“No, paying respect to those who have come before us is an honor,” Jade said. “I will be happy to take part.”
She opened her purse and placed her checkbook in his hand. The look of confusion on his face was comical as he questioned why she was giving him the item. He handed it back to her.
“Here, take everything in my account, Jade Cooper,” she said.
“That’s not necessary. I just want what the ad promised or rather half now and the other half when we return,” he said.
“You seem too good to be true.”
“No, Philly, I’m just plain old good,” he said, gently pushing her into the jewelry store to purchase two simple gold bands one of which he slipped on her finger outside of the store.
Philomena could not stop gawking at the slender band on her finger that felt heavy and filled with guilt, but Jade’s words rang in her ears. They have no idea of what is happening in my life. Showing up with a husband would shut them all up and make them realize how unfair her family had been about her life choices.
“Philly,” he said, touching her arm. “I hate to put a ring on a girl’s finger and not seal the deal with a kiss.”
“You want to kiss me?” she asked, blinking as if it would clear the confusion from her head as to why the man would want to do such a thing.
“I want to do more than kiss you, but we have to start somewhere,” he said, placing his hand on her waist. “Let’s start here.”
Jade lowered his head and as his face was coming to hers, she squealed and stepped back.
“Kinda hard to kiss you from over there,” he said, taking two long steps to close the distance between them.
“You’re making me feel all weird. Stop it,” she pleaded.
“Kiss me, Philly, and I’m going to make you feel a hell of a lot more,” Jade promised, placing his arms around her waist and pulling her close. “Seal our deal or...”
“Or what?”
“Just shut up and kiss me,” Jade demanded. Lowering his head, his lips touched hers and felt the spark he’d imagined would be there, but the touch was so much more. She sighed into his mouth as her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slip inside and mate with hers, touching, teasing, and tasting the inside of Philomena’s mouth. The blood rushed through his veins, going lower, but before it could reach that part, he let her go.
“Whoa!” she exclaimed.
“Oh yeah,” Jade said, grinning and being pleased with himself. “This is going to be good.”
He handed her a business card and encouraged her to call him tomorrow for dinner and second base practice. He also asked for one of hers. For good measure, after escorting her to her vehicle, he kissed her again this time, pressing her body with his own against the car. Jade didn’t bother to stop the rush of blood flowing to his lower region, allowing her to feel the excitement she elicited in him.
“Call me,” he instructed as he walked away with slender hips, perfectly fitted jeans, and the stride of a man with a purpose.
“Damn, damn, and hell yeah,” she said, slipping into her car.
THE COOPER RECOVERY Center sat at the end of Lake Vista drive behind the Encino Reservoir. It had never been in Jade Copper’s plans to start the animal rescue habitat, but wounded animals often wandered into his yard. He’d originally purchased the property at the back of the dead-end street to be left alone to lick his wounds. Instead, he found therapy in assisting animals and healing theirs.
Growing up in Farmland, Indiana, he knew there was nothing in his hometown to go back to, and it was his hope that his parents would come to California to live with him in their later years. His sister Elizabeth had other ideas. Married with teen children, the farm would be their inheritance, and she took care of their parents. Jade’s unwillingness to return to the ranch became a conflict between him and his sister that time just couldn’t mend.
Older by three years, Elizabeth became angry when he joined the Army at 18, leaving the family farm. “It’s your birthright,” Elizabeth yelled.
“I want to see the world, live a different kind of life, Liz. I don’t want to be a hayseed that knows nothing but husbandry and reads the Farmer’s Almanac like it’s the Bible,” he argued.
“You are breaking Mom and Dad’s hearts,” she said.
“No, it seems like I am breaking yours. Liz, you had a chance to go away to college, but you chose to stay. College ain’t for me,” he said.
“This farm is our livelihood. Walking away from it means you don’t care what happens to us,” Liz scolded.
“I care, but this farm is Mom and Dad’s life, not ours. True, they want us to be a part of it and maybe take it on and raise our families here, but it’s not written in stone,” he told his big sister. “They understand, so why don’t you?”
“Fine! Go! See if I care,” she said, folding her arms. Each time Jade thought about Elizabeth, the image of her folded arms across her chest stuck with him. Every time he went home to visit his family, she stood on the porch in judgment, her arms folded, watching him with contempt.
