt and dark blue bow tie at her counter.

  Mr. Miller returned a pleasant smile. “I’m sure she will. Thanks, Peyton. Take care.”

  “Bye,” Peyton said, smiling after him. She glanced down at the diamond ring on her finger, picturing being just like the Millers when she and Boone grew into their seventies. She could imagine Boone still buying her sexy lingerie, keeping their love exciting, and making her feel beautiful, no matter their age.

  And maybe that’s what was so real and honest about being with Boone. Time wasn’t a factor in the knowledge that she could see them together in the future. Perhaps that wisdom came from both of them going through terrible
times in their lives. When a person realized how fragile life was, sitting around waiting for the right time, the right moment, didn’t seem necessary anymore.

  All there was left to do was live. And live hard.

  She placed the receipt in the register, closed it, and exhaled deeply, moving to the front door and flipping the sign to CLOSED before locking up. Life over the last week had gone back to normal. As far as Peyton knew, Justin had hired some high-powered lawyer. But nothing that happened to Justin would bring Adam back, and while she believed justice would be served, she also knew that Adam wouldn’t want her to live in the past anymore. Too much death. Too much misery. It was time for it all to stop. So, while she’d be at the trial, she’d live in the moment in Stoney Creek. In her lingerie shop, with Boone, and this new family she found there. Only now her parents planned to come every few weeks for a visit.

  The wind outside the window blew leaves down the street as Peyton reached the register to grab her purse, when she spotted Boone standing at the front door, wearing dark jeans and a black T-shirt that deliciously hugged his chest. She hurried to unlock the door, and Boone entered with windblown hair. “Hi.” She planted a quick kiss on his sculpted mouth when he stepped inside.

  His kiss turned wicked and wild, and urgency drove her as emotion flooded her. Needing to get closer, she molded her body to his. His low chuckle raised goose bumps along her flesh when he leaned away and grinned. “While I’d love to indulge that idea, we’ve got somewhere to be.”

  She wiggled against him, hoping to change his mind. “Where?”

  He groaned, letting her move against him, then took her hand, leading her outside. “You’ll see.”

  She locked up the shop quickly, all the while eyeing him suspiciously. He had a silly grin on his face, and an unusual sparkle in his eye. He kept her hand tightly in his and led her into Whiskey Blues.

  The moment she cleared the door “Congratulations!” rang out in the bar. The band kicked off playing an upbeat song while the crowd in the bar clapped and shouted their happiness and tossed confetti at them. She recognized some of the faces, and others she assumed were Boone’s fellow cops.