It didn’t matter how many gifts he sent over the years to her, to that corn-fed husband of hers who smelled like cow shit, or to the five strapping boys she spat out, she was still angry he left. He surmised as much from Philomena about her family. They punished her for leaving. Punishment for daring to be different and make them question their choices in not being strong enough to stand up for themselves and be unlike the next cigar in the pack. No, each one was just as tightly rolled as the next with the colorful band wrapped around its neck and waiting to be lifted from the box and snipped off at the end.
Not him.
He’d lived.
He’d loved.
He’d lost.
But, he was still kicking. Not as high as he once did with an artificial hip, a chest full of shrapnel, and a missing right big toe, but dammit, his left foot worked just fine. Secretly, he looked forward to going to Georgia and kicking some ass with her family. If he couldn’t fix his relationship with his own family, maybe he could help the lady mend hers.
However, he first needed to mend some fences around his property. He also needed more chow for the critters, which he housed until they were able to be set free again or adopted out. The Capuchin that he found sleeping in his hammock a year ago was training to become a movie star. In the meantime, his retirement check wasn’t enough to keep the lights on and buy food for himself and the residents in his clinic. The three grand Philomena offered would carry him a long way until he was able to write a few grants to get more money rolling in.
“Hola, Pablo,” he spoke to the monkey that greeted him at the front door with a cold beer. It was unclear how the rascal got into the cooler each night, but Jade welcomed the gesture. Since his retirement, Pablo was the closest thing had to a relationship with a body that had arms. The other four-legged creatures, who resided in cages in the air-conditioned center he’d made from a large shed kit, didn’t count.
The monkey climbed into Jade’s arms, perching himself on Jade’s shoulder. He spoke to his furry friend. “Hey, I met a lady today. She and I hit it off well. I even got me a wedding ring out of the deal.”
Pablo scampered down his arm to the cat box where he made a face before dropping a few squishy bombs into the litter. Seeming pleased with himself, he picked it for inspection of his efforts. Jade didn’t want to see the poop. He pointed for Pablo to wash his hands at the small wash station he had installed for bathing animals. The animal was smart. He knew how to turn the water off and on and hit the dispenser for soap, washing his paws in the stream of water, drinking a bit as he went along, then wiping his hands on his monkey-faced towel.
“Good job,” Jade told Pablo, who raised his hairy arm for a tiny high five. “Yeah, she probably won’t give a shit either when this is all over, but a man can only try. It’s time for me to try again.”
He picked up the phone and ordered half a dozen of roses to be sent to the address on her business card. Satisfi
ed, he picked up the remote to complete two more episodes of Luke Cage before beginning the afternoon feeding and exercise regimen for the residents of the Cooper Recovery Center. In his fingers, he toyed with the business card, reading it closely.
Philomena Stephenson
Makeup Artist, Creature and Concept Designer
Creatures Are Us, LLC
“What the hell?” he asked, putting down the remote and picking up his tablet. He googled the company name, pulling up the site. An avatar sat in the corner of the About Us section, and he read over her list of credentials, awards, and an Oscar nod before clicking on the gallery of images. Jade forgot all about Luke Cage as he marveled at the talent of Philomena Stephenson.
It wasn’t something he admitted to often, but he was impressed.
PHILOMENA SAT IN HER work studio staring at the oversized, oozing eyeballs that rested in the tray. The oozy orbs belonged to a zombie mask she had methodically constructed for an Indie movie being filmed for a streaming service. Indie movie makers were her saving grace. Between the adult films and streaming companies, she stayed busy and her bank account was grateful.
The security monitor to her right flashed as a delivery truck rolled into her drive. A uniformed man carrying flowers rang the doorbell. She answered from the comfort of her office.
“Delivery for Philomena Stephenson,” the man said.
“Leave them at the door, thanks,” she said, picking up the silicone face covering. Allowing the interloper of her thoughts to leave while she secured the mask on the drying rack, she then made her way to the front door. The gold ring on her left hand seemed to be an odd thing, but she was becoming accustomed to it.
The six roses were perfectly shaped and held only a faint scent as she read the card. “Half now, half later. -Top.”
“Hmpf,” she muttered, going back to her desk to complete her work. Her mind couldn’t focus as she looked for Jade’s business card. She hadn’t paid much attention to it earlier, but now that the need to call him had arisen, her eyes scanned the words.
Cooper Animal Recovery Center
1SG Jaden R. Cooper, (U.S. Army) (Retired)
Owner/Operator
Philomena dialed the number only to receive an answering machine message detailing the services the Cooper Recovery Center provided. She didn’t want to leave a message and eyeballed the card again. It had an after hours number in small print. She dialed that number next to get the man himself.
“Nice roses,” she said into the line.
“Can we add some romance to it tomorrow evening?” he said in a deep sultry voice.
“I think you mentioned second base,” she said, finding herself blushing.
“Darling, once you get me up to bat, I am going to swing for the fences and try to make it all the way home,” he admitted.
“Greedy, aren’t you?” she laughed in the line.
“No,” he said in a near whisper. “You make me needy. What I need, you have. Tell me where and when.”
“Jade, I’m not a dater so...,” she started but he stopped her.
“I’ll come to you. Show me your shop, your work, your craft. Share with me the thing that made you move across the country to create, leaving your family behind to pursue your dreams,” he said.
“That I can do,” she said. “How does seven sound?”
“Please tell me it includes a home-cooked Southern meal.”
“Hell no!” she truthfully expressed. “You might get a pizza and some beer and that’s pushing it.”
“As long as I get to spend some time with you, it’s enough as a start,” he said, hanging up the phone.
Philomena held the phone then pressed it to her breasts. The thought of Jade touching them made her tingle from her toes to her rose, making her personal petals all dewy. Second base, her ass. She needed a man and he said he was stepping up to bat. A tune popped into her head as she began to hum “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
“I have a date!” she said, twirling around on the floor.
- Fin-
Available Now across all channels In the USA Today Bestselling Crossroads Boxset.
About the Author
OLIVIA IS A USA TODAY Best Selling and multiple award-winning author who loves a good laugh coupled with some steam, mixed in with a man and woman finding their way past the words of "I love you." An author of contemporary romances, she writes heartwarming stories of blossoming relationships about couples not only falling in love but building a life after the sensual love scene.
2015 Swirl Award Winner, Best Erotic Romance, Thursdays in Savannah.
2017 IRAE Award Winner, Best Contemporary Romance, Wyoming Nights
2019 IRAE Award Winner, Favorite Series, The Men of Endurance
2019 IRAE Award Winner, Reader's Choice Award
2019 Nominee, Top Female Authors, The AuthorShow.com
When Olivia is not writing, she enjoys quilting, playing Scrabble online against other word lovers and spending time with her family. She is an avid world traveler who writes many of the locations into her stories. Most of the time she can be found sitting quietly with pen and paper plotting more adventures in love.
Olivia lives in Hephzibah, Georgia with her husband, son, grandson and snotty evil cat, Katness Evermean.
Learn more about her books, upcoming releases and join her bibliophile nation at www.ogaines.com
Subscribe to her email list at http://eepurl.com/OulYf
Subscribe to her email list at http://eepurl.com/OulYf
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olivia.gaines.31
Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviagaines
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaines.olivia/
| Page
Did you love Blind Luck? Then you should read Blind Date by Olivia Gaines!
The Man was given an assignment- to take care of Shanice Olleh. However, he never expected to find a child or the woman he sent to handle, be so attractive. Making a call which could end his career or his life, he forever alters Shanice's life after one blind date.Shanice Olleh agrees to a blind date with her boss's friend, but the evening shifts when a hired hit man takes an interest in his mark.Welcome back to Venture, Georgia with this dark romance, and loving a bad guy, being so good.
Read more at Olivia Gaines’s site.
Also by Olivia Gaines
Modern Mail Order Brides
On A Rainy Night in Georgia
Buckeye and the Babe
The Tennessee Mountain Man
Bleu, Grass, Bourbon
Serenity Series
Welcome to Serenity
Holden
Farmer Takes A Wife
Slice of Life
Friends with Benefits
Slivers of Love
The Cost to Play
Thursdays in Savannah
The Blakemore Files
Being Mrs. Blakemore
Shopping with Mrs. Blakemore
Dancing with Mr. Blakemore
Cruising with the Blakemores
Dinner with the Blakemores
Loving the Czar
Being Mr. Blakemore
A Weekend with the Blakemores
The Davonshire Series
Courting Guinevere
The Men of Endurance
A Walk Through Endurance
Intervals of Love
The Art of Persistence
A Walk Through Endurance
The Technicians
Blind Luck
The Value of A Man
My Mail Order Wife
A Weekend with the Cromwells
Cutting it Close
The Zelda Diaries
It Happened Last Wednesday
A Frickin' Fantastic Friday
A Tantalizing Tuesday
Standalone
Santa's Big Helper
A Menu For Loving
No
rth to Alaska
Turning the Page
An Untitled Love
Wyoming Nights
Montana
Blind Date
The Christmas Quilts
Watch for more at Olivia Gaines’s site.
Blind Luck (The Technicians Series Book 3) Page 